New build .223 1-7” twist 90gr VLD

[JBT47]

I just began load dev for my new .223. At 200yds:




90gr VLD, 24.7gr Varget. This thing is a joy to shoot. I think I’m gonna really enjoy this rifle.

 

[Bamban]

How long is the barrel?

 

[JBT47]

29”

 

[JBT47]

 

[CharlieNC]

My new barrel to handle the 90vld is on order, can't wait to get it and begin load development. Hopefully before the state championship match end of August. Good luck, looks like a great start.

 

[284winner]

I just began load dev for my new .223. At 200yds:

View attachment 1052125

View attachment 1052128
90gr VLD, 24.7gr Varget. This thing is a joy to shoot. I think I’m gonna really enjoy this rifle.

Josh,
You sent me the velocities on the load you used. What again were those average velocities ? I guess I didn't realize it was a 29" barrel. You did put a Broughton on that, correct ?

 

[Evlshnngns]

NICE! What brass, primer, and freebore? Thanks for posting, looks good.

I have a 28" CBI 223 7 twist barrel, with a .090 freebore, waiting on a stock. Should be fun.

 

[284winner]

NICE! What brass, primer, and freebore? Thanks for posting, looks good.

I have a 28" CBI 223 7 twist barrel, with a .090 freebore, waiting on a stock. Should be fun.

You may need almost twice that freebore for the 90 VLDs. Thinking you'd be about right on with 75-80 low drags.

 

[JBT47]

Josh,
You sent me the velocities on the load you used. What again were those average velocities ? I guess I didn't realize it was a 29" barrel. You did put a Broughton on that, correct ?

Broughton 1-7” .169 freebore.
2834-2842 fps.

 

[JBT47]

NICE! What brass, primer, and freebore? Thanks for posting, looks good.

I have a 28" CBI 223 7 twist barrel, with a .090 freebore, waiting on a stock. Should be fun.

Lapua brass. Federal 205M primer.

 

[284winner]

Broughton 1-7” .169 freebore.
2834-2842 fps.

Ya I knew freebore but couldn't remember velocities. Pretty good numbers with the 90s

 

[Nature Boy]

Hey Josh, love it.

Question if you don't mind a bit of a related derail.

My 14 year old son has a savage model 12 BVSS in 223 with the factory 1:9 barrel. He shot it in his first F-TR 600 yard match yesterday. Did OK but I am forced to load 69g SMKs because anything heavier won't stabilize. Naturally he's a bit compromised due to that limitation.

I'd like to swap in a 1:7 barrel like you're using so I can set him up with a better platform and be more competitive.

Your thoughts?

 

[JBT47]

Hey Josh, love it.

Question if you don't mind a bit of a related derail.

My 14 year old son has a savage model 12 BVSS in 223 with the factory 1:9 barrel. He shot it in his first F-TR 600 yard match yesterday. Did OK but I am forced to load 69g SMKs because anything heavier won't stabilize. Naturally he's a bit compromised due to that limitation.

I'd like to swap in a 1:7 barrel like you're using so I can set him up with a better platform and be more competitive.

Your thoughts?

Sounds like a good plan. This is my first experience with .223 using the 90’s. I believe I will be competitive with guys shooting up to 185 Juggernaut in .308. The guys using 200 Hybrids have the advantage.
I have less than 100 rounds through the rifle at this point and have yet to shoot a match with it.
As for your son, your plan to go with a 7 twist for the 90’s makes sense. Fun to shoot with very minimal recoil.

 

[Ned Ludd]

Hey Josh, love it.

Question if you don't mind a bit of a related derail.

My 14 year old son has a savage model 12 BVSS in 223 with the factory 1:9 barrel. He shot it in his first F-TR 600 yard match yesterday. Did OK but I am forced to load 69g SMKs because anything heavier won't stabilize. Naturally he's a bit compromised due to that limitation.

I'd like to swap in a 1:7 barrel like you're using so I can set him up with a better platform and be more competitive.

Your thoughts?

Competing with 69 SMKs at 600 yd will be extremely tough if there's much wind where you shoot most often.

Get yourself a 30" (finished length) Bartlein 5R (.218"/.224") 7-twist barrel blank for the Savage, and have it chambered it with PTG's 0.169" freebore .223 Rem ISSF reamer. Run the Berger 90 VLDs at ~2820 fps with Varget, or ~2850 fps with H4895. Optimal seating depth(s) will most likely be around .004"-.007" into the lands (jammed), or somewhere around .020" off (jumped).

Finding the optimal seating depth region is absolutely critical to getting the 90s to shoot well. However, once you do, it's amazing how well those little bullets can keep up in F-TR, especially out to 600 yd. Although they are giving up a small bit of windage to the 200 grainers in .308, the lack of recoil makes them much easier to shoot with extreme precision. So unless the wind is howling, they'll more than hold their on.

 

[Bamban]

Hey Josh, love it.

Question if you don't mind a bit of a related derail.

My 14 year old son has a savage model 12 BVSS in 223 with the factory 1:9 barrel. He shot it in his first F-TR 600 yard match yesterday. Did OK but I am forced to load 69g SMKs because anything heavier won't stabilize. Naturally he's a bit compromised due to that limitation.

I'd like to swap in a 1:7 barrel like you're using so I can set him up with a better platform and be more competitive.

Your thoughts?

Try the Berger 70 VLDs, see if that 9 twist stabilizes them.

 

[284winner]

Sounds like a good plan. This is my first experience with .223 using the 90’s. I believe I will be competitive with guys shooting up to 185 Juggernaut in .308. The guys using 200 Hybrids have the advantage.
I have less than 100 rounds through the rifle at this point and have yet to shoot a match with it.
As for your son, your plan to go with a 7 twist for the 90’s makes sense. Fun to shoot with very minimal recoil.

I too have that same gun in the 9.125 twist. 69s are the heaviest low drag bullets that shoot accurate. If I were going to get a 7 twist, I'd contact Northland Shooters Supply and talk to James. He'll set you up with a Shilen barrel as per your specs. Savage replacement.

 

[Beau]

Try 70 RDFs until you get a 7 twist barrel.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

Broughton 1-7” .169 freebore.
2834-2842 fps.

I have a similar build using the same components but anything faster than 2,820 fps does a number on my brass. How many firings are you able to get with this setup? Barrel length is finished at 30"

 

[Ned Ludd]

At around 2850 fps from a 30" pipe with H4895, you might lose 5-10 cases out of 300 on the first firing. On the 2nd firing, you might lose 10-15 cases. After the 3rd firing, you might lose as much as 25% of the remaining cases. I haven't tried more than 4 firings with the H4895 load. With Varget at around 2820 fps from a 30" barrel, brass life is supposed better than with H4895. However, it's still probably fairly hard on the brass. I'd guess you'd be lucky to get more than 6-8 firings. All of these figures are with Lapua brass. You might have slightly better luck with something like Lake City brass, which is reportedly pretty hard in the case head region. The bottom line is that we're asking a lot to push a 90 gr bullet from a .223 Rem case at these velocities. However, the performance is so good it's almost impossible not to want to.

 

[JBT47]

I have no idea how long my brass will last. I’ve only got one firing on it now.
It really does not matter that much to me.