[wanderinwalker]

After spending WAAYYY too much time shooting :D I have finally settled on a new 69gr Sierra MK load for my AR-15 Service Rifle. It took a lot of frustration to reach this point, but I made it. Here are a few things I learned:

1) If developing a 200/300 yard load, 100 yard groups are irrelevent! What looks good at 200 isn't always pretty at 100 and vice versa. Several people have informed me that this is particularly common with boat-tailed bullets.

2) I tried to like, I WANTED to like, but I don't really like Hodgdon's Varget in .223 loading. I can get good groups with it, don't get me wrong, but I can't seem to get enough powder into the case to get the velocity I want without majorly compressing the charge. Oh well, I'll just burn up what I have left in something else (my .260 perhaps?). (Edit: Upon closer inspection, I think the Varget is a good bet. Retract this statement, but I will not remove it.)

3) I really like WW748 ball powder. This may put me at a disadvantage in Highpower competition, but I doubt it. The confidence I have with loading this powder in MY rifle should count for more than anything else I can do.

4) If it is going to be a long, drawn out process with lots of rounds launched down range before I find what I want, I'd rather have to do it with a smaller caliber rifle. :)

And lastly,
5) Patience is the key to finding a good combination. Luck and voodoo may be helpful, but will never replace a calm, methodical head.

Thanks for listening to me rant. If anybody has any thoughts, please share.
~Nate

Edited to add that I was on a search for 2700-2750 fps (+/-) with acceptable accuracy.

[Steve Smith]

God thing you asked for our thoughts, cause I have some. Dump the ball powder before summer or you might find yourself in a danger zone.

The rest of your coments are good.

One more thing, try not to wear out your barrel developing loads. Much has been written about good loads for these guns.

[wanderinwalker]

After I finished writing that, I thought better of the ball powder comment for match ammo. :rolleyes: It seems like about 24.5gr of Varget would be a much SAFER alternative. Maybe 25 of it. In the cases I have, 26gr is too much, and 25 is actually compressed mildly. The velocity is slower, but I can learn to cope.

Consider the comment about Varget retracted or altered. Not sure which yet. Will tell you in the spring! :)

And I can't wait to move to 600 yards next year. That should be exciting. Planning on using Varget or maybe some H4895 I have on hand.

Thanks Mr. Smith. And I seem to be plenty safe, my Winchester primers don't look anywhere near piercing. But I have a bad feeling that between pierced primers and OK primers is a fine line.

BTW, I am developing loads as I practice my positions. Very helpful, if not necessarily the best approach.

[Black Snowman]

As you probably have heard, theory has it that a slightly compressed load will yeild more consistant velocity and consistancy is a good things :) Add to that the fact Varget was designed to be temperature stable and it will be pretty hard to go wrong.

I'm happy with Varget in my .308 loads so far but I'm still not nearly good enough of a shot to say exactly how good my CZ550 Varmit Laminated shoots, but I've got some sand bags on the way to help out :) Barrel and trigger are almost, but not quite broken in. Need to send a few more down range :D

[Steve Smith]

Varget has been used a long time. If you read about my pet loads you may eventually decide to change. They work well, but so does Varget.

[wanderinwalker]

Mr. Smith,

The reason I have chosen Varget is because it is easy to find around here. RL15 is difficult to locate, and V-V is IMPOSSIBLE to find (read: nobody carries it). Heck, availibility of Alliant is pretty much hit-or-miss. Even Hodgdon could be more plentiful, but we do what we can, no? If you like IMR you are in good shape though! ;)

Basically I will load with the Varget, probably about 24.5-25gr of it and the 69gr SMK. The velocities aren't spectacular but the accuracy is good (and likely to improve if I don't switch between powders anymore). Plus, it would be nice to hopefully use the same powder at 600 yards as at the closer ranges.

Thanks for listening and weighing in all,
~Nathan