Ruger Ranch load test

[Lokichoki]

Hello THR community,
I'm posting this to share and get insight from knowledgeable people. I just posted a little while ago a mini review on the Ruger Ranch .223 (check it out) and I'm following up with some load data and development for those interested. I wanted to first create a cheap subsonic round for pest control and plinking and this is the first lot in a series of loads I will publish. I chose to use my Lee double cavity C225-55-RF and use trail boss for this test. Using Federal brass that has been fire formed I tumbled them all night as usual and trimmed to 1.75 and flash hole uniformed and neck sized. I did not bother to weigh every case or check there capacity. I sorted my cast little 22's they ranged from 56.4 to 56.8 the majority being 56.7-.8 and had little to cull due to me removing most that were off before knocking them into the ice water bucket to quench, I will say that it takes awhile with lee's mold to get a good bullet since the bullets are so small the mold heats slowly and if for any reason you have to stop for even a minute reheating is necessary also you have to let the sprue cool so the bullets base get cut cleanly so there is definitely a learning curve but nonetheless doable. Anyways I did not gas check these bullets due to not having a ready supply locally and keeping the round as cheap as possible was the theme. The lead is kinda softer I feel then I'd like I have no WW and just range scrap and Magnum buckshot I repurposed but leading hasn't been an issue at these speeds. Without further adu here is what happened and load data

223 REM (FC brass) Load #1
Fire formed and neck sized
TTL:1.75
56.7gr .225 LFN-gc (no check not sized)
CCI #400 3.5gr Trail Boss (1072816 5573)
Lightly Crimped , C.O.L 2.085

Description: 223 55gr lfn #1
Distance to Chrono (FT): 4.00
Ballistic Coefficient: NA
Bullet Weight (gr): .56.7
Altitude (FT): 0.0
Temp: 74
BP: N/A
Shots
# FPS FT-LBS PF
5 1126 0.00 0.00
4 1135 0.00 0.00
3 1143 0.00 0.00
2 1151 0.00 0.00
1 1147 0.00 0.00
Average: 1140.40
StdDev: 9.99
Min: 1126
Max: 1151
Spread: 25
True MV: 1140.40
Shots/sec: 0.07
Group Size (IN): 0.95 (AVG)@50YDS

 

[JO JO]

Trail boss in rifle is some cool stuff,
I use it in 308 with good results

 

[Lokichoki]

Yea I pull 1972 Bulgarian surplus 7.62x54R and fill it with TB so my grandfather can shoot his mosin basically with TB you can fill the case to where the bullets base will be by making a line and take 10% off that amount and your golden for practically any cartridge

 

[444]

Those are pretty fast for subsonics, but they shoot decent. The SD is good, so I think you have a good load there. With subsonics, it is critical to keep that SD low or you get terrible vertical stringing.

 

[Lokichoki]

You are correct, I normally load 3grs at 960ish but just wanted to try a different load due to those not being that accurate in my rifle, also my friend is the one with the suppressors and his rifle has a 10" barrel so I'm guessing the velocity should be closer

 

[444]

That is the thing about loading subsonics.
If the load doesn't shoot in your gun, you don't have a lot of room to play with to try to find the sweet spot.

FWIW: I have that same rifle in .300 BO. I have only owned it a few weeks and have probably shot it a dozen different days trying all kinds of bullets and powders.

 

[Lokichoki]

Ruger now has the ranch in 7.62x39 and I'm feeling butt hurt cause I should of waited for that, I was trying to save up for the cz rifle in that chambering but could not for the life of me wait to save up. I've found my rifle likes 60gr v-max the best at 24.8 of 748 but shoots all NATO and cheaper factory loads like a scattergun. How's the accuracy been on your BO

 

[444]

Well.............................
Decent, far from great.
I have never fired a factory load in it. I have fired a few 1 MOA groups or slightly less but 1.5 MOA is much more typical. I am sure some of it is me though.

I am a reloading experimenter and am always playing with things trying to get tighter groups, less run-out, less extreme spreads.......... So my expectations are probably unrealistic. But, I am having a lot of fun trying.

 

[Lokichoki]

This rifle has been great for what it is. Usually I'm shooting 60gr v-max, 63ish ttsx , and heavy pills like 75gr variety and have been 1-1/4 moa to 3/4 but it tends to send the 3rd shot in a string and the rest flying so It takes a minute doing accuracy tests even with a medium profile barrel but it settles on zero Everytime on cold bore even throughout getting thrown in the trunk and through alot of shooting. I'm only 30 yo and can appreciate what $400 gets you

 

[444]

I really like the rifle itself. It seems like the perfect rifle for bumming around the woods or the desert or carrying in the truck or something like that. When I lived out west, this is exactly the type of thing I would have had with me all the time. I spent all my free time driving off road exploring dirt roads, ghost towns, old mines, hiking in the mountains, calling coyotes, shooting jack rabbits............. This rifle would have been my constant companion. Where I live now, ................ well, the range is about the only place it is going. Which leads me to obsessively playing around with trying to wring more accuracy out of it.
I think the accuracy I get out of it now is decent and much more inline with what it is and what it is supposed to be for.