Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Preferred loads or bullets for .233 / 7" twist ...
- Thread starter Tikka223
- Start date
I just got my "Fred Sled" from Sharp Shooter Supply and it works great. It's a pretty simple design and I sure anybody with the right milling equipment could build something just as good with little effort. I would look great with a maple leaf or something stamped on the bottom ... and it would have kept me from having to drive into the USA to pick it up.
Jerry, I bet you or anyone with the motivation could either outsource this or do build it yourself to make some happy customers out of the growing number of Savage owners out there.
Jerry, I bet you or anyone with the motivation could either outsource this or do build it yourself to make some happy customers out of the growing number of Savage owners out there.
80 grain Berger VLD .223 Rem recipes anyone? I've got some brass primed with CCI BR4 primers and 100 80 gr VLDs but I'm having trouble finding load data for Varget powder. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
- Location
- Halifax, NS
I JUST started my testing for the Berger 80gn, as well as the 80gn AMAX, 77gn Nosler, and 77gn Lapua Scenar.
I'll have results before rememberence day, then, it's on to the 90gn!
Oh and I finished with the 69gn Sierra MK and 65gn Sierra Game King, not the best bullet to choose for a 7 twist. Best load is 26.1gn seated to jump, abour 0.5 MOA at 300 yards.
I'll have results before rememberence day, then, it's on to the 90gn!
Oh and I finished with the 69gn Sierra MK and 65gn Sierra Game King, not the best bullet to choose for a 7 twist. Best load is 26.1gn seated to jump, abour 0.5 MOA at 300 yards.
- Location
- Halifax, NS
69gn smk
Berger 80gr VLDs
Here are the results of my most recent load development with Berger 80gr VLDs. All were fired from fire-formed Hornady brass, CCI BR-4 primers and Varget powder.
I did some reading online about the 80gr VLDs and it seems that Berger recommends a .04" jump to the lands. My OAL ended up being 2.41". I loaded the following 5 round batches:
- 22.0 gr
- 22.5 gr
- 23.0 gr
- 23.2 gr
- 23.4 gr
- 23.6 gr
- 23.8 gr
- 24.0 gr
- 24.2 gr
- 24.4 gr * I could feel the powder crushing inside the case when I seated the bullets on this load *
Here are the results, shooting on a nice day with little wind at 200 meters, off a pedestal rest.
My apologies for the slight bluriness of some of the pics.
Here are the results of my most recent load development with Berger 80gr VLDs. All were fired from fire-formed Hornady brass, CCI BR-4 primers and Varget powder.
I did some reading online about the 80gr VLDs and it seems that Berger recommends a .04" jump to the lands. My OAL ended up being 2.41". I loaded the following 5 round batches:
- 22.0 gr
- 22.5 gr
- 23.0 gr
- 23.2 gr
- 23.4 gr
- 23.6 gr
- 23.8 gr
- 24.0 gr
- 24.2 gr
- 24.4 gr * I could feel the powder crushing inside the case when I seated the bullets on this load *
Here are the results, shooting on a nice day with little wind at 200 meters, off a pedestal rest.
My apologies for the slight bluriness of some of the pics.
- Location
- Halifax, NS
Nice, I was planning on finishing my testing by today but thats not the case. I can share what Ive ghot so far. Im currently testing th 77gn Nosler, 77gn Lapua, 80gn Hornady, and 80gn Berger.
For the 80gn Berger, TTL is COAL 2.477" in my Savage 12, Lapua brass trimmed to 1.750
Ladder test from 22.9gn to 25.0gn (Varget) showed 2 velocity "nodes" at 23.5-23.8 & 24.4-24.7
Current testing suggests 23.8 or 25.0 are the hot spots for minimal elevation.
For the 80gn Berger, TTL is COAL 2.477" in my Savage 12, Lapua brass trimmed to 1.750
Ladder test from 22.9gn to 25.0gn (Varget) showed 2 velocity "nodes" at 23.5-23.8 & 24.4-24.7
Current testing suggests 23.8 or 25.0 are the hot spots for minimal elevation.
I will have to do some more testing ... the batch of 23.8 and 24.2 are a nice .5 MOA but I was surprised to see that none of the groups had that horizontal or "football" shape to them. I literally weighed each load. I haven't gotten very hard-core about my brass yet, I've measures a good sample and they all have the same length. I took a deburring tool to them but that's about it.
I could be a bit off in my OAL length, I used the cleaning rod method to figure what depth to seat the bullets.
I could be a bit off in my OAL length, I used the cleaning rod method to figure what depth to seat the bullets.
Below are the 100 yard,five shot groups that I fired yesterday morning with my Tikka Tactical in .223. It has a 1 in 8" twist, and I have a 4.5-14x50 scope mounted. I was using the 69gr Matchking, and IMR 4064. It was -3 degrees with a slight breeze, so I didn't bother with a chronograph. I like the fact that the accuracy is quite consistent, all the way from 22.5gr to 24.5gr. Now I need to see how it performs in warmer weather, and how it does at longer distances.
By the way, I had this rifle, and a CZ .223 on the EE, with the intention of selling whichever one sold first. Luckily for me,the first serious buyer wanted the CZ.
By the way, I had this rifle, and a CZ .223 on the EE, with the intention of selling whichever one sold first. Luckily for me,the first serious buyer wanted the CZ.
rnbra-shooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Brunswick
So was 2.41" the COAL that gave .040" of jump, and you loaded all your ammo to that length?
At this point there's no real gain to be had from fussing with your brass.
Your ammo seems to shoot "a fat half MOA" across the whole spread of charge weights. It would be nice to tighten this up a bit.
Two suggestions:
1 - were you able to check if your bullets were seated straight (i.e. their T.I.R. Total Indicated Runout is low)?
2 - try some different seating depths. Based on what you've shown, I would load 30 rounds with 23.5 or 24.0 grains of powder; for 10 of them seat the bullet to +.070" jump, for 10 of them seat the bullet to +.010" jump, and for 10 of them seat the bullet to .010" jam.
All ammo was loaded to the same length. Unfortunately I have no way to check runout. Should seating depth be one of the first or last things that I experiment with? As in, is it best to try different powder loads first or to start with a recommended load and play with seating depth?
rnbra-shooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Brunswick
You have to try both charge and seating depth, but it probably makes most sense to get the charge weight in approximately the right ballpark (as you you done - you have shown that there isn't any sort of wacky-crazy-sensitivity to charge weight, and you have also confirmed that pressures are reasonable/sage), and then fiddle with the seating depth. After you have some seating depth that improves thing, you can then go back and perhaps fine-tun the charge a bit.
If you want to drop by with your loaded ammo when you are heading to the range we could run it through my runout indicator.
If you want to drop by with your loaded ammo when you are heading to the range we could run it through my runout indicator.
Finally a nice day at the range!!!
Got out to the range today, +5', very little wind, sun ... what more could you ask for in February.
I fired Sierra Match Kings, Hornady AMAX, Berger VLDs. I don't know what was going with the AMAXs, the SMKs weren't as good as I had hoped, but the Bergers show awesome promise. I'm pretty pumped to load some more. Any suggestions on how to improve the groups would be appreciated. I know I need to play with seating depth next time I'm out.
Here are the results:
SMKs
AMAXs
VLDs
Got out to the range today, +5', very little wind, sun ... what more could you ask for in February.
I fired Sierra Match Kings, Hornady AMAX, Berger VLDs. I don't know what was going with the AMAXs, the SMKs weren't as good as I had hoped, but the Bergers show awesome promise. I'm pretty pumped to load some more. Any suggestions on how to improve the groups would be appreciated. I know I need to play with seating depth next time I'm out.
Here are the results:
SMKs
AMAXs
VLDs
There is group of .224 shooters in Ottawa all shooting 1/7 twist mostly customs 28 to 32" barrels. And factory savages with 1/7 twist over the last 3 years we have combined fired over 10,000 rounds. and have tested over 10 diffrent powders, and many different bullets have been tested. Lots of chrongraphed loads with Ohler 35 chrono.
Also have what we call Ultra Deuces, 1 Barnard 30" 1/7 T tru Flite in 22/250 shooting 90gr should be a shooter. One just been finished and soon as it warms up will begin testing.
Barnard/30"Tru-Flite 6.5x47 Lapua neck down to .224 I think this will be a hummer.
There is 5 shooting 223/Hart, Kreiger, TF with long throats for the 80 & 90gr Bergers we call them the Super Deuces and they all have shot .190 to .225 at 100y and all under .750" at 300y as well one Savage shot a .750 at 300y (once).
Here is some tips for the 223 Rem
Tip One: Hornadys are not consistant HPBT and even worst are the A max 80gr, yes you will shoot a good group but you will get more flyers, loose tips, 80gr Sierras work well, JLK 80s are just amazing. 69gr sierras very good but won,t run with the 80 & 90gr Bergers at 300 if there is any breaze, unless you are really good watching the flags
Tip: Two Use Lapua brass and do all preping on Brass
Tip: 3 Must have good scope clear and at least 24x with fine cross or dot and a trigger that breaks clean and light.
If you want to shoot 1000 yards you must use the 90gr the 80s will not run against them in wind, you just can,t give up 100+ BCs and the 80s at 600y will get you more bulls than the 80s if there is wind. dead calm evening I would use the 80s trhey group a little smaller than the 90s
The Ottawa Valley Super Deuce Boys are going to put out a challange to all F/TR shooters
watch the Precision Rifles forum will be posted soon. maybe this will show the .308win vs the 223 Rem. should be interesting hope everyone participates
Don't give up on the 223rem it won the nationals twice in the last 3 years.
manitou
Also have what we call Ultra Deuces, 1 Barnard 30" 1/7 T tru Flite in 22/250 shooting 90gr should be a shooter. One just been finished and soon as it warms up will begin testing.
Barnard/30"Tru-Flite 6.5x47 Lapua neck down to .224 I think this will be a hummer.
There is 5 shooting 223/Hart, Kreiger, TF with long throats for the 80 & 90gr Bergers we call them the Super Deuces and they all have shot .190 to .225 at 100y and all under .750" at 300y as well one Savage shot a .750 at 300y (once).
Here is some tips for the 223 Rem
Tip One: Hornadys are not consistant HPBT and even worst are the A max 80gr, yes you will shoot a good group but you will get more flyers, loose tips, 80gr Sierras work well, JLK 80s are just amazing. 69gr sierras very good but won,t run with the 80 & 90gr Bergers at 300 if there is any breaze, unless you are really good watching the flags
Tip: Two Use Lapua brass and do all preping on Brass
Tip: 3 Must have good scope clear and at least 24x with fine cross or dot and a trigger that breaks clean and light.
If you want to shoot 1000 yards you must use the 90gr the 80s will not run against them in wind, you just can,t give up 100+ BCs and the 80s at 600y will get you more bulls than the 80s if there is wind. dead calm evening I would use the 80s trhey group a little smaller than the 90s
The Ottawa Valley Super Deuce Boys are going to put out a challange to all F/TR shooters
watch the Precision Rifles forum will be posted soon. maybe this will show the .308win vs the 223 Rem. should be interesting hope everyone participates
Don't give up on the 223rem it won the nationals twice in the last 3 years.
manitou
Last edited:
bulldog284
CGN Regular
- Location
- pigeon hill
oh you mouseketeers are a funny bunch lol...and if my memorie serves me right it was a 308 that won the nationals and the ontario provincials last year (kenny)
