.223 AI powder & velocity expectations

[FN in MT]

I've got a 24 1/2" kreiger 1 in 8" with an Elite Iron, Bravo model can.

What's a reasonable velocity expectation with 77 gr SMK's and 55 gr varmint slugs? I have 1K of the 77's why I want to use them.

I've tried Varget and TAC so far with 77's. I like TAC as it meters well, there's no CRUNCHING when I seat a slug and it seems to be accurate, even fire forming loads.

Working UP with Varget in fire formed Lapua cases; 26.0 grs has given me 2893 fps

With TAC 24.0 grs is at 2780 fps. Just started with TAC.

Any powder suggestions for the 77's. For the 55's I have a mess of faster powders; H335, H322, 748, etc.

As always...Appreciate the learned comments and input Gentleman.

FN in MT

 

[gunner8305]

I run 75 Amax's @ 2900 fps with 24.5 of 8208. Going to try out some cfe223 this weekend and see what the velocity will be with 53 vmax's.
Shooting an 26" 8 twist Xcaliber barrel with muzzle brake.

 

[Geno C]

A little farther down he page there is a thread titled 223ai velocity expectations. There's a fair bit of info in there

 

[FN in MT]

A little farther down he page there is a thread titled 223ai velocity expectations. There's a fair bit of info in there

Saw it...it's all LIGHT bullets. I'm using 69,70 and 77 gr slugs. As I have a mess of them.

 

[alf]

I shoot several 22-204's that have the same or a hair more capacity than a 223 Ackley. I always use Varget with either 75 or 80 grain Bergers, and have never seen a reason to explore any other.

3075 in 22" with the 75 VLDs

3025 in 24" with 80 VLDs

3125 in 26" with 80 VLDs

 

[DHD]

I just started down this road myself. FWIW, I have little interest in the 77's except out of an AR.

So far, I've had very good luck with Re15 and 80.5 Berger Fullbore's (26, 450, @ 2950 out of a 26.5" 1-7 twist Bartlien). Varget with 75 VLD's shoots better than decent also, but I haven't run them over the chronograph yet. Next up will be 8208. I have plenty of the 82 Berger LRBT and 75 Amax to try with all the powders listed.

I was looking for 3000 fps (and know I can get there easily enough), but the 80.5 shoots so good at 2950 I'll probably give my brass a break and not go there.

Going with a 1-7 twist and longer barrel, I was only interested in the heavier 22 caliber bullets. I know the 77's are heavy for caliber, but I'm a BC junkie. Needless to say, those Berger's sure do shoot flat considering they're coming out of a 223AI case.

Just my experiences so far.......

 

[Cuando]

I shoot 75 Amax at 3,150 out of a 22" bbl with Leverevolution.

 

[GrocMax]

I shoot 75 Amax at 3,150 out of a 22" bbl with Leverevolution.

The newer ball powder formulations are very interesting. They don't show peaky pressure curves in the upper pressure ranges, very predictable. If you're a stick powder snob and haven't revisited ball powders in awhile and are searching for velocity you need to try a few.

 

[bobcat93]

I have a pac-nor 26" 1-8 twist , I use nosler custom competition 77 gr bullets (simply due to price) ,reloader 15 powder, REM. 7 1/2 BR primer. With lake city brass ( lots of case prep) . Tight neck chamber.
The reloader 15 and, imr 8208 xbr out shoots (accuracy) varget in my rifle.
If I remember correctly I am getting 2870 for velocity.. Not fast by any means..but man is it accurate. I don't push my rifle, I have gotten in to the 2950's with varget but accuracy wasn't as good. Quite possibly the most accurate rifle I own..and so fun to shoot

 

[eric n]

I haven't tried 77s but r-15 works better then varget with 75vld and 75amax for me.
I never chronied the varget loads, r15 gets me 3050 out of a 23" 8 tw.

 

[FN in MT]

A bit of an update....

Between wind and snow storms.

Had a few good range sessions and found a few promising loads.

With 69 SMK's and 25.3 of IMR-8208 getting 3025 with very nice accuracy. Good enough to use up the 69's. And the 8208 meters better than Varget. Plus no CRUNCHING when I seat a bullet. I may try to go higher but at least I have one good load for the 69's.

I wanted an easy to load fireform load for gophers. TAC meters beautifully and 26.5 grs of TAC and a 55 gr slug gives me 3250 fps and a nice filled out case. Easy to load and accurate.

Next break in the weather I'll start on 75 A-Max and 77 SMK loads.

FN in MT

 

[shoot4fun]

I own three R700 actions in 223 caliber. All of them blew primers or had excessive primer flow working below max. I had to have them all bushed and converted to small firing pin. My 223 AI is a 22" and will tilt the chrono over the 3000 FPS mark with AA2520 and 77SMK. SD and accuracy are very good too. That is using formed WW brass and CCI400 primers. I won't provide the charge number because it is pretty stiff and kind of hard on brass. I finally decided to use it with 75Amax and have found the most accurate load to be 26.5 RL15 and 77SMK with Fed Gold Medal primers. That one will easily get you over 2900 and accuracy has been outstanding for me; several 3/4" five-shot clusters at 300 yards.

 

[FN in MT]

I haven't seen AAC 2520 in at least TWO years here in MT. Simply do not see it for some reason?

I'm getting some primer flow but not an issue yet to have to bush the bolt.

 

[shoot4fun]

I have AA2520 in abundance. Still using one pounders and the eight pound isn't open yet.
Now I'm bragging.....