.223 Heavy Bullets in a 1:9 twist?

[Newbe]

I've got a Savage 11VT 1:9 twist that shoots lights out with Sierra 69gr Match Kings.

I've read where some people have had good results with the Nosler 77gr Custom Comps (slightly shorter than the SMKs).

I've literally got over a thousand of the Nosler 77s. Thinking about trying them out in the Savage.

Anybody here tried that combination?

If so, what powder and charge worked well for you?

I've got:
TAC
Varget
8208 XBR
322
335
2230
2200
X-terminator
IMR 4064
2015
2520 and
ARComp

Any help greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[BoilerUP]

24-24.5gr Varget
23.2-23.8gr 8208XBR

Work up as always...

[Steelhead]

I have a 1-9 16 ar barrel that loves 77's.
Varget is a good place to look but 23+ of 8208xbr is where I'd look first.

[MoJo59]

My stock 1/9 pencil barrel shoots the Sierra 77's just fine. IMR4320

[dcloco]

H4895 will be your new friend as well. :)

[Robinhood]

To bad you don't have Reloder 15. Mine is a 7 twist but like 23.8.

[GaCop]

+1 for the H4895. It will give you some impressive velocities.

[Newbe]

Thanks for the info guys. Much appreciated.

Just to clarify, this is a Savage bolt action .223

When I was doing load research I see the top powder charges are less than the recommended ones here.

I will of course work my way up (I loaded 10 with each powder charge starting with 21.5 and going up to 23.9).

Are all of you using these charges in 5.56 barrels, or are some of you using .223 chambers??

Thanks for the clarification!

[dcloco]

H4895 will also provide excellent accuracy, part of the Hodgdon Extreme line of powders (less temperature sensitive), and burns rather clean.

The ONLY powder that does a better job the H4895, is OLD H4895 (yes, they are different powders).

[darkker]

77's worked in all mine.
http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmstab-5.1.cgi

Look up the length on the left, change the appropriate items, and add the velocity from your chronograph.

[Texas10]

[QUOTE=Newbe;302150]

I've got:
TAC
Varget
8208 XBR
322
335
2230
2200
X-terminator
IMR 4064
2015
2520 and
ARComp

Hmmmmm…..so THAT'S why I can't find any powder

[Newbe]

Thanks again guys!

[greyghost]

Tac did the best for me in 223
Bechmark for 308

[GaCop]

I built my son a 223 bull barrel Savage with 1/9 twist. His rifle LOVES the 75 grain A-Max and Hornady 75 grain BTHP's. He shoots these bullets sub MOA out to 400 yards.

[Sharpshooter79]

Howdy,
I didn't know that a 1 in 9 would handle a 77gr bullet such as the SMK or AMAX? If it will, I might try them in my new savage 12fv. Thanks!

[Ranger3]

I regularly shoot 75 grain aAMAX in my 9 twist and they shoot awesome.

[Newbe]

Well, I've loaded up a bunch of Hornady 75gr BTHP match and Nosler 77gr pills.

Hope to be able to get out in the next couple of weeks to try them out!

[Newbe]

Sorry about the extended absence, but here are the results of the Nosler 77gr Custom Competition in the Savage. All groups shot at 100 yds off a bench.

[icker96]

That's good to see, and thanks for actually coming back and reporting the results. I have a Savage Model 11/111 that shoots the 75 AMAX very well with XBR 8208 and TAC. I always heard that they were too big or too long, but like you decided to try it out and see what happened

moral of the story...try it and see what happens. Just work it up safely

[Newbe]

That's good to see, and thanks for actually coming back and reporting the results. I have a Savage Model 11/111 that shoots the 75 AMAX very well with XBR 8208 and TAC. I always heard that they were too big or too long, but like you decided to try it out and see what happened

moral of the story...try it and see what happens. Just work it up safely

Yeah, sorry it took so long for me to post up. I took this load out to 600 yds. Up to and including 400 yds, it held 1/2 MOA 5 shot groups.

At 600 yds, it opened up to 1 MOA due to the wind conditions. Vertical spread was still 1/2 MOA or less though.

If you look at the last two dots on the bottom of the target you'll see the impact was almost the exact same spot. These were two different (higher) powder charges (23.3 and 23.7gr) that were too hot. Kinda sucks because it looks like there was another smoking accurate node there. It's still clipping right along at the 22.4 gr charge though at around 2,735 FPS.

[Texas10]

I just got a box of 75g A-Max and would like a good starting point for a load work up. I see your target is marked 77 Nosler, did you have similar luck with the 75's?

I load to 1.940 base to Ogive. I'm guessing you load to 1.892 with a .016 jump. Have you tried other jumps?

I'm going to shoot 600 yds for the first time tomorrow but won't have time to work up a load of 75's at 100 yds before going. I'll be shooting 69g Nosler CC's.

[GaCop]

Sierra 77 grain Match Kings over 24 grains of Varget in RP brass and Fed 205M primers shoot 5 rounds into 1.060" at 300 yards for me in a Savage factory barrel, 24", 1 in 9 twist. I'm seating the SMKs .005" OTL.

[Newbe]

I just got a box of 75g A-Max and would like a good starting point for a load work up. I see your target is marked 77 Nosler, did you have similar luck with the 75's?

I load to 1.940 base to Ogive. I'm guessing you load to 1.892 with a .016 jump. Have you tried other jumps?

I'm going to shoot 600 yds for the first time tomorrow but won't have time to work up a load of 75's at 100 yds before going. I'll be shooting 69g Nosler CC's.

I have not tried other jumps. Perhaps down the road I will. I was so ecstatic with the 3-shot group at that particular load (22.4gr), that I did not want to change anything on it, although I did change the brass from the original load by switching from once fired, processed and primed 08' L.C. brass to Virgin 13' L.C. brass. I was limited in 08' quantities....

I AM anxious to see your results. What will you be shooting them out of?

I have not tried the 75gr A-max.

[Newbe]

Sierra 77 grain Match Kings over 24 grains of Varget in RP brass and Fed 205M primers shoot 5 rounds into 1.060" at 300 yards for me in a Savage factory barrel, 24", 1 in 9 twist. I'm seating the SMKs .005" OTL.

****~! That's nice! 1/3 MOA at 300 is nothing to sneeze at!

I've got a ton of those bullets, but I thought the longer bearing surface would make them unstable. Might have to load some up and see what happens! Especially since I have a bunch of the TIPPED SMKs!!

[Newbe]

Speaking of the Tipped 77gr SMKs, I bet those SOBs would be supersonic to 1,000 yds at the speeds I'm getting with the Noslers! (2,735 fps)