.224" 88 gr ELD-m's in a Ruger precision rifle?

[Dave Zander]

I've only got a 20" barrel. I'll try and find the 2000mr powder.
Just shot the 80's at 300, terrible accuracy, like 3" group. Maybe i'm pushing them too fast at 2750 with the 20" tube? I also need to see what 300 yard accuracy looks like with the 88's at the slow 2456 FPS. I'll try that tonight. Also see what the Berger 85.5 do as well, I'll have those bullets in a few days.

 

[Hohn]

The BC of the 88s is high enough that they don't need scorching speeds to stay sonic at 1000 under most conditions. 2750 is enough to keep them sonic to 1k with room to spare; JBM shows 1300fps speed still on a standard day.

 

[Hohn]

I've only got a 20" barrel. I'll try and find the 2000mr powder.
Just shot the 80's at 300, terrible accuracy, like 3" group. Maybe i'm pushing them too fast at 2750 with the 20" tube? I also need to see what 300 yard accuracy looks like with the 88's at the slow 2456 FPS. I'll try that tonight. Also see what the Berger 85.5 do as well, I'll have those bullets in a few days.

Don't give up just yet. I've had no problems finding sub-moa loads in my 18" AR with a NATO chamber with the 80s. (8208 and AR Comp, haven't tested PP2k in that gun). Both powders give me 2700+ in 18" with <1" accuracy.

I don't think you're pushing them too fast. I think you need to experiment with seating depth. I've had best luck with the 80s at a pretty substantial jump-- about 2.436" OAL in my NATO chamber AR. That's .090+ jump in this gun and it shoots.

There are several jumps that will work well with ELDs, and a couple narrow "no go" areas that seem to make them shotgun a bit. So it's less about finding a sweet spot than it is avoiding the scatter spots.

23.6gr of 8208 is toasty with an 80 ELD but it's very accurate. I've cleaned a sling face off a bipod at 600 with that load. AR Comp seems to like closer to 22.8-23.2 range.

Don't give up on the 80s!

 

[Dave Zander]

Here's the 88's at 300 yards 2476 FPS (cronographed with a caldwell). There shooting high when i dial up 1.4mils(elevation from Kestrel) so I jacked up the velocity in the Kestrel until I got 1.3 mils for 300 yards ,took velocity to 2545. The 1.3 mils should put me on at 300 with this load. Im going to shoot these from 200 to 540 yards moving out in 50 yard increments using the kestrel elevations based on the 2545 speed.
Will see how I do, hopefully there won't be much wind tomorrow morning. Will be shooting steel plates, not paper.

 

[1lnbrdg]

As Bose stated, with the MR2K, I saw heat related velocity changes but no degradation of accuracy in .308. Hard to believe but Winchester cases and 155 Fullbores gave great accuracy @ 3200 fps and had over 12 firings on some of the cases before finding Varget back in stock. I've not tried it in a .223 case on the heavier bullets though.

 

[Dave Zander]

So I got the 85.5grain Berger bullets.
Base of bullet to ogive(.224" forrester datum gage) =.590"
Hornady 88 g ELD-M base to ogive =.665"
Berger touching lands case to to bullet tip = 2.428".
If I back off .010" off lands set to 2.418" overall length this gives me .497" of bullet from end of case to bullet base. .Bullet oal= 1.1590".
Magazine will take up to 2.600" max length .

I found some 2000MR powder to try with these bullets.

 

[Dave Zander]

I loaded the 85.5g Bergers .010" off the lands.
205M primers, OAL is approx 2.410".
Lapua once fired brass
Lee Collet die
loaded with 2000mr.
This is a 20" Ruger precision rifle.
This is what I chrono'd

23.0 2343 FPS
23.2 2276
23.4 2295
23.6 2305
23.8 2303
24.0 2331
24.2 2352
24.4 2370
24.6 2421
24.8 2561
25.0 2543
25.2 2583
25.4 2615
25.6 2659
25.8 2692
26.0 2734
26.2 2738
26.4 2774

Not sure where to go from here, thinking try groups at 300 yards using the 23.4 g load and the 26.0 g. Or forget these 85.5 and drop down to 80's? Put more freebore in throat and seat longer, probably the real answer? Cant really see any preasure signs , there is still a radius on the primer but the primers sit i bit below the end of the case. Got a feeling i'm loaded fairly hot looking at the velocity numbers

 

[Dave Zander]

Talked to Berger , they had data for 85.5 g bullets with a lot of powders but all tested in 30" Barrels.
Anyway got some reloader 17 data, they said that was the fastest velocities of the powders tested.
I loaded from 23.0 grains to 24.6 grains.
There data on the 30" barrel was loaded at 2.408" OAL

23.0g = 2659
24.3 g = 2814.

What I got with 20" barrel at 2.410" oal.


23.0=2302
23.2=2322
23.4=2354
23.6=2360
23.8=2400
24.0=2409
24.2=2442
24.4=2479
24.6=2542

No flat primers, no ejector marks at 24.6 but didn't go higher.
What i'm looking for ,I think, is a low spread in velocity and half way decent FPS and grouping.
I'm thinking to load 23.5 grains, 5 shells, see how much velocity spread and what grouping I get.
I'll start at 100 yards, if spread is reasonable, like 20fps or so, and it groups, test at 300 yards for accuracy.
Any options /suggestions on my approach here?

 

[paperpuncher]

Maybe try a different powder for more speed? I'm guessing you meant 22.5g of Varget above? I've moved to 2000MR with fantastic results. A ball powder will fit better in a small case. I'm using 27-28g in an 80g class bullet and 26.5-27 in a 85.5-90g bullet giving me up to 200 FPS more just by switching powder. Have shown no loss in accuracy. We all know ball is more temp sensitive so develop your loads now, while it's warm outside.

NO JOKE! Honestly i was skeptical so I loaded some 223 with 88 ELDs and 2000 mr
I stayed within the powder charges outlined above. I was getting over 3000fps from the higher powder charges from my 29" 7 twist barrel. Pressure signs were about the same as my 2820 fps Varget loads. The accuracy was about 1/2 min at 300yards but the mirage was horrible and the winds a little sketchy as well. ISSF chamber with .190" freebore

 

[r bose]

NO JOKE! Honestly i was skeptical so I loaded some 223 with 88 ELDs and 2000 mr
I stayed within the powder charges outlined above. I was getting over 3000fps from the higher powder charges from my 29" 7 twist barrel. Pressure signs were about the same as my 2820 fps Varget loads. The accuracy was about 1/2 min at 300yards but the mirage was horrible and the winds a little sketchy as well. ISSF chamber with .190" freebore

This past week I was at the Talladega marksmanship Park in Alabama shooting in the Regional matches. I shot 2000MR all 4 days in 90+ degree weather. Shooting an AR15 service rifle with a 20" barrel here is my load data that shot very well.

200 yard standing and sitting rapid fire 77g nosler CC LC case cci 450 26.0g 2000mr at 2775 FPS
300 yard rapid prone 77g RDF LC case cci 450 26.6g 2000mr at 2815 FPS
600 yard slow prone 85g RDF LC case cci 450 26.7g 2000mr at 2825 FPS

All of these loads shot extremely well. No doubt in my mind all of these loads could hold the x ring at any of these distances. X ring diameter is, 200yd is 2", 300yd is 2" and 600yd is 6".

At no time did I blow a primer, had any overpressure issues, etc and I shot over 440 rounds in 4 days.

Agree with the post above, 3000FPS in a long barrel is very obtainable.

Now if only I would practice standing my scores would be so much better!!!!

 

[paperpuncher]

I am going to play with the load some more. It seemed pretty happy at 2950 fps area. I am going to do some seating depth testing and shoot early in the am when the target is not doing the devil dance. I will post results when I get done. I hit 3050 fps yesterday but a couple cases had a very faint ejector mark temps there were in the low 90s so Im going to work .5 to .75 grain less powder