.223 @ 100yds... 2 days to develop a load...Update w/ Range report

[dolek]

My Son is going to a friendly competition,hunting rifles from sand bags at 100yds . He only has next weekend to test the loads I come up with so I am hoping someone can narrow down my options with a load that has worked for you . Rifle is a Remington 700,1 in 9 twist w/ 20" heavy barrel . Not sure if that short barrel will figure in but thought I would mention it . Competition is 100 yards .target has a 2 7/8 black area...X-5/8"...10-7/8",etc. . Scope is 11x max , 5 minutes total ,which includes sighters and 5 Record bulls . Mentioning all that in case it plays into the load or strategy tips you may have .Would appreciate any advice you may have from experience. Here is a list of what I have to work with. Will load this week and he will test over the weekend ,once I see the targets I will have to pick a load and stick with it due to the time restraint .

Bullet: Berger 52gn FB

Lapua Brass(100)

Primers: CCI 400
CCI 450
Federal 205M

Powder: H 4895
IMR 4198
Varget
RE 10x
H 322

 

[Texas10]

My son shoots a Savage model 12FV in 223, 26 in Varmint barrel, upgraded to a laminate stock, but nothing special.

Best loads so far: 53 V-Max over IMR3031 near max load. Shoots under a 1/4 minute and 4 inch clays at 500 yds are easy peasy.

52 Sierra HP (flat base) seems to prefer 8208XBR. Also shoots under 1/4 minute at 100 yds.

CCI 400 and Federal or Winchester Brass. Typically .020 off the lands.

I would lean towards the faster powders in your inventory with that light a bullet and short barrel. I've used H335 (blazingly fast), but not H322. YMMV.

 

[LVLAaron]

I prefer CCI-450's in 223. You'll probably run out of case capacity w/ varget. But I like 322 a lot. That's what I'd do a ladder test with.

 

[coldboreshot]

My step-daughter shoots an off-the-shelf Savage 12FLV 1-9 twist (lefty) with the same 26" barrel and synthetic stock. I load Sierra 52 MatchKings, CCI 400 primers, 25.0 of H4895 but the only difference is Winchester brass. The 52's are jumped 0.025". When she is on her game, she can drop 10 rounds in a jagged hole (just under 1/2moa @100 yds. She has also done some 5 rnd groups under 1/4moa. Inevitably, your rifle will show you what works best for it but perhaps this is a helping start.

 

[coldboreshot]

Just remembered, I have a 20" barreled AR platform I used for Prairie Dawgin'. I used Hornady 50gn VMAXs with 25.0 H 4895 and CCI 400s. Excellent results. At 100yards, for which you are looking to compete...They dont have be fast, just accurate. Hope this helps.

 

[Toolbreaker]

In my opinion, with a factory barrel, short time limit and 100 yard range, I'd look at finding a lower node with H4895. Also, if you're not committed to the Bergers, SMKs are some of the more forgiving bullets that I've tried in the past.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

With a 9tw id go to academy and buy some hornady 75bthp and some varget. You can just throw a load at it and itll shoot. 24gr is where id end up.

 

[nmkid]

Also, if you're not committed to the Bergers, SMKs are some of the more forgiving bullets that I've tried in the past.

I would also go with the Sierra's. Way less fiddling around to get them to shoot.

 

[riflewoman]

I’d load 25 rounds loaded with 23.2, 23.4, 23.6, 23.8, and 24.0 of H322. Shoot the one that gives the best group out of that bunch. Magazine length. I’ve never found a 223 that didn’t shoot with a load somewhere in that range. Bergers or Sierras.

 

[jpx2rk]

55g Nosler varmegeddon FB tipped, 23.0g Varget, LC brass, S&B primers, 2.60-70 OAL. 23.7g of Varget works just as good/better.

 

[dolek]

Thanks everyone,that it some great info to digest . I will have to read through it when I get home . I was thinking the Berger 52s at 100 would be the ticket...I have other bullets I can use,will check tonight.

 

[C.E.Smith043]

For absolute pure accuracy, go with Varget and Fed GM

 

[Mozella]

I looked back at my data for a 1:9 twist Howa 1500 with factory barrel which I shot exclusively at 100 yards before I changed to a 1:7 twist in order to shoot heavier bullets and longer ranges. Nearly every round was chronographed and nearly every target was a 5 shot group carefully scanned and measured using On Target software.

My best recipe was a paltry 22.0 grains of IMR 8208 XBR in cheap Lake City range-pick-up brass (carefully reconditioned) with Federal Gold Medal Match primers pushing moly coated Sierra MK 69gr bullets at a .005" jump to the lands. They were slow at 2607 fps on average, but quite accurate for an inexpensive pinking gun. I logged over 280 five-shot groups less than 1/2 MOA and 31 groups less than 1/4 MOA. I was unable to better the 69gr SMKs with any Berger product and this gun did not shoot as well with bullets of any brand lighter than the 69gr SMK's.

I think there are quite a few powders which will do the job. The key to success is to test some reasonable combination of bullets, brass, primers, seating depth, etc. But given your time constraints, I'd say pick any case, any primer, your light weight Berger bullet, and a likely powder and then go and test various charge weights. You're not going to have enough time to test more than one or possibly two variables, so do careful charge weight testing without trying to optimize brass, primers, bullets, etc. Then, if possible try to test seating depth. Can you test loads on Sat and seating on Sunday? I don't use any of your listed powders in .223, so you'll have to go with a powder recommendation other than mine. Good luck.

 

[Texas10]

Very nice write up, Mozella. I don't believe I've ever read a better, fact driven summation as yours is. That's some useful information even if OP's gun doesn't like the 69MK, it might like a similar weight bullet.

 

[Riesel]

Nobody mentioned the RL10X but it is on your powder list and worth a try with some of that test brass. 22.0, 22.5, 23.0 in five shot groups will tell you if somethings working. I'm not sure about your rifle, but when I change to a different powder that first round might be a non participant.

 

[Boyd L.]

...Would appreciate any advice you may have from experience. Here is a list of what I have to work with....
Bullet: Berger 52gn FB

Lapua Brass(100)

Primers: CCI 400
CCI 450
Federal 205M

Powder: H 4895
IMR 4198
Varget
RE 10x
H 322

I believe my old (‘70s) era S&W 1500 (Howa) is a 12 twist. It became something of a project for my late father and eventually me to find a load it would shoot.
It had just about reached tomato stake territory when I purchased a can of H-322. Holy cow! A 1 1/2 MOA rifle went to the .3s using Winchester brass, CCI 400 primers, and 52 grain A-Max bullets all packed around 22.8 grains of H-322. Don’t know the speed. Don’t care. It shoots well at the distances I need it to shoot.

 

[Liven The Dream]

H322 Always gave me the smallest groups at 200 yards when I shot a .223 in Matches..

Back then Winchester Brass was King and Winchester White Box Primers gave the Best light off.

I use a lot of CCI 450 Mags in my small primer brass now with good low SD.

Best of Luck

 

[JimSC]

69 gn sierras, 24.5 gn Varget, load 5 @ .075 off, 5 @ .050 off, 5 @.025 off , 5 @ .005 off. One of those 4 seating depths should give you a .5 group

 

[swadiver]

with 52 or 55 Bergers a stout load of N135 has worked amazing for me.

 

[dolek]

Thanks again folks, I now have the rifle to do some testing . When I first posted I was stuck on the 52 Bergers,mostly because that is what my Son had provided...and we both wanted to try them . I have a bunch of SMK 69s also,including the tipped version . Now that I have the rifle I can spend some time experimenting . With those two to pick from I should be able to come up with something ...if not,I can blame it on my old eyes or that sticky rubber stock . Will update as I go, I appreciate all the help.