I can't seem to get a load that will shoot these 75 grain pills with decent results. I am after a load that will shoot significantly under an inch. I am getting exhausted with this load development. Anyone using this rifle with these bullets with any success? Please share the load info. Powder, charge, OAL..... Thanks.
HELP .223 Savage 1-9 75 grain A-Max
- Thread starter Curt
- Start date
Mine didn't like 75's either. Bought 69 grain Nosler custom compitition bullets in front of 23.5 grains of Imr 4064. OAL 2.270" .250 inch groups at 200 yards! 2" at 500.
My gun is a Savage 12LRPV in 223. 1 in 9 twist.
Have fun!
My gun is a Savage 12LRPV in 223. 1 in 9 twist.
Have fun!
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- Location
- Winnipeg,Man.
I shoot a Savage 12FVSS 26" barrel 1-9 twist. Exceptional results with the 75 gr match bullets pushed by 23 gr IMR 3031. OAL 2.26. I shoot anywhere from 200 to 1000 yards.
Here are my results.
Rifle: Savage 12LRPV, .223, 1 in 7 twist
Cases: Once fired Remington
Primer: CCI SM BR
Seating Depth: 0.020 off the lands
Windy as hell that day
Hope to try again this weekend, already have the loads done. The Lyman manual lists 23.0 grains Varget as the accuracy load, so I'm going to try a few charges above/below 23.0, as well as work up to max. Have also seated the rounds for the next shoot .005 off the lands, hope to have some targets for ya next week...
Rifle: Savage 12LRPV, .223, 1 in 7 twist
Cases: Once fired Remington
Primer: CCI SM BR
Seating Depth: 0.020 off the lands
Windy as hell that day
Hope to try again this weekend, already have the loads done. The Lyman manual lists 23.0 grains Varget as the accuracy load, so I'm going to try a few charges above/below 23.0, as well as work up to max. Have also seated the rounds for the next shoot .005 off the lands, hope to have some targets for ya next week...
- Location
- Virden, MB
I found that benchmark works well with light bullets. For the heavy, long 75 Amax I used 26.5 g Varget with the bullet seated as long as I could. .3 or better on a 1:8 Pacnor.
What is the max charge for the Varget? I bought a box of Bergers at lunch today to try those as well. Any thoughts on the Bergers? I will try your suggestions for the A-Max as I have quite a few left and also the powders listed. I have been using Winchester Small Rifle primers. A few suggestions have been with the Federal GM primers????? Should I substitute the primers?
If the Bergers are VLD's jam them into the rifling. Might be hard with a factory throat, but Bergers rock!
Book max for Varget under 75 grain bullets is about 25... go up carefully beyond that and watch for pressure. With bullets seated as long as they need to be to get jammed, pressure might sneak up fast.
Bullets & powders for .223 Rem 1/9twist
There are 7 members + at club I shoot at Using Savage12 in 1/7 & 1/9
and some Rem 700 as well one wicket custom gun.
Here is some groups with 700 XCR LRT 26" 1/9
The Savages with 1/7 shoot the 80gr sierras or bergers the best with Varget,VT540
Savages with 1/9 twist shot the 69 sierras well under .5"
Remingtons will do the same
All guns had Varmint 30mm Leupolds OR Nightforce 8by32x56mm
There was no ball powders that I tryed would shoot 69 and bigger bullets,
H4895 worked okay with 69 but not with 75gr in 1/9 twist
Ball powders like Benchmark,w748, H322,Rl7 also h4895 worked well, work great with 52 & 53 gr Match sierra's
The best powders for 69 + bullets Varget,VT540 & Rl 15 and best speed.
the best bullet in 1/9 twist was the 75gr VLD bergers just under 1" at 300y
VT540 powder most guys use lapua Brass with Gold match & CCI benchrest primers.
The 1/7 Savage with 25gr Varget and 80gr sierras shot extreemly well at 300y
1" with no wind all 5 shot groups
We all tried Hornady a maxs with not much success, some success with 75gr Hornady HPBT Match but they don't cut it with sierra's or bergers
But this gun shot a stunning 5 shot group at 100 .200" and at 300 another stunning group .600" I never would have believed a 223rem could shoot like a benchrest caliber like 6mmbr or 6ppc. but I remember the days the deuce was king, and all the .223 is 2.5gr of powder more.and two of us where watching him shoot the groups, but he was a excellent benchrest shooter and never takes his eyes of flags at 25y that to me showed hardly no wind.
Load 25gr ? 80gr sierra gold match primer & lapua cases all nekturned etc.
manitou
There are 7 members + at club I shoot at Using Savage12 in 1/7 & 1/9
and some Rem 700 as well one wicket custom gun.
Here is some groups with 700 XCR LRT 26" 1/9
The Savages with 1/7 shoot the 80gr sierras or bergers the best with Varget,VT540
Savages with 1/9 twist shot the 69 sierras well under .5"
Remingtons will do the same
All guns had Varmint 30mm Leupolds OR Nightforce 8by32x56mm
There was no ball powders that I tryed would shoot 69 and bigger bullets,
H4895 worked okay with 69 but not with 75gr in 1/9 twist
Ball powders like Benchmark,w748, H322,Rl7 also h4895 worked well, work great with 52 & 53 gr Match sierra's
The best powders for 69 + bullets Varget,VT540 & Rl 15 and best speed.
the best bullet in 1/9 twist was the 75gr VLD bergers just under 1" at 300y
VT540 powder most guys use lapua Brass with Gold match & CCI benchrest primers.
The 1/7 Savage with 25gr Varget and 80gr sierras shot extreemly well at 300y
1" with no wind all 5 shot groups
We all tried Hornady a maxs with not much success, some success with 75gr Hornady HPBT Match but they don't cut it with sierra's or bergers
But this gun shot a stunning 5 shot group at 100 .200" and at 300 another stunning group .600" I never would have believed a 223rem could shoot like a benchrest caliber like 6mmbr or 6ppc. but I remember the days the deuce was king, and all the .223 is 2.5gr of powder more.and two of us where watching him shoot the groups, but he was a excellent benchrest shooter and never takes his eyes of flags at 25y that to me showed hardly no wind.
Load 25gr ? 80gr sierra gold match primer & lapua cases all nekturned etc.
manitou
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I've been having similar issues with 75 g A-Max out of a factory Savage 1/9. With 69g SMK my 100 yard (3 shot) groups have been 0.551 -0.556 but have spread out to 0.8 - 1.0+ with the A-Max. I will use the advice above to see if there is an improvement. It may just be that my Savage simply prefers the SMK's.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
my loads with my Stevens have used either Benchmark or Varget. Using book listed limits. CCI 450, Win brass prepped. Varget is my go to powder.
I load so my OAL fits in the mag and it shoots just fine with either bullet. I used this OAL for a Stevens, and 3 pacnors. Waiting for a Shilen to do some comparisons.
If you haven't bedded the action in the stock, that is a big area of improvement.
If you are getting alot of vertical or shots outside the group, switch to the CCI450 and that should solve it. Finding some SR primers to not like shooting in the cold.
Weigh your charges very precisely. All of my 223's have shown difference in group with as little as 0.1gr difference in powder charges. Keep an eye on your scale. If you are using a powder drop/measure, that is a huge source of error.
I am now using a digital scale that lets me weigh to 0.05gr accuracy. That is to two kernels of Varget.
Also, if you average 1/2 min, that is what these barrels seem to level out at. Some better, some worse, but that has been a nice average for the factory Savage barrels I have shot in various chamberings.
Good luck.
Jerry
I load so my OAL fits in the mag and it shoots just fine with either bullet. I used this OAL for a Stevens, and 3 pacnors. Waiting for a Shilen to do some comparisons.
If you haven't bedded the action in the stock, that is a big area of improvement.
If you are getting alot of vertical or shots outside the group, switch to the CCI450 and that should solve it. Finding some SR primers to not like shooting in the cold.
Weigh your charges very precisely. All of my 223's have shown difference in group with as little as 0.1gr difference in powder charges. Keep an eye on your scale. If you are using a powder drop/measure, that is a huge source of error.
I am now using a digital scale that lets me weigh to 0.05gr accuracy. That is to two kernels of Varget.
Also, if you average 1/2 min, that is what these barrels seem to level out at. Some better, some worse, but that has been a nice average for the factory Savage barrels I have shot in various chamberings.
Good luck.
Jerry
and quite happy with tohose #'s to boot
