Nosler 80gr HPBT Custom Competition - load data

[tlakose]

Hey all,
A while back I was given a box of these Nosler 80gr custom competition (53080) bullets and they’ve sat around until now. I’ve searched around and there’s not a ton of data in forums. Anyone shoot these out of an AR? I primarily load 55gr bullets with H335 so that’s the only powder I have. I’d like to load these up for some 100 yard shooting. Any H335 data would be helpful or any personal experience with these would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Let me preface this by saying I've fired more than a few of those exact bullets through an AR-15 Service Rifle. Here are some thoughts for you:

1) There isn't a lot of data for those bullets with H335 because it's a terrible propellant to use with an 80 grain bullet in the .223 Remington case. It's too fast burning to get much velocity with them. Generally any data you'll find for loading 80 grain bullets into the .223 case is going to use slower powders like Varget, RL-15, even H4895, XBR-8208 or AA2520.

2) You don't see a lot of mentions of using them because they're specifically meant for loading as single-shots when shooting long-range (beyond 300 yards) with the .223. You CANNOT safely load those bullets to fit into an AR-15 magazine. They aren't shaped to work in that application. Most data for these bullets assumes an OAL of around 2.5" for a finished round, but the important measurement when loading them is jump to the lands. Depending on your chamber, if you're .015-.025" from the lands, you'll end up with something very different than the book values for final OAL.

3) They aren't a great bullet for shooting at 100 yards. While I don't completely subscribe to the old myth that it takes some time for long-range bullets to settle in while going downrange, they definitely shot better MOA-wise after 200 yards than at 100 yards. My 600 yard slow fire loads actually shot really, really well at 300 yards.

4) The general recommendation when I first started loading Nosler Custom Competitions (I think they were still called Nosler J4s even) was to use data for the same weight Sierra Matchking. I've always considered the ,.224" Nosler CC HPBTs and Sierra Matchking HPBTs to be completely interchangeable, and my barrels never seemed to care which brand of bullet I was using. While I know this doesn't adhere to the "follow the book!" rule of reloading, it is in keeping with the reality that we aren't likely working with the exact same components listed in the book.

5.) Here's a picture highlighting the OAL difference between a 55 grain Ballistic Tip seated to 2.26" magazine length, and an 80 grain Nosler Custom Competition seated to .015" off the rifling:


6) Since you're loading H335 and 55 grain FMJ bullets currently, I'm going to assume you're reloading for something like a 16" AR carbine. I don't think I'd bother with the time and effort to work up a load for these bullets in a short carbine; my opinion is you need at least a 20" barrel to get enough velocity to make fussing with loading them worthwhile, and a 24" or longer match barrel would be even better.

After all of that, my advice would be to trade those 80 grain match bullets for something like some 52 grain match bullets, or even some 55 grain Varmageddon or Hornady V-Max bullets. Or a whole pile of 55 grain FMJ bullets. They're definitely worth at least double their quantity of FMJ bullets, maybe even more.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Nosler has data for the 80gr.
https://www.nosler.com/223-remington

However, wanderinwalker nailed it!

I use 22.8gr of H4895 from my RRA NM AR15 @2.550”OAL. It gets 2,700fps (20”bbl) and has delivered 1/2 MOA @600yds at CMP Talladega range.
My rifle has a 20” 1/8” twist barrel with a Wilde chamber. So it was built to shoot this load.
They have to be Fed single using a single shot adapter called a “sled” that fits over the mag follower. Mine is yellow and sold by Sinclair. I got it from Brownells.

I bought a 500rd box of Sierra’s on clearance. Still have most as Covid hit and regular matches are just now returning to CMP. Generally though, I use the MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE Hornady 75gr BTHPT Match bullets as they can be seated to 2.255” and fed through the mags.
Except at 600yds prone, I can’t shoot the difference and wind typically isn’t much at Talladega which is the only place I shoot the long match.

 

[tlakose]

Let me preface this by saying I've fired more than a few of those exact bullets through an AR-15 Service Rifle. Here are some thoughts for you:

1) There isn't a lot of data for those bullets with H335 because it's a terrible propellant to use with an 80 grain bullet in the .223 Remington case. It's too fast burning to get much velocity with them. Generally any data you'll find for loading 80 grain bullets into the .223 case is going to use slower powders like Varget, RL-15, even H4895, XBR-8208 or AA2520.

2) You don't see a lot of mentions of using them because they're specifically meant for loading as single-shots when shooting long-range (beyond 300 yards) with the .223. You CANNOT safely load those bullets to fit into an AR-15 magazine. They aren't shaped to work in that application. Most data for these bullets assumes an OAL of around 2.5" for a finished round, but the important measurement when loading them is jump to the lands. Depending on your chamber, if you're .015-.025" from the lands, you'll end up with something very different than the book values for final OAL.

3) They aren't a great bullet for shooting at 100 yards. While I don't completely subscribe to the old myth that it takes some time for long-range bullets to settle in while going downrange, they definitely shot better MOA-wise after 200 yards than at 100 yards. My 600 yard slow fire loads actually shot really, really well at 300 yards.

4) The general recommendation when I first started loading Nosler Custom Competitions (I think they were still called Nosler J4s even) was to use data for the same weight Sierra Matchking. I've always considered the ,.224" Nosler CC HPBTs and Sierra Matchking HPBTs to be completely interchangeable, and my barrels never seemed to care which brand of bullet I was using. While I know this doesn't adhere to the "follow the book!" rule of reloading, it is in keeping with the reality that we aren't likely working with the exact same components listed in the book.

5.) Here's a picture highlighting the OAL difference between a 55 grain Ballistic Tip seated to 2.26" magazine length, and an 80 grain Nosler Custom Competition seated to .015" off the rifling:
View attachment 1139524

6) Since you're loading H335 and 55 grain FMJ bullets currently, I'm going to assume you're reloading for something like a 16" AR carbine. I don't think I'd bother with the time and effort to work up a load for these bullets in a short carbine; my opinion is you need at least a 20" barrel to get enough velocity to make fussing with loading them worthwhile, and a 24" or longer match barrel would be even better.

After all of that, my advice would be to trade those 80 grain match bullets for something like some 52 grain match bullets, or even some 55 grain Varmageddon or Hornady V-Max bullets. Or a whole pile of 55 grain FMJ bullets. They're definitely worth at least double their quantity of FMJ bullets, maybe even more.

Awesome, thanks a lot for an awesome reply. I didn’t think a bullet like this would be the kind of thing you shot out of a semi-auto for fun. Around here 100 yard ranges are about as long as it gets. My longest barrel is 14.5 inches so this specific bullet seems like a waste. The box of 250 came with 220 so I might try to offload them and get some 55gr or slightly larger and make something meant for 100ish yards.

Thanks again!