.223 with 90g Berger VLDs

[Nature Boy]

Any of you guys have any experience loading these heavies?

Where did you start, where did you find your accuracy and where did you see pressure issues?

I need to load some up for testing today. I have Varget, H4895, RL15 and N140

 

[Varminterror]

Which chamber, twist, and barrel length? If you don’t need the brass to live more than two shots, seat them to about 2.4” and pack a bunch of H4895 under them (24+), you’ll reach up around 2850 from a 30” tube and can even get away with a 1:7”. If you’re talking an AR, disregard all prior.

For the AR, seat as long as you can, feed it over the bob sled, pack Varget or H4895 under it, and quit when you get pressure signs. Need to have a 1:6.5” really, but a lucky 1:7” will get them to 600. 2650-2750ish is the best I recall attaining, completely barrel dependent there. Again, brass life will be poor. Simple solution - load new brass, and don’t pick it up.

 

[Jim Watson]

Pretty much my experience.
6.5 twist 28"
90 gr JLK or Berger
Lots of Varget.
Velocity 2700 fps.
Hammers at 600.

 

[Nature Boy]

I’m looking for a 600 yard F/TR load for my son’s model 12 Savage with a Shillen 1:7 28” bull barrel

Don’t have free bore info but my measurement of OAL touching the lands is 2.585.

PS. I was told this barrel was chambered to run the 80-90g pills

 

[Varminterror]

With that much throat - start pumping lots of Varget and leave the brass in the grass. It’ll get there with a smile on its face.

 

[Nature Boy]

With that much throat - start pumping lots of Varget and leave the brass in the grass. It’ll get there with a smile on its face.

I’ll be headed to the range here in a few with a load range from 23.2 - 24.6

We will see what it does to primer pockets.

 

[Nature Boy]

55g AMAX vs 90g VLD

 

[Nature Boy]

Looks like there might be a node at 23.5 and 24.1

No pressure signs all the way to 24.6

Makes me want to try 24.7 and 24.8

Finding the best seating depth will be the biggest challange for me with my time running out.

Trying to get 3 rifles ready for a 2 day F Class match this weekend.

 

[Jim Watson]

I was happy at 24 gr Varget while attempting 1000 yards.
You would be fine at 23.5 for 600.

The Sierra maximum for their 90 gr .224" is 22.4 gr Varget and they mean it. That is about 2500 fps which is adequate for midrange. Anything hotter will destroy bullets in flight. Which is why I changed to JLK, I was trying to get to 1000 supersonic.

I got good accuracy from the Hornady 75 gr Amax but had to hold the velocity down to keep from breaking them up at 6.5 twist rate.

 

[Nature Boy]

2 trips to the range today. I have to go with one of these. What do you think?

5 shots at 100 yards



Note that’s FPS at 15’

 

[edwardware]

Nice half-minute groups. I'm a data snob, so I'd load 20 of each and have a closer look.

 

[Nature Boy]

Nice half-minute groups. I'm a data snob, so I'd load 20 of each and have a closer look.

Me too. I just don’t have the time. Gotta go with one of those

 

[edwardware]

Me too. I just don’t have the time. Gotta go with one of those

Then go with 24.1gr: lower ES will be valuable at longer range.

 

[Jim Watson]

Right.

 

[Nature Boy]

Check,

Loading up 150

 

[Varminterror]

Traditional wisdom points to using lower ES for mid and long range games, but I ran a quick and dirty calculator in a 10mph wind and it’s not quite as cut and dried. Tough call, to be honest. Running numbers on it, the 24.1grn load would have .13mils of windage variation due to velocity (10mph wind), but only 0.06mils in vertical. The 24.7grn load would have 0.13mils of vertical, but would only spread 0.03mils in the wind - technically the smaller group. The faster load will also be less vulnerable to wind estimation errors.

Considering you guys are kinda flying by the seat of your pants, in your shoes, I’d probably shoot the faster load. Instinct says the slower, tighter load, but the math on these two particular groups bucks the norm.

I don’t think either is really a bad option. Flipping a coin is likely as valid in this case.

 

[Jim Watson]

And picking a load based on one string is pretty much flipping the coin anyhow.
In MY case, any heavier load was not as accurate so another 60 fps was no help at all.

 

[Nature Boy]

I agree. I’d rather have more data points. However, the first thing I did this morning was shoot this to find the node. Looking for adjacent groups where the vertical distance of group centers are close to one another. You can see it’s between 24.0 and 24.2 (hence, why I chose 24.1)



So I shot a few more than just a couple of 5 shot groups.

My 14 year old son will be shooting it in a 2 day match this weekend. If it turns out to suck he can blame it on his old man

 

[Nature Boy]

150 down, 150 .308 and 150 6BRA to go. Going to be a late night.

 

[edwardware]

The 24.7grn load would have 0.13mils of vertical, but would only spread 0.03mils in the wind - technically the smaller group.

I would not have thought of that! Thanks!

Looking for adjacent groups where the vertical distance of group centers are close to one another. You can see it’s between 24.0 and 24.2 (hence, why I chose 24.1)

That picture is a great illustration of nodes and charge effect.

 

[Varminterror]

Yup - given that OCW, 24.1 is super safe.

 

[<*(((><]

How did you shoot your node sheet? Did you round robin the different charge weights or shoot all three shots of each weight before moving on to the next?

 

[Nature Boy]

How did you shoot your node sheet? Did you round robin the different charge weights or shoot all three shots of each weight before moving on to the next?

No round robin, just shot in order.

Group size is irrelevant, only the comparison of adjacent group centers

 

[Nature Boy]

Post weekend results:

Saturday was a day for my son to get things sorted out. As the match progressed he started making small adustments with his scope based on where his shots were hitting the target and his scores improved. By the last match he was all 9’s, 10’s and X’s

He built off of yesterday’s lessons and shot even better today. Finished with 587 with 13 X’s



The load performed well but I want to try some other bullets. Maybe some 80g Bergers and Sierra’s. I also want to upgrade the trigger in his savage.

My daughter continues to shoot some amazing scores with my .308. She won the match today with a 596 and 22 X’s. I’ve never shot that well with it

 

[MarshallDodge]

Nicely done!

I want to try the new Nosler 85 RDF in my 1:7 Remage setup. It shoots the 80 CC pretty well.