Federal Premium 80 grain

[wbm]

The bullets were pushed into the lands when you closed the bolt so that is why you felt resistance. Why not just go to your press and seat the bullets a bit deeper? Better yet just shoot another type of ammunition. Your Savage 223 has a twist of 1-9. The 80gr Sierra Match King requires a 1-8 or less so it is not the best choice for your Savage. Been there.

[GaCop]

The bullets were pushed into the lands when you closed the bolt so that is why you felt resistance. Why not just go to your press and seat the bullets a bit deeper? Better yet just shoot another type of ammunition. Your Savage 223 has a twist of 1-9. The 80gr Sierra Match King requires a 1-8 or less so it is not the best choice for your Savage. Been there.

+1, the 1 in 9 twist won't stabilize that 80 grain boat tail.

[JASmith]

The bullets were pushed into the lands when you closed the bolt so that is why you felt resistance. Why not just go to your press and seat the bullets a bit deeper? Better yet just shoot another type of ammunition. Your Savage 223 has a twist of 1-9. The 80gr Sierra Match King requires a 1-8 or less so it is not the best choice for your Savage. Been there.

A note of caution -- pushing the bullets in deeper will decrease the volume and WILL increase pressures. The factory load might already be a compressed load which further makes seating deeper a bad idea.

Shooting with the bullet pressed into the lands WILL INCREASE pressures even more.

In other words, get the problem resolved through your gunsmith, Savage, or Federal before using it!