223 Varmint Options

[viking499]

What are some good loads for a 223 bolt gun? Going to be used for mostly varmint and a little bit of paper.

Gun is a Tikka T3 lite. 1:8 twist barrel.

Looking for something fast and accurate. Probably something in the 50-60 grain area.

 

[j1]

Sierra 52 grain hpbt target bullet and IMR 4198 powder. None better. Shoots one hole groups, off the bench, at 100. Man I am waiting for this snow and ice to be gone. I hate winter.

 

[Bush Pilot]

MY load is a Sierra 52 gr match HP over 26.0 grs of H335 with a Rem 7 1/2 primer. This load shoots well in all my bolt action .223 rifles. I wish I had a nickel for every prairie dog this load turned in to ground prairie dog.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

50gr V-Max and Benchmark.

 

[mnhntr]

I use 55gr Varmageddon's and Vmax's in my AR 1-8 twist with Varget powder.

 

[spitballer]

I think your 1:8 twist will enable you to shoot heavier bullets than 50-60 grains, which might actually be a little more accurate at longer yardage, especially if you've got a match chamber and you can pack a lot of powder. I shoot mostly 55's and they're a really a challenge when the wind's blowing once I get out past 3-4 hundred yards. I enjoy it, but if I had a 1:8 twist I'd be sorely tempted to take advantage of it.

 

[dagger dog]

The 69 gr SMK was designed for a 1-9 twist so I would go as far as to say your T3's 1-8 will stabilize that bullet length fine.

My experience with the 69 SMK was with RE 15 shot in a Savage 1 in 9 twist and was MOA out to 150 yds.

ALLIANT data shows a MAX load of 25.5 grs for 2,956 fps, using Fed. 205 M primers and Winchester, brass. REDUCE THIS LOAD BY 10% and work up ! 2002 data.

It's a HPBT, not an actual varmint bullet, but traveling at that speed they probably make a mess out of any fur and meat they encounter.

 

[matrem]

Currently down to one commonly used bolt rifle for varmints and it does well on paper and critters with 50 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips ahead of 27.5 gr of 335, lit by a 450. ( careful, that's a very warm load in 223 in some guns)

Sierra 52 grain hpbt target bullet

I've found the polytipped bullets(V max, blitzking, ballistic tip) to be in the same class on paper, and much more reliable on critters.