223 pet loads Lets see'em

**celltech** · 09-04-2018, 09:37 AM

69gr Sierra TIPPED Match king over 25.0 Varget in Hornady brass....standard CCI primer...2.260" oal. Sub 1/2 MOA for 5 shots from my 1:9 12FV with a barrel cut down to 20". Load is hot as the primers are just starting to get edges on them.

On my thicker Starline brass I have to drop it down to 24.5 grains or primers get ugly and bullets start spreading.

**wbm** · 09-04-2018, 03:17 PM

Thanks celltech. Don't have any 69gr Sierras but do have some 68gr Hornady. Will give this one a go. This thread should stay active. All the posted loads that I have tried (especially where components and OAL are given) have worked well in at least three 223 Savage rifles I have tried them in. You often hear "well what shoots well in my rifle may not shoot well in yours." True. But the "magic" of this thread is all the loads are in Savage rifles with 1-9 or slower twist rates. Sierra's V Manual used Savage rifles a lot for their testing. I have yet to try one of their "accuracy loads" that did not perform good to excellent in my Savage rifles.

**wbm** · 09-04-2018, 03:23 PM

For what it's worth, IMR 8208XBR has become my go-to powder in 223 for anything less than 60gr bullets.

**EubeenHadd** · 09-26-2018, 07:43 AM

Testing a new load next week, 70gr RDF, 25.1gr Varget, CCI450, mixed Hornady/GECO 100gr brass. Hoping for MOA, but this 9 twist hasn't liked long 70gr+ round's yet so we'll see.

**wbm** · 09-26-2018, 09:10 AM

Have you shot any of the GECO ammunition?

**Robinhood** · 09-26-2018, 11:20 PM

Winchester brass
23.8 R15
80 SMK
BR4
7 Twist

**celltech** · 09-28-2018, 09:32 AM

It's not a handload, but the other day I shot some 75 BTHP Hornady Steel Match out of my 7 twist X-Cal on a 12FV action. Easily shot a pair of .47" 5 shot groups. For the cheap price I was pretty impressed.

**EubeenHadd** · 09-28-2018, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by wbm

Have you shot any of the GECO ammunition?

I have. Both the .223 and 5.56 do OK from my rifle, 2moa or so, more than serviceable for plinking. Consistent brass weight though. Every ammo I've ever fired has cratered primers, other than that it shot without any pressure signs or other issues.

**Want2BS8ed** · 12-05-2018, 03:33 PM

I have been playing with 69g Sierra MK's over IMR 8208 XBR. Loads have been great in both AR and bolt action platforms.

Almost as universal as the 55g recipe posted several months ago.

Really liking the 8208.

M

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**wbm** · 12-06-2018, 10:34 AM

8208 is a very good powder for several different cartridges.

**wbm** · 06-04-2020, 03:55 PM

Have never loaded the 50gr Sierra Tipped bullets in any Savage 223's. Going to give them a go with 8208XBR today. Will post what I find.

Any of you guys have some loads for them?

**charlie b** · 06-06-2020, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by wbm

Thanks celltech. Don't have any 69gr Sierras but do have some 68gr Hornady. Will give this one a go. This thread should stay active. All the posted loads that I have tried (especially where components and OAL are given) have worked well in at least three 223 Savage rifles I have tried them in. You often hear "well what shoots well in my rifle may not shoot well in yours." True. But the "magic" of this thread is all the loads are in Savage rifles with 1-9 or slower twist rates. Sierra's V Manual used Savage rifles a lot for their testing. I have yet to try one of their "accuracy loads" that did not perform good to excellent in my Savage rifles.

One of the things I have noticed with the .223 is that it performs well with a wide variety of bullets, powders and loads.

When I first reloaded for it I was using a powder measure on my progressive press and not weighing individual charges. Using the 69gn SMK's I was still getting MOA level loads out to 200yd, even with kind of wild extreme spreads in velocity (100fps or more).

Now days even the cheapest 55gn FMJBT bullets will do MOA for me. The better bullets will do less than 1/2MOA (and they are more limited by my skills than their accuracy). Powders seem to be similar. Some may like a filled case and others more tolerant of heat, but, most will shoot well.

**wbm** · 06-06-2020, 12:33 PM

Now days even the cheapest 55gn FMJBT bullets will do MOA for me. The better bullets will do less than 1/2MOA (and they are more limited by my skills than their accuracy). Powders seem to be similar. Some may like a filled case and others more tolerant of heat, but, most will shoot well.

Agree. Except for the Remington UMC 223 55 Grain Full Metal Jacket. Worst factory ammo I have ever used in 223!

**charlie b** · 06-06-2020, 02:43 PM

Factory ammo, I agree. I had Federal bulk ammo that was lucky to get 2MOA.

Never tried Remington factory bullets in my reloads. The cheapest bullets I could find at the local shop were the Hornady 55 FMJBT. They do OK.

**Bill2905** · 06-06-2020, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by wbm

Have never loaded the 50gr Sierra Tipped bullets in any Savage 223's. Going to give them a go with 8208XBR today. Will post what I find.

Any of you guys have some loads for them?

I have not shot the 50 grain version but I just finished off a box of Sierra 60 grain Tipped Match Kings. I loaded them on top of 21.8 grains of H322 with a Remington 7-1/2 primer and had several groups less than 1/2 MOA at 200 yards. I will be ordering some more of them.

**hamiltonkiler** · 06-06-2020, 10:06 PM

A 77gn smk loaded to the edge of a magazine at speeds over 2700fps usually carry very accurately.

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**wbm** · 06-07-2020, 10:07 AM

Wind was terrible here yesterday...blew every direction but up! 25gr of IMR-8208 and 27gr BL-C(2) with 50gr Sierra both shot well for starting loads...both loads averaged less than .75". This is my first use of BL-C(2) in anything.

**wbm** · 06-12-2020, 03:20 PM

Finally got out today. Shot Sierra 50gr BlitzKing with 27.5gr of BL-C(2)

Savage Axis, Mueller APV Scope. Ended up with .40" three shot group. First cold bore shot was a bit high but other two were ok.
.40" three shot group.

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**charlie b** · 06-12-2020, 11:25 PM

I realize you are looking for varmint loads, but, since only Hamilton mentioned it....

Axis, 22" factory heavy barrel, 1:9 twist
Boyds Pro Varmint stock
Standard accu trigger
Vortex Diamondback 4-16x42

77gn SMK
23.5gn Varget
2800fps

1/2MOA most of the time. Less if I am doing my job well. I have quite a few in the .3's but that is as good as I can shoot.

I've had more than a few 3" groups at 600yd and 1.5" groups at 300yd.
I even shot it at 1000yd one day. 20 rounds into 18". I wasn't reading wind very well that day. At the longer ranges wind is the deciding factor.

I buy the 77SMK's in bulk and load up 100-200 at a time. Barrel is approaching 3000 rounds. One thing interesting about this rifle is it likes to be fired HOT, as in too hot to touch. The last group on a 100deg day is as small as the first groups.

Second up would be the 69SMK and 25.5 Varget. That is also 1/2MOA. Nosler 69 match are close, but, usually not less than 1/2MOA. Hornady 68gn Match are closer to 1MOA bullets. The lighter bullets tend to be 1MOA (or worse in some cases).

Note: This was not a 1/2MOA rifle out of the box. It took a good 400 rounds to settle down. It also needs to have all the copper cleaned out every 300 rounds or so (when groups open up to above 1/2MOA). Still not bad for a cheap rifle.

PS Seating depth. There are some bullets that like to be seated into the lands. SMK's seem to like a little jump. I seat them at .02" to .03" from the lands.

**wbm** · 06-13-2020, 10:03 AM

I realize you are looking for varmint loads

Not really....just 223 loads that work for different shooters. I can't find Varget here!

Good post by the way.

**Bill2905** · 06-13-2020, 06:16 PM

I have shot more Hornady 53 gr V-Max than anything else.

23.1 gr H322 yields 3,240 fps from a 26" barrel with 1/2 MOA average group size.

26.0 gr W748 yields 3,300 fps from a 26" barrel with 1/2 MOA groups

I have had the most consistent results with this bullet in four different 223 barrels. Can't say the same for some others I have tried.

**charlie b** · 06-13-2020, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by wbm

Not really....just 223 loads that work for different shooters. I can't find Varget here!

Good post by the way.

Thanks. I think there are only three of four of us in here who have shot the 77gn SMK and tipped SMK in the 1:9 twist Savages. Probably cause Sierra prints on the side of the box that you need a 1:8 twist or faster to shoot them.

**wyosam** · 06-19-2020, 11:25 PM

My main ones are 24.0 RL15 73gr ELDm @ 2865

24.9 benchmark 53 gr vmax at 3200ish I think. I’ve also had good results with 53gr hp match Hornady on 25.0 (I think, haven’t made a batch of those in a while) h335. I did try the 77tmk, shot pretty well on RL15- don’t recall the load or speed. Couldn’t get them to group quite as well as the eldm, so I didn’t pursue. Those are in a 26” varmint barreled savage.

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**djzero** · 06-20-2020, 01:17 AM

I'm still working on finding a pet load but the one that worked best for me so far is 23.9gn of TAC behind a 55gn VMAX loaded to 2.330" in a PMC case and federal match primer. That one got me a best of .76MOA on a 22" barrel with 1:9 twist.

**hamiltonkiler** · 06-23-2020, 06:36 AM

Originally Posted by djzero

I'm still working on finding a pet load but the one that worked best for me so far is 23.9gn of TAC behind a 55gn VMAX loaded to 2.330" in a PMC case and federal match primer. That one got me a best of .76MOA on a 22" barrel with 1:9 twist.

A stock off the shelf federal gold metal match 69 or 77gn smk will show you what the rifle is capable of.
Not sure you can find them but when Australian outback was loading the 55gn blitz king that produced some small 100yd groups.
But blow off target a lot easier than a heavy bullet. Ie. ballistic coefficient

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