F-TR .223 loads

[shootmore]

For the guys running these nuclear loads with the 90s, are any of you noticing any gas leakage around the primers or bolt face etching?

Nothing seen for us. 2x .223.

 

[shootmore]

I am planning a new build and I am thinking I will use the 80.5 Berger with .125 freebore, instead of the 90's so I can get more life from the brass. I don't expect to shoot in competition any time soon so I thought this might be a good choice.

Or should I chamber for the 90's with .169 freebore and just shoot with lower velocity?

I'm just shooting for fun. (200- 500yd)

Id go for the 80.5 freebore first. See how well it does. Then only increase the free-bore to move to the 90's if not satisfied. That's what i'm going to do on my next barrel.

 

[MGYSGT]

80 gr VLD. For 300, 23 gr Varget, CCI450. For 600 24.5 Varget, CCI450. Keeping .3 MOA at 600 is way tougher than .3 at 300 with the .223. Used to shoot 80 gr. Hornady, but when they changed the tip, my barrel doesn't like it any longer. Forgot to say, seated out past any chance of touching a donut.

 

[XTR]

If you are shooting 600 yd F-TR and you are not using 90s (or the 95 Sierra) you are giving away a fair bit of windage to the 308s.

If you want to be competitive...

The recipe that works for almost everyone is:

PTG ISSF 223 reamer, .169 freebore <- <-
Varget, 24.5 grains (± 0.2)
Brass you like
Weigh charges to high precision (not sure it matters, but we all do it)
about .002 neck tension
1:7 twist
jam .10
28" minimum barrel, 30" preferable (mine is a 28)
The above recipe should have you in the range of 2800 to 2830 depending on barrel.​

The above is cut and pasted from any one of the many threads that I've posted this over the last few yrs.

The freebore is critical, less and you will break something.
Many are finding that with a bit more freebore they can get the 90VLDs to shoot jumping.
H4895 works too, at a slightly lower loading for the same velocity, though I'm told the node that it runs is about 25FPS faster than Varget.

 

[Nature Boy]

If you are shooting 600 yd F-TR and you are not using 90s (or the 95 Sierra) you are giving away a fair bit of windage to the 308s.

If you want to be competitive...

The recipe that works for almost everyone is:

PTG ISSF 223 reamer, .169 freebore <- <-
Varget, 24.5 grains (± 0.2)
Brass you like
Weigh charges to high precision (not sure it matters, but we all do it)
about .002 neck tension
1:7 twist
jam .10
28" minimum barrel, 30" preferable (mine is a 28)
The above recipe should have you in the range of 2800 to 2830 depending on barrel.​

The above is cut and pasted from any one of the many threads that I've posted this over the last few yrs.

The freebore is critical, less and you will break something.
Many are finding that with a bit more freebore they can get the 90VLDs to shoot jumping.
H4895 works too, at a slightly lower loading for the same velocity, though I'm told the node that it runs is about 25FPS faster than Varget.

This is almost exactly what I’m doing for my boy’s .223 that’s shooting the targets I posted on the 1st page, and netting him Master/High Master scores at 600. The only difference being I’m only getting 2,725 fps.

I came by my load independently from the conventional wisdom by working up using the Cortina method, so take that as more validation that what @XTR is saying.

I’d love to try it for a match but he won’t let me

 

[Ned Ludd]

Makes a lot of sense. Where do we get oversize mandrel to open up the virgin necks? What size od?

Here's what I've been using - I bought two, one set for the .223s and one for .308s, so I don't have to swap mandrels out constantly. The "oversized" mandrels run approximately .001" under bullet diameter, which is enough to open up virgin necks slightly so they can be sized down with a bushing die. It also works well for opening up necks that have been flat-spotted by a strong ejector spring prior to FL resizing. I've also used mandrels to actually do the final sizing of necks. It works, but I don't particularly care for the approach. I prefer to use the bushing die as the final step:

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reload...ls/generation-ii-expander-dies-prod38807.aspx

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reload...inless-steel-expander-mandrels-prod33134.aspx

 

[Linko]

Does anyone turn the necks for this?

 

[shootmore]

I do when necessary. Lately, the last 8 months, the Lapua brass I have bought (308, 223, 6.5x47); is all +- .0005 neck wall thickness.

 

[dcali]

Does anyone turn the necks for this?

I do. But I don’t think it’s terribly important. I’ve measured lots of brass and it’s not uncommon to find a case that’s a thousandth bigger on one side of the neck than the other, even with Lapua. Most of it is better than that- closer to the +/- 0.0005 that shootmore is seeing, and the inside diameter is usually pretty concentric with the outside.

But .001 is a fairly large percentage of neck thickness, so I clean them up just to make sizing and neck tension more reliable.

 

[jsthntn247]

When I quite turning necks, using a mandrel before seating a bullet, and several other tedious reloading steps, my scores went up significantly. My strings of 200 with higher x counts also went up. Think all that time in the reloading room had me cross eyed with carpel tunnel.

 

[Linko]

When I quite turning necks, using a mandrel before seating a bullet, and several other tedious reloading steps, my scores went up significantly. My strings of 200 with higher x counts also went up. Think all that time in the reloading room had me cross eyed with carpel tunnel.

Lot to be said for that

 

[liseo]

I tested 90 VLD in my Fclass rifle, with no luck. From 0.010" ITL to 0.100" jump, powder for 2550 to 2750 fps, groups seens more like a shotgun pattern. 0,6 to 1 MOA at 100 yards.
What a waist of barrel life. I´m giving up.
Now going back to Berger 82 BT

 

[RegionRat]

I tested 90 VLD in my Fclass rifle, with no luck. From 0.010" ITL to 0.100" jump, powder for 2550 to 2750 fps, groups seens more like a shotgun pattern. 0,6 to 1 MOA at 100 yards.
What a waist of barrel life. I´m giving up.
Now going back to Berger 82 BT

Sorry to hear that. Wonder if it is your bbl twist and not the freebore?

 

[Kurt Blasser]

Just started working up a load with a new barrel, 30 shots in, loaded for a club match f class where we shoot at 200 yds, tq-4 target, 1 inch x ring 3 strings of 20 to mimic 600 yds, with just a guess, 24.3 varget and touching the lands shot 600-57X, so 1/2 minute without any load work up. Promising to say the least. 2788 average fps with sd of 8.
30" krieger, 1-7 twist, ISSF reamer with .169 freebore.

 

[Linko]

Just started working up a load with a new barrel, 30 shots in, loaded for a club match f class where we shoot at 200 yds, tq-4 target, 1 inch x ring 3 strings of 20 to mimic 600 yds, with just a guess, 24.3 varget and touching the lands shot 600-57X, so 1/2 minute without any load work up. Promising to say the least. 2788 average fps with sd of 8.
30" krieger, 1-7 twist, ISSF reamer with .169 freebore.

That is encouraging for a first load. I was a little worried the Berger 90's would be difficult to get shooting right.

I am building a 223 F-TR with a Krieger 30" and the ISSF .169 FB reamer also. What action are you using?

 

[Kurt Blasser]

Kelbly Stolle Panda

 

[liseo]

Sorry to hear that. Wonder if it is your bbl twist and not the freebore?

Hi RegionRat

Barrel is Krieger 1/7 tw, freebore so the bullet base is just above the donut area. Borden action

With this rifle, but 1/9 tw barrel, I set the F-TR record(300 m) here in my country with Berger 73 BT. Now I am shooting just to participate...

 

[Jdne5b]

2775ish should be a good node. I would add a little more powder.

 

[liseo]

Dont know this will work, as the powders available are or in the fast side or slower side. Also the barrel have 27 inches.
But will try anyway...

 

[Ned Ludd]

In my hands, getting the 90 VLDs to shoot in a rifle with sufficient freebore (i.e. >/= 0.169"), the key has always been seating depth. In multiple different rifles, I have found that they will shoot well at about .004" to .007" into the lands, but it is a fairly narrow window. They also typically tune in again from somewhere around .018" to .021" off the lands. I have always gone with this window because I don't have to seat bullets into the lands and it seems to be a bit wider. IMO - it's critical to test seating depth with the 90s in .003" increments, or you might miss something. I usually test from .003" off to .027" off in .003" increments initially. It has always been almost night/day clear when I hit the right seating depth.