223 rem 69 gr smk varget

rifleman1377

rifleman1377

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Hey guys so I have started to experiment with varget and the 69 smk. Sierra said that 25.3gr of varget worked best out of a 20 inch HBAR so I decided to give it a shot (I have a SA20 my self)

Here is my starting load

223rem, federal case, trimmed to 1.750 inches
24gr of varget
69gr smk, seated to 2.260
CCI small rifle primer.

My question is.

I have noticed that even with a 24gr starting load it is in fact a compressed load. Is this something to worry about?

What are your experience with 69 smk and varget?

Thanks guys.
 
I've used that load, shot well. Compressed loads don't necessarily mean anything. My favorite Varget load in .308 is definitely compressed.
 
Compressed loads are not a problem unless the powder starts pushing the projectile out of the case after seating. I've loaded 75 grain projectiles over 25 grains of Varget compressed without issue.
 
Thanks for the replies

In the ABC of reloading, it mentioned that compressed loads are to be avoid, so I was not quiet sure.

I think I will test out the load this weekend
 
Lots of manuals will denote if a load will be compressed. Sometimes you will end up compressed before that charge weight if you happen to be using a different brand of brass than what they were using for development. I have excellent luck with varget behind the 69smk.
 
My load out of rem 700 20" is 24.3gr varget @2.268" which gives me a 0.010 jump. 69gr SMK. Rem brass cci primer. Velocity is 2920fps. Calculated using drop data. Its shoots very well in my rig. Best to date at 100m was 0.385" three shot group. I started to see slight pressure signs at just 25 grains.
 
rifleman1377 said:
Hey guys so I have started to experiment with varget and the 69 smk. Sierra said that 25.3gr of varget worked best out of a 20 inch HBAR so I decided to give it a shot (I have a SA20 my self)

Here is my starting load

223rem, federal case, trimmed to 1.750 inches
24gr of varget
69gr smk, seated to 2.260
CCI small rifle primer.

My question is.

I have noticed that even with a 24gr starting load it is in fact a compressed load. Is this something to worry about?

What are your experience with 69 smk and varget?

Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

Due to the fact your seating die seats to the Ogive of the bullets, and while the Ogive shape is consistant from bullet to bullet, the distance from the Ogive to the very tip of the bullet is not consistant enough with the 69 SMK (or really any other bullet for that matter, unless you uniform the tips).
As such, problems don't rear their heads at 2.260", but will or could at 2.265" or 2.270".
Simply put: You are flirting with magazine failures to feed in your AR at that seating depth.
I'd recommend seating them a bit deeper to 2.250" OAL

If the crunch is bothering you, you can try a long drop tube. 24 grains hasn't been compressed with 69 SMKs at mag length in my experience.
 
I run 25.1gr varget under my 69smk at 2.26 oal. It is correct that it is at the very limit of mag length and takes effort to load the mags correctly. It is a mildly compressed load but shoots like a house on fire through both my AR and my Savage LRPV.
 
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