.223AI loads, anyone?

358Rooster

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Wondering if anyone has any proven loads on hand for 68 & 69 grain .223AI. Suggestions are fine & appreciated, however, I've come up with some 'suggestions' from other internet sources. Looking for reliable, proven data and hoping to alleviate some of the trial & error. No question I'll get there eventually, but it's always nice to know the general area of the needle in the proverbial haystack. And the way I see it, one can never have too much information about such things. Well, mostly....:rolleyes:

Powders I'm focused on for this so far, unless someone has a very convincing argument to the contrary, are Varget & H4895. Thanks for any data that you might have!

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I had one a few years back , it was a slower twist so 60 gr was the heaviest bullet I could shoot. Mine liked IMR 8208xbr and Benchmark. It didn't group at all with Varget and I never tried H4895.
 
I've got one, shoots 75 berger and 26.5 gr n540
Use the upper end of 223 rem load data as a good starting point. You've got the right powders there with h4895 and Varget
http ://accurateshooter.net/Downloads/sierra223rembolt.pdf
 
Thanks fellas. Was out doing some of fireforming this weekend with top end-ish .223 loads until the wind & snow exposed the sissy within me.

I've had to form a false shoulder because the chamber was cut long and won't light the primer on new / minimum spec brass. I thought the false shoulder would be enough, but I loaded some seated into the rifling .020" and some with a substantial jump, and the ones with the jump showed primers backed out slightly as a result of the firing pin pushing the case forward. A bit irritating, but nothing that can't be dealt with.

Once I get a good lot formed, I'll start on development.
 
A friend and former co-worker had an .223AI and loved it, I was about to get one and he was going to help me work up a load for it when I did get one. But his life took a turn for the worst and was down hill fast.
He died before I could get all his knowledge about the caliber. But from his data I seen, targets he saved and minor info I did get from him I was very impressed.

This person had tons of info on varmint & bench shooting which is now lost. what a shame. he did say that brass will have a longer life span, do to the AI neck on the brass and showed the write-ups and data to back it.

Google it you might find it.
 
Thanks Brocolt. That is a dirty shame. I'm sure that sort of thing happens a lot. That, and the amount of heirlooms passed down to folks who have no interest whatsoever in the item and just fades off into obscurity.

I'm about Googled out. There seems to be quite a bit of generalized talk about .223AI (and of course, a smattering of typical 'Corvette capabilities from a Corolla package'), but certainly not a wide array of data.

Personally, I don't want to necessarily hotrod this thing and a standard fast twist .223 would do me just fine, but I absolutely DETEST trimming & deburring. I have a .260AI and the fact that the cases don't grow is reason enough to have it, in my opinion.
 
I've been shooting one for 7 or 8 years but only 40gr Blitzkings or Vmax because of barrel twist rate. The barrel was originally a Sinclair International benchrest rifle in .222 Rem that I had rechambered to 223 then to 223AI. The gunsmith at first gave it a long chamber but that was a real PITA when trying to fire factory ammo, which is kinda one of my favorite aspects of the AI calibers. We redid the chamber and now there is no more "fireforming", factory rounds are as accurate as can be expected so I "fireform" brass while shooting gophers and jackrabbits.
Favorite load is a 40gr Blitzking with 24gr of 4198. That's a hot load in my 700 so work up to it carefully.
 
I’m sorry to say ...I have the po ackley volume 1....and there are no listings for 223ai....I would of bought the second vol ...but buddy wanted
Iike $500 for it ....I said no
 
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