223 pet loads Lets see'em

[wbm]

Have you shot any of the GECO ammunition?

[EubeenHadd]

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.

[Robinhood]

Winchester brass
23.8 R15
80 SMK
BR4
7 Twist

[celltech]

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.

[Want2BS8ed]

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]

8208 is a very good powder for several different cartridges.

[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?

[Bill2905]

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]

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


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[wbm]

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]

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.

[charlie b]

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]

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.

[wyosam]

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]

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]

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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[wbm]

Australian outback was loading the 55gn blitzing

Finished the last I had of that last winter. Really good ammunition!

[Ted_Feasel]

68gr bthp eld match ,24.5 gr varget and 62gr hornady ss109 23.3 gr imr 8208 xbr

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[Ted_Feasel]

68gr bthp eld match ,24.5 gr varget and 62gr hornady ss109 23.3 gr imr 8208 xbr

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Forgot to mention both with starline brass and these are loads for precision AR15 .223 Wylde

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