what your go to long range .223 round
- Thread starter scott_r
- Start date
- Location
- West Quebec
Varget 24.1 with a 69gr Sierra
26.0 of Varget with a 80 gr Sierra or 80 gr Nosler. 30 inch MacLennan 1:8 barrel on a Sportco action,.223 Wylde chamber. *** Note that this load is 1 gr over max from the Hogdon load data website and is safe in my rifle***.
55 grains are heavy for a 223?
I have been having good luck with 4064 and 75 grain A-max in a 1:9 twist remington 700.
24 grains of Varget, 80 Grain SMK, 205M and Lapua brass, seated to the lightest of touches on the lands. 28" 1-8 Gaillard Palma contour barrel. The 80 grain Berger works as well, but there was a blip in history when the Sierras were available and cheap and I stocked up.
What's your brass life like? That's a pretty stiff load. I'm just curious.
laker415
When you look at load data for the .223/5.56 the first thing you should do is look at the twist rate for the rifle being used for the test data. You will find rifles with 1 in 14, 1 in 12, 1 in 9, 1 in 8, 1 in 7 ect. the load data where you see 25 grains of H335 as being over max are the rifle with short throats.
Below rifles with a 1 in 14 or 1 in 12 will normally have a short throat and this is why the load data is lower. The shorter throat on the left can not be loaded as "hot" as the throat on the right and this is why you need to look at the rifles twist rate in the load data.
Below is 25 grains of H335 in a longer throated AR15 rifle, and it is 5,000 psi below max pressure and the same practice load I use in my .223/5.56 rifles. The Sierra manual lists 25.7 grains of H335 in their AR15 load data as max and Hodgdons data lists 25.3 as max for a .223 rifle with a 1 in 14 twist.
The Savage .223 rifle I have with a 1 in 9 twist has a "LONGER" throat than either of my AR15 rifles and can be loaded warmer.
Look at the link below and the first chamber listed that Savage uses in their rifles
HOLLIGER ON .223/5.56 CHAMBERS
http://www.radomski.us/njhp/cart_tech.htm
Both the .223 and 5.56 NATO are loaded to the same chamber pressure of 52,000 cup or 55,000 psi SAAMI standards and the only difference is the throat of the rifle.
Todays .223 chambers must be big enough for the cartridge and the company lawyer. And you need to know the twist rate of your .223 rifles and its throat length when reload for your rifle.
This is also "WHY" they tell you to start low and work up your loads, and again my long throated Savage .223 can be loaded warmer than my AR15 rifles.
Look at the freebore lengths below and you will see nothing is written in stone when it comes to loading data................and loading data is "ball park" information.
Last edited:
laker415
When you look at load data for the .223/5.56 the first thing you should do is look at the twist rate for the rifle being used for the test data. You will find rifles with 1 in 14, 1 in 12, 1 in 9, 1 in 8, 1 in 7 ect. the load data where you see 25 grains of H335 as being over max are the rifle with short throats.
Below rifles with a 1 in 14 or 1 in 12 will normally have a short throat and this is why the load data is lower. The shorter throat on the left can not be loaded as "hot" as the throat on the right and this is why you need to look at the rifles twist rate in the load data.
Below is 25 grains of H335 in a longer throated AR15 rifle, and it is 5,000 psi below max pressure and the same practice load I use in my .223/5.56 rifles. The Sierra manual lists 25.7 grains of H335 in their AR15 load data as max and Hodgdons data lists 25.3 as max for a .223 rifle with a 1 in 14 twist.
The Savage .223 rifle I have with a 1 in 9 twist has a "LONGER" throat than either of my AR15 rifles and can be loaded warmer.
Look at the link below and the first chamber listed that Savage uses in their rifles
HOLLIGER ON .223/5.56 CHAMBERS
http://www.radomski.us/njhp/cart_tech.htm
Both the .223 and 5.56 NATO are loaded to the same chamber pressure of 52,000 cup or 55,000 psi SAAMI standards and the only difference is the throat of the rifle.
Todays .223 chambers must be big enough for the cartridge and the company lawyer. And you need to know the twist rate of your .223 rifles and its throat length when reload for your rifle.
This is also "WHY" they tell you to start low and work up your loads, and again my long throated Savage .223 can be loaded warmer than my AR15 rifles.
Look at the freebore lengths below and you will see nothing is written in stone when it comes to loading data................and loading data is "ball park" information.
Thanks for the info but this has nothing to do with my comment. OP asked about heavier bullets which I wouldn't consider a 55 gr bullet being one. That's all.
I guess long range means different things to different people.
90gr Berger VLDs over Varget, mv 2770, COAL in my chamber is 2.640, touching.
For me anything past 500 yards with a .223 is long range
My goal is too shoot out to 1000 yards and hit my 12x12 steel gong I made.
arcticcathonda
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
75gr Berger VLD over Varget and federal match primers. Not pushing it very hard but precision was there.
