This was probably the latest in the Spring that I've loaded the first ammo of the year. It was a long winter and late spring weather here in Maine. Besides, I'm getting a bit "long in the tooth" at 77 yrs. old and don't like to shoot in the cold.
Yesterday, I loaded some .223 Rem in three-time used Starline cases, using 55 grain Hornady spitzers and a mild charge of Varget and WW primers, just one grain above the minimum recommended load by my newest Lyman Manual for that weight bullet. The Starline cases are the best I've used in over 60 years of handloading. I hope to shoot some of these in the next few days, but it's been way too windy to test lately, especially in the wide-open blueberry field range.
PHOTO: I have a couple of .223s here, both Remingtons. Lower-One: a 22" BBL blued, factory standard barreled-action in a pillar-bedded, H.S. Precision plastic stock and Leupold 3-9X with duplex reticle.
The other, a Rem. Light Varmint - fluted 20" stainless, in the factory synthetic varmint stock, bedded/floated, Timney-triggered. Scope is a Bushnell 3-12X mil-dot .
The rifles both shoot 1/2 min. groups and when I'm going for a hunting-walk down back, it's a tough decision as to which one to take, but I've got to make it. They both shoot 1/2 min. or better, depending more on my handloads than the rifles. The blued one in the H.S. Precision stock is more comfortable to carry, due to the rounded configuration and is more weight-forward, so feels easier to aim offhand. The Stainless one is more angular, so not as comfortable to carry, but the barrel is shorter. Both rifles weigh 8.8 lbs. as they are.
I was considering going down back to check the new ammo, but it's too windy for fine shooting today, so will put it off until I can do a good job sighting-in with the new load. JP
Last edited: