53 gr TSX lands measurement

[tammons]

My dad has a factory Savage 223 sporter.

I have had several but dont have one right now, and I am questioning the notes I made on what the COL is on the lands for that bullet if anybody can help me out.

Loading some 53 tsx bulelts up for him and I want to back them off about 20.

Thanks

[Woodser]

How old is you Dad's 223? I ask because newer Savage 223s have longer throats than say 15-20 years ago. I have two Savage 223 rifles, one purchased in the early-90's, and one this year. The new one has a throat 0.050" longer than the old one.

Best and cheapest way to find out is to make up a dummy round with about 1/2 of the neck sized, start a bullet in it, and chamber it hard to seat the bullet into the case by the lands. Measure the length and deduct 0.010" or so to get a max length, then deduct your 0.020" from that.

The 0.010" deduction is an arbitrary number to allow for depth the bullet was forced into the lands, which you will be able to see on the bullet. It might be more, or less, depending on the angle of the reamer at the lands starting point. If you measure those marks on the bullet, and deduct that amount from the original reading, you will have a OAL that is just barely at the lands. Might even be lightly touching them.

[trappst]

Found my notes from October of 2005 - Savage 11 sporter

53g TSX - measurement taken with stoney point gizmo using the comparator/digital caliper zero'd out

at lands 2.028"

FWIW, my best load was .090" off the lands using 28.1g BL-C(2), Rem 7.5 primer and Win. brass

[tammons]

That cant be right unless its a wad cutter.
You sure its not 2.28" ??

2.028 is shorter than a sammi spec.

[trappst]

2.028" measuring from the ogive of the bullet with the stoney point comparator....

the caliper is zeroed with the comparator on it

Like so:





sorry, 6mm rem with 70g Nosler

[tammons]

Do you have a note on what the col was ??

[1Shot]

..Just load you up 5 at sammi oal & fire them for a group & see what you get...You have to start somewhere anyway... :)

[tammons]

I am loading up my old load that I ran in my savage 223, but dont have that rifle any more.

I am loading these up for my dads savage but he is in Ga.

When I went to my notes for my old good load, the COL I had written down for a 20 off the lands with the 53 seems to long so I dont think it is right. I have the same col for the 62 TSX, but it has a longer ogive, so I know the 53 cant be right. Either that or the 62 is loaded too short.

Thats why I am asking.

[1Shot]

...Just load them up at 1.925 off the ongive...If it's throated like most Savages, you won't have a problem...

[tammons]

Not too much worried about problems.

I am looking for someone that can measure the COL that puts the bullet .020 off the lands.

[trappst]

Sorry, I don't have any notes on the overall length. Never use it so I don't even measure it.

No longer have that barrel or any 53g TSX's. Sorry!

[tammons]

Hmmm,

Well my notes were from about 2 years ago.
Looking back though my notes, they were from when I had a 1:7 twist.

I started off with 70 TSX bullets and never could get them to group really well.
Then 62 grainers. They did pretty good. Not match, but good enough.
Then 53s. They grouped very tight btu like I said I think the COL in my notebook is wrong.
The 62s were so so for me in a 1:9 twist.

I also loaded a batch for a AR15 223 1:8 twist but all of those were loaded at 2.26.

I guess I will just leave them loaded long and measure the lands when I get up there.

If anybody else has info I would appreciate it.

Thanks

[sinman]

I ran some of the 62gr tsx bullets today and only got them to group at about 1.5" out of my zombie hunter but I got 55gr sierra game kings to group under a 1/2". Those will be my deer bullet this year.

[sinman]

i measured the group and it was a .380" 3 shot. Not bad with no load development and off a bipod.

[tammons]

The only game kings I have are 250 grains.