Hornady 223 62 gr FMJBT & 68 g Varget Load Data

[Northaways]

Just getting into loading 223 and am looking for help from fellow CGN’ers on their tightest grouping Varget load data for:
- Hornady .223 - 62 gr BTFMJ
- Hornady 68 gr HPBT FMJ
- Campro 55 gr BT FMJ

My primary rifle is a DDM4V11 semi with an 18” 1/7 twist barrel. Secondary rifle is FNH semi 16” 1/7 twist barrel. Specifically loooking to work up Service Rifle loads for distances of 200 - 600 metres.

Also, can you Campro 55 gr reloaders advise on your COL. Campro recommends a COL of 2.260, to the crimp I guess, but when I load to 2.26 some of my rounds don’t feed from the magazine well.

Thanks in advance all!

 

[Ganderite]

OAL is determined by YOUR rifle. Ignore the value in the book or literature.

The absolute max I would load for an AR-15 is 2.250, and I set my seater to load 2.45 so that longer ones don't hang up in the mag.

I would not use the Campro if I wanted good accuracy.

For accuracy I would load the Horn 68 HPBT match or the Sierra 69 HPBT Match ( or the 75/77 gr match bullets for wind bucking at longer range. They are all sized to be loaded to AR-15 lengths.

With Varget and the 62 try 25 gr

68/69 try 24.5gr

75/77 try 23.5 gr.

 

[Paul_T]

FWIW I'm loading for a 1:8 twist with Hornady 68gr HPBT Match and 24.0gr Varget. OAL 2.250

I started with 24.0 and upped in 0.3 increments to 24.9.

Best group was with 24.0 (0.7" w 5 shots at 100 yds).

This was in my WK180C. Have not tried this load in my DDM4V5 yet (1:7 twist). As per Ganderite the faster twist might need a tad more powder for the 68's? Will see.


I traded all my 55gr Campro's for 68gr Hornady's......

 

[Ganderite]

FWIW I'm loading for a 1:8 twist with Hornady 68gr HPBT Match and 24.0gr Varget. OAL 2.250

I started with 24.0 and upped in 0.3 increments to 24.9.

Best group was with 24.0 (0.7" w 5 shots at 100 yds).

This was in my WK180C. Have not tried this load in my DDM4V5 yet (1:7 twist). As per Ganderite the faster twist might need a tad more powder for the 68's? Will see.


I traded all my 55gr Campro's for 68gr Hornady's......

I never said that. It is not correct.

Either a bullet is stable at a given RPM -or it isn't. If it isn't, it is tumbling.

In 223, the old 1;12 barrels have a limit of around 62 gr. A 1:9 will stabilise the long Sierra 80gr so long as it is driven fast enough. So the only relation to powder charge and twist is that the slower twist might need more powder.

A 1:9 AR-15 (short barrel at 20") might not get the 80 gr bullet going fast enough to be stable. But that bullet won't seat deep enough to fit the magazine, so does not tend to be an issue.

The 75-77 gr bullets are designed to be able to be seated at 2.250" to fit the AR-15 mag, and are short enough to be be stable in a 1:9 and anything faster.

So start low, work up and find the load that is accurate and cycles your action.

 

[6MT]

....

 

[tjhaile]

I don't have any experience with Varget, but I would not recommend the Campro bullets for long range accuracy. They are OK for short range carbine drills and the like. Hornady 55 grain FMJBTs are more accurate in my experience if you want an inexpensive bullet.

Hornady 75 grain BTHPs work well for me. Don't use the A-MAX or ELD bullets in that weight; they are not intended to be loaded to AR-15 magazine length. The 73 grain ELD is the one intended for this application.

 

[beltfed]

Keep in mind too the loads you are working up this time of year may be hot or overpressure on a nice hot summer day.
24.9 gr. of Varget under a 68/69 gr. bullet in an AR this time of year may seem ok - shooting it on a full sunny day in July/august could blow primers or worse.

 

[Northaways]

This is great info guys! Thank you!

Plan to use the 68 gr Hornady for matches down south that have longer shots, but also would like to see how the 62 gr Hornady work in my rifles.

The 55 gr Campro is intended for practice and hopefully my IPSC rifle and 3 Gun matches up here where the shots rarely go beyond a hundred metres.

Going to work up several loads this wknd at the cottage and test them out.

Thanks again for your knowledge lads!

 

[FTGV]

69gr Sierra's , 25grs of Varget, COL 2.260" Fed brass, Fed 205M primers = 5 touching at 100yd's if I do my part. Interestingly I see pressure signs if I substitute Winchester brass. I get similar accuracy from the 52gr Sierra and Hornady match bullets with 25.5 gr of Varget and a COL of2.20".