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223 F class loads new to F class

Horsemen61

Hello All,


I am looking to start shooting 600 yard FT/R at a range about 90 minutes from me down in
Houston Mo

I have been reloading for roughly 12 years now but I’ve never reloaded/shot a Competition before

I’m looking for advice on how to go about reloading for Competition what’s your process what do you think is necessary

Components I am looking at using are as follows

Lapua brass

CCI BR no 4

Varget

Berger 85.5 bullets

Rifle is a savage model 12 1~7 twist 26 inch barrel I will change this one day

Any advice is appreciated thank you
 
You have reloading experience so that is a big plus. 85.5 is a good bullet and your other components should work well. I would suggest working up a load that gives you the best groups w minimal vertical ie less than .5 moa. (Many ways to go about load development but i would start with a ladder test by working up powder w .2-.3 jumps and see where u get a couple of charges shooting in similar vertical then do jump test to find best seating) Many will say less vertical, and i would as well, if you were more experienced ie .2 or .3 moa but you are just starting so lets take it slow and learn. So jump in a get your feet wet and practice reading the wind w flags and mirage and have fun! Hope to see you at Big Piney!
 
The advice KC MO gave is on the mark. The 223 is a lot of fun to shoot and learn on. You can win with one but you have to be absolutely spot on with wind calls. I shot a 223 for a good while just trying to learn with it. I really wanted to win with it but that never happened, lol.
 
The Berger 80.5 gr Full Bore bullet and Varget are a good combination in my rifle. I usually shoot at 100 yards. The one time I shot the load at 400 meters, it shot 1/2 MOA. My rifle is a Stiller Predator V with 26", a 8 twist, Hart barrel. Jewel trigger in a GRS Hybrid stock. The Berger 80 gr VLDs shoot well too. The barrel has just north of 4000 rounds on it. I have a new Krieger to go on it as soon as my smith has some cycles.

PopCharlie
 
What KC MO said. That combination will rock it at midrange F Class. Have fun with it.

P.S. our site administrator shot that very rifle at 500 yards last weekend. He was shooting 90 grain bullets rather than the 80.5 grain bullets but the 80.5's are fantastic. Over three matches he shot 599 with 41 X's. He blames dropping that 1 point on himself. As I said, that combo can rock it.
 
Horsemen61 said:
Hello All,


I am looking to start shooting 600 yard FT/R at a range about 90 minutes from me down in
Houston Mo

I have been reloading for roughly 12 years now but I’ve never reloaded/shot a Competition before

I’m looking for advice on how to go about reloading for Competition what’s your process what do you think is necessary

Components I am looking at using are as follows

Lapua brass

CCI BR no 4

Varget

Berger 85.5 bullets

Rifle is a savage model 12 1~7 twist 26 inch barrel I will change this one day

Any advice is appreciated thank you
Click to expand...

Looking forward to seeing you there!
 
I’m learning on a borrowed savage F TR as well
One match last fall I shot B80.5 with my service rifle load but had to seat the bullet deep to fit the throat. Real deep. It shot great but there is a learning curve I’m seeing coming from sling XTC competition.

Fired earlier this month another MR match one good string and two others not happy about

First match made me understand as the guys above stated wind calls matter once you have the load and rifle tuned


My current load is N135 and Hornady 88 eldm in virgin General Dynamics brass
Today it’s blowing 20 and gusting 30-35
Had scrubbed the bore to bare steel last weekend so I wanted to test it again
Having some trigger slop and the first group I lost a low ten called riding the trigger
The last ten was working great but I clicked up 1/2 MOA and held up a touch at twelve and earned two more tens at 12-1 for shots 18-19
I am trying to learn rifle handling methods but I do not have a F mentor like I did with xtc

Screen best group of the three strings from a couple weeks ago I have a lot to learn about handling the rifle

The B80.5 load was 23.2 8208 in five time fired Ruag brass with no special prep. It worked great

This current load is 23.6 N135 in virgin General Dynamics case 450 primer and the 88 eldm
Base to ogive is 2.125” coal is 2.67”
We throated it using unithroat tool and got a little too far so finding the 88 long bearing surface and powder fill in case working well
Velocity at 2780 at about 40-50 degrees F
SD 4-8

If you have H4895 I’d recommend that as well
I have not tried Varget for this rifle yet
Target from this morning
 

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I found a slightly slower node with the 85.5 hybrids (24gr Varget, Rem 7 1/2 BR primer, Lapua brass). Don't be afraid to try jamming the hybrids. This load shot best jammed 10 thousandths. Good luck! .223 Rem in mid-range F-T/R is much fun!
 
While the 80.5 shoots great at 300yd, I picked up significant points at 600yd when switching to 90vld due to superior wind bucking performance. On paper the 85.5 is also better and works for some, but not for me.
 
I shot 80 gr. AMax with 25.5 Varget in a 8 twist Savage. When they changed it to ELD my rifle didn't like it anymore. Caution, 25.5 of Varget with big bullets will wear out your brass pretty fast.
 
Work up slowly with 25 grains of Varget my AR was blowing primers at that charge 24 grains works good for me with the 80s
 
Drewel said:
I look forward to seeing you at Houston. It’s a great range. Nobody will lie to you and the flags always tell the truth ;)
Click to expand...


I watched a match there everyone was Super Nice except for the Flags They Were awful! Wind kept doing all sorts of things thank you all for the advice
 
DirtySteve said:
The advice KC MO gave is on the mark. The 223 is a lot of fun to shoot and learn on. You can win with one but you have to be absolutely spot on with wind calls. I shot a 223 for a good while just trying to learn with it. I really wanted to win with it but that never happened, lol.
Click to expand...
Work harder Steve. :)
 
I made High Master at 600yds with a .223. I shot 80gr Berger VLD, 24.5 Varget, CCI400 primers. Also a 1/7 barrel. FPS was 2900. I tried the 90's, but couldn't get them to shoot. My throat was too short for them.

Get your load to .250" at 100
Then load about 500 of them and go learn the wind. The guy who best reads the wind will win.
 
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