F-TR .223 loads

[FAF1947]

With my .223 Savage F/TR I am using 24.0 grains of Varget, Laupua brass, Rem 7 1/2 primers and Sierra 80 Match Kings. This load has been shooting well for me. Last three 600 yard matches were 594, 595 and 590.

 

[Kurt Blasser]

I know there is a "love/hate" relationship with the Hornady OAL gauge (Stoney Point tool). My feeling has always been that this is most likely due to how the tool is used. For every new Lot # of bullets, I select ten bullets at random, then take and record all appropriate measurements for the set. I will use that "measurement set" to determine distance to touching the lands for as long as I am shooting that particular Lot # of bullets. I measure the distance to touching with the Hornady OAL gauge with all ten bullets and take the average. Although there may be measurement discrepancies between various methods, this method has worked well for me and the values I obtain seem to fit pretty well with the appearance of engravement marks for bullets seated into the lands, and they match very well with values predicted from the reamer prints.

If I had to guess, I'd say my measurements probably aren't more than about .003" off from the true value, although that is only an estimate. Nonetheless, it doesn't matter much all that much to me because it's only a reference point. I can determine and reproduce the CBTO measurement of loaded rounds with very good accuracy, and the target tells me which of those are optimal. So ultimately, the CBTO measurements are the critical ones. The inferred distance to touching could be .001", .003", or even .005" off, but I can still load most rounds to +/- .0005" of the desired CBTO.

There can be quite a bit of difference in measurements with the Hornady OAL gauge, from a sensation of a hard jam to a sensation of initial touch. What are you doing? I try to do a sensation of just touching.

 

[Ned Ludd]

There can be quite a bit of difference in measurements with the Hornady OAL gauge, from a sensation of a hard jam to a sensation of initial touch. What are you doing? I try to do a sensation of just touching.

In my hands, it only took a bit of practice with my .308s to develop a good feel for just a very light "touch". However, the .223s with 90s are a different animal, because of the relatively long and tight freebore. According to the prints, my .223 reamers cut a freebore diameter of 0.2242" +/- tolerance. My .308 reamers all cut 0.3085" +/- tolerance. 30 cal bullets always seem to slide right in until they encounter the lands, which makes it easy to feel the "touch". In contrast, the 90 VLDs stop when they first encounter the leading edge of the freebore/throat. It's easy to feel that light "touch" when a 90 VLD first encounters the leading edge of the freebore/throat. But the fact that you have to bear down on the push-rod to get the bullet moving again within the freebore, keep up the pressure to keep it moving, then feel the slight "touch" when it actually touches the lands makes it a much trickier business. All I cay say is that I practiced quite a bit until I felt comfortable with it. If I haven't used the Hornady OAL gauge on a .223 for a while, I will usually practice a bit more until I am comfortable taking actual measurements.

 

[Brians356]

What is definitely true is that a very long (out of spec) OAL reduces pressure significantly for a given charge weight.

And for a particular bullet diameter, a smaller capacity case yields more pressure reduction than a larger case for a given OAL increase. If the 223 had a longer neck, it could be stretched even more.
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[jsthntn247]

What twist are you running? I’ve been shooting the Berger 90’s for a couple of years now. Bad ass! Lapua Brass, 24.5 Varget, Wolf Primers, just on the lands. I’m shooting a 6.5 TW. LASER! No brass issues at all.

You just shot 19x on one string too. I wouldn't change a thing

 

[Snuggie]

You just shot 19x on one string too. I wouldn't change a thing

Ya got a good point there bro! Ain’t changing a thing! I’m happy!

 

[shootmore]

Regional match- John Martin cup, 500yards, 1st string 197-6x, 2nd string, 197-11X . The Defiance Deviant, .223 Krieger 1: 6.75 twist, 24.3gr VV N140, 90gr Sierra Match King (SMK) @ 2,789fps does well

 

[rebs]

If I mat ask how do you measure freebore ?

 

[MikeMcCasland]

If I mat ask how do you measure freebore ?

You don't measure freebore on a chambered barrel; at that point you'd measure the distance to the lands using 'The Wheeler' method, or a Hornady CBTO tool; you're basically stuck with what you have, unless a smith takes a uni-throater to it. Ideally, you'll know your freebore number before you have a barrel chambered.

Freebore is a spec on a chamber reamer that effectively determines what your distance to the lands will be. To obtain a freebore number, you can load up some dummy rounds and have a reamer created for any specific bullet/cartridge combo; the benefit of doing this is that your dummy rounds can be seated to maximize case powder capacity, and to avoid seating into areas where donuts form on cases.

Specifically with F-T/R chamberings (either .223 or .308) it's fairly safe to rely on what you find on these forums, as most everyone is running the same bullets/projectiles. (i.e. a .169 or greater is needed for 90VLDs, 90gr SMKs, or 88gr ELDMs.)

 

[shootmore]

Wikipedia does a good job of explaining it

In firearms, freebore (also free-bore or free bore) is the forward most portion of the chamber of a rifled gun barrel. The freebore is located just forward of the chamber neck and is usually cylindrical in shape. The diameter of the freebore is always larger than the groove diameter of the gun barrel bore so that no rifling is present and projectiles used in the firearm can move in the freebore without resistance.[1]

We usually extend free bore to move the bullet forward so the rear of the bullet moves forward of the doughnut formed in the case. That point where brass "grows", where the shoulder meets the case neck.