handloads performed last night!

[Axis II]

I have been at this for a few years now and tried different things such as powder, bullets, primers, cases all seeking to tame the accuracy monster and the other day at the range i was able to load 55gr v max with 24gr benchmark and send 5 in a nickel at 100yards. I've got this load to shoot tighter before but i must have been off the other day. I was invited to do some varmint hunting last night and loaded up 20 55gr v max 223rem with the 24gr of benchmark and headed to the field not know what to expect. I wanted to shoot these loads out to 200-300yards and see how accuracy was before heading to the field but last night wouldn't allow it.

We parked the truck atop a hill and began glassing the bean fields and we noticed a large woodchuck ranged at around 230yards. I said well its now or never lets take our first animal with my reloads and see if i can even hit the dang thing. It got spooked and ran into the woods but another big one came out about 250yards away if i remember my spotters range right. I attempted to shoot with the bipod in sitting position but it was too wobbly therefore i went prone. I adjusted the turrets for 2 inch elevation from my 100yard zero and the woodchuck came out and i fired and missed. I said well they must not group well at this range. He gave me another shot and i fired and dropped him in his tracks. my 55gr v max found its mark and performed well. I was so ecstatic words couldn't describe it. I usually get a great sense of pride when punching paper with my reloads and being able to outshoot factory ammo but last night changed all that. first animal taken at over 200yards with my own loads. I will have to go up in charge a little bit until i hit another accuracy node because the v max didn't perform like factory so I'm sure its a little slow.

Thanks to all you guys here on THR who have helped me the last few years in my reloading journey it had paid off in more ways than one.

 

[horsey300]

I have been at this for a few years now and tried different things such as powder, bullets, primers, cases all seeking to tame the accuracy monster and the other day at the range i was able to load 55gr v max with 24gr benchmark and send 5 in a nickel at 100yards. I've got this load to shoot tighter before but i must have been off the other day. I was invited to do some varmint hunting last night and loaded up 20 55gr v max 223rem with the 24gr of benchmark and headed to the field not know what to expect. I wanted to shoot these loads out to 200-300yards and see how accuracy was before heading to the field but last night wouldn't allow it.

We parked the truck atop a hill and began glassing the bean fields and we noticed a large woodchuck ranged at around 230yards. I said well its now or never lets take our first animal with my reloads and see if i can even hit the dang thing. It got spooked and ran into the woods but another big one came out about 250yards away if i remember my spotters range right. I attempted to shoot with the bipod in sitting position but it was too wobbly therefore i went prone. I adjusted the turrets for 2 inch elevation from my 100yard zero and the woodchuck came out and i fired and missed. I said well they must not group well at this range. He gave me another shot and i fired and dropped him in his tracks. my 55gr v max found its mark and performed well. I was so ecstatic words couldn't describe it. I usually get a great sense of pride when punching paper with my reloads and being able to outshoot factory ammo but last night changed all that. first animal taken at over 200yards with my own loads. I will have to go up in charge a little bit until i hit another accuracy node because the v max didn't perform like factory so I'm sure its a little slow.

Thanks to all you guys here on THR who have helped me the last few years in my reloading journey it had paid off in more ways than one.

That's really cool man, congratulations! Side note, do you have a chronograph? Have you made contact at 250 with factory? I am not sure I would risk losing accuracy for splosion.....you DID accomplish what you set out to do didn't you? If you REALLY want to splode em at that distance with our wee lil .223 guns, you should also consider the spsx from hornady, blitz or bking from Sierra, tipped varmageddon from nosler. I promise the spsx will git er done.
This was the largest piece of a prairie dog I shot at 70 (ish) yds I popped last week. Twas found 15 yds from impact site where the hind legs were still sitting, with pieces scattered in between and one dime sized piece of hide 5 yds farther. Longer distance shots to the head and neck are resulting in decapitated or nearly decapitated corpses.

You can also go lighter weight, I'm running 50 gr, but either way out there from 275-350 the .223 is just less spectacular so I recommend not giving up accuracy where you can still connect. My 50 gr pills are one hole wonders, (will run a target pic soon) with h322 mid range load.(ETA chronoed at 3200 fps) I could push em a little faster, but naw I'm hitting every time I squeeze one off.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Congratulations ohihunter. All your load development paid off, well done.

 

[clearcut]

Cool good job! I know the feeling .

CC

 

[badkarmamib]

Congratulations! I, too, am hoping to see my hunting rounds produce this deer season. Never had a shot this past year I am certain you are very proud to reflect on the journey that led up to that shot. Again, congratulations.

 

[Axis II]

That's really cool man, congratulations! Side note, do you have a chronograph? Have you made contact at 250 with factory? I am not sure I would risk losing accuracy for splosion.....you DID accomplish what you set out to do didn't you? If you REALLY want to splode em at that distance with our wee lil .223 guns, you should also consider the spsx from hornady, blitz or bking from Sierra, tipped varmageddon from nosler. I promise the spsx will git er done.
This was the largest piece of a prairie dog I shot at 70 (ish) yds I popped last week. Twas found 15 yds from impact site where the hind legs were still sitting, with pieces scattered in between and one dime sized piece of hide 5 yds farther. Longer distance shots to the head and neck are resulting in decapitated or nearly decapitated corpses.

You can also go lighter weight, I'm running 50 gr, but either way out there from 275-350 the .223 is just less spectacular so I recommend not giving up accuracy where you can still connect. My 50 gr pills are one hole wonders, (will run a target pic soon) with h322 mid range load.(ETA chronoed at 3200 fps) I could push em a little faster, but naw I'm hitting every time I squeeze one off.

when i hit him while he was facing me and he rolled and then laid there for about 10 seconds and rolled again. It could have been the twitching of muscles but i don't like anything suffering even if its a woodchuck. I don't own a chrono but going to ask around at my club and see if someone has one to let me shoot through. The farthest i have shot one was almost 200yards with factory and it slung everything out the other end. I also shot one with a 50gr American eagle varmint round which I've heard is actually a nosler varmageddon bullet and it did the same thing. I didn't walk down to this one cause it was a hike and there were several others coming and going so i didn't want to ruin the spot. 25+ is max and im at 24gr so im going to try and see if i can hit another good accuracy point a little hotter. Im going to try 50gr v max this week cause they are on sale and see how they shoot but i would think the 55gr would hit a little harder.

 

[horsey300]

when i hit him while he was facing me and he rolled and then laid there for about 10 seconds and rolled again. It could have been the twitching of muscles but i don't like anything suffering even if its a woodchuck. I don't own a chrono but going to ask around at my club and see if someone has one to let me shoot through. The farthest i have shot one was almost 200yards with factory and it slung everything out the other end. I also shot one with a 50gr American eagle varmint round which I've heard is actually a nosler varmageddon bullet and it did the same thing. I didn't walk down to this one cause it was a hike and there were several others coming and going so i didn't want to ruin the spot. 25+ is max and im at 24gr so im going to try and see if i can hit another good accuracy point a little hotter. Im going to try 50gr v max this week cause they are on sale and see how they shoot but i would think the 55gr would hit a little harder.

It would and should, but it COULD open slower too, the reason I suggested the others is for their thinner more fragile jackets, nothing more, hornady makes a fine product, but vmax tends to penetrate better than the others, so theoretically, they have a better expansion control in place. I know that in my .243, the vmax and btip are both much TOUGHER than say a varmageddon or dogtown or blitzking etc.

 

[Axis II]

It would and should, but it COULD open slower too, the reason I suggested the others is for their thinner more fragile jackets, nothing more, hornady makes a fine product, but vmax tends to penetrate better than the others, so theoretically, they have a better expansion control in place. I know that in my .243, the vmax and btip are both much TOUGHER than say a varmageddon or dogtown or blitzking etc.

I have 55gr varmageddon hollow points im testing loads for now. so far with h322 its not promising. I have a full load workup of benchmark ones to shoot and then see if h335 noslers best load will shoot. Ill try the nosler BT also cause i don't want something running into a hole and dying.

are you running nosler varmageddon or the other BT?

 

[horsey300]

I have 55gr varmageddon hollow points im testing loads for now. so far with h322 its not promising. I have a full load workup of benchmark ones to shoot and then see if h335 noslers best load will shoot. Ill try the nosler BT also cause i don't want something running into a hole and dying.

are you running nosler varmageddon or the other BT?

I'm running the actual btip in the .243, soon as this box is up, we're testing the varmageddon. In my faster twist/longer bbl, I'm afraid of shredding the varmageddon jackets, so it'll stay with the btips or heavyweight pills. In my .223 I'm running a 50 gr spsx out of a 20" 1:12" #4 contour 23 gr of h322 for accuracy at 3200 fps (just checked my saved data and I'm actually at 3140 my apologies). I'm also playing with some 53 gr Barnes xbullets on the side but not working as hard on that since it's more of a maybe someday thought. The h322 load came from hornady. ETA I ran the numbers, using 3000 for mv with a 55 btip, impact at 250 yds was 2174, so your vmax should have mushroomed, but not full splosion. With the spsx load of mine, I'm at 2091 at 250 with plenty of splosion still.
Either way, you're obviously doing something right because he didn't run off and even heart shots don't stop all signs of life instantaneously.

 

[.308 Norma]

I was so ecstatic words couldn't describe it. I usually get a great sense of pride when punching paper with my reloads and being able to outshoot factory ammo but last night changed all that. first animal taken at over 200yards with my own loads

Congratulations! I've been there myself. For me, there really was a "great sense of pride" in tipping over distant, steel silhouettes with my own handloads. But it didn't even come close to the feelings of personal satisfaction and accomplishment I still get from actually hunting, using my own handloads.

 

[Axis II]

Well i was thinking and kind of reminiscing on this years hunting and it dawned on me that I took 2 deer with my 45-70 reloads. 300gr Hornady JHP under 40gr of IMR 4198, CCI LRP with starline brass. First was a 138lbs field dressed doe broadside at 60yards she made it about 150-200yards somehow. I think i might have pushed her a little bit. Second deer was a 155'' rough scored non typical 12pt field dressed at about 170lbs 100yard shot to the neck dropped him right in his tracks.

I used to be very impressed with how factory Hornady ammo performed and grouped in my rifles but once i got into this reloading game i always have a smile on my face when i get those tight groups and cleanly take a game animal with them. Since my reloading journey started 2yrs ago i have never fired a factory round since.

 

[splattergun]

Christmas dinner included venison killed with my 30-06 loads, and turkey killed with my hand-loaded 12ga shells.

I've said it before; Nothing tastes better than game killed with you own hand loads.

 

[kwg020]

I have been at this for a few years now and tried different things such as powder, bullets, primers, cases all seeking to tame the accuracy monster and the other day at the range i was able to load 55gr v max with 24gr benchmark and send 5 in a nickel at 100yards. I've got this load to shoot tighter before but i must have been off the other day. I was invited to do some varmint hunting last night and loaded up 20 55gr v max 223rem with the 24gr of benchmark and headed to the field not know what to expect. I wanted to shoot these loads out to 200-300yards and see how accuracy was before heading to the field but last night wouldn't allow it.

We parked the truck atop a hill and began glassing the bean fields and we noticed a large woodchuck ranged at around 230yards. I said well its now or never lets take our first animal with my reloads and see if i can even hit the dang thing. It got spooked and ran into the woods but another big one came out about 250yards away if i remember my spotters range right. I attempted to shoot with the bipod in sitting position but it was too wobbly therefore i went prone. I adjusted the turrets for 2 inch elevation from my 100yard zero and the woodchuck came out and i fired and missed. I said well they must not group well at this range. He gave me another shot and i fired and dropped him in his tracks. my 55gr v max found its mark and performed well. I was so ecstatic words couldn't describe it. I usually get a great sense of pride when punching paper with my reloads and being able to outshoot factory ammo but last night changed all that. first animal taken at over 200yards with my own loads. I will have to go up in charge a little bit until i hit another accuracy node because the v max didn't perform like factory so I'm sure its a little slow.

Thanks to all you guys here on THR who have helped me the last few years in my reloading journey it had paid off in more ways than one.

Hello ohihunter.
The powder recipe for Benchmark from Hogden is 25.6 grains of powder out of a 24 inch 1/12 test barrel is 3264 FPS. 24 grains makes for a slow round. I'm sure it's accurate but it appears there is a lot of room to move up on your load. If you are shooting out of a barrel shorter than 24 inches you are going less than 3060FPS. With a little math you can figure out bullet speed based on factory specs and the length of your barrel. A chrono would be more precise but the math is close. I have loaded the Benchmark to the 25.6 grains and I found no over pressure signs.
kwg

 

[Bfh_auto]

53gr vmax is a lot more fragile than the 55. BC is higher also.

 

[Axis II]

53gr vmax is a lot more fragile than the 55. BC is higher also.

I actually discovered 50gr Z max in bulk $60-500 and they shoot just as good as the 55gr. I have some more testing with OAL and charge to do in the spring but 3 weeks ago on a 40 degree day I was able to get 5 to touch but not one ragged hole.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I actually discovered 50gr Z max in bulk $60-500 and they shoot just as good as the 55gr. I have some more testing with OAL and charge to do in the spring but 3 weeks ago on a 40 degree day I was able to get 5 to touch but not one ragged hole.

That is an excellent price.