.223 and Berger 80.5

[Nature Boy]

i’ve tried the 90 VLDs now I want to see what the 80.5 will do.

I have Varget, H4895 and N140

For those that have done load work on these 80.5s, which power was your favorites?

 

[swadiver]

i have tried all 3 of those powders in a 1 in 7.7 twist .223 Bartlein with the 80.5's.. my current fave is N140. seems to be about grain for grain with Varget. MV's around 2920 fps

 

[Ned Ludd]

I've been using H322 in a rifle with a relatively short barrel (26"), a very short freebore (~ zero), and the 80.5s. It gets me about 2860 fps from that setup, although it's probably much too fast for a 30" barrel setup with a longer freebore. H4895 would be the better choice. I started out using H4895 in my setup and didn't get quite the velocity I was looking for due to the sub-optimal freebore and barrel length. In a more typical F-TR rig, H4895 and/or Varget would be my first choices to try with the 80.5s. I have not tried it, but it sounds like the N140 is right in there as well. Why not just load up a few slightly-reduced charge weight rounds with all three, determine actual velocities, then plug the numbers into QuickLoad?

 

[manitou210]

80.5 Bergers, Lapua case, Varget 24.7 Fed GM primers just kissing.
Barnard, Bartlien 30.5" HV Palma 1/7 Twist.
I know I will never shoot another group like this again, but this load I use for F class 300y to 600y shot some clean targets all v Bulls.
But if wind up at 600 the 90 Gr bergers are better

 

[10at6]

23.6 H4895 20 off cci 450

 

[Dgd6mm]

23.6 H4895 20 off cci 450

Nature Boy, I like H4895 in my .223 f class rifle. I'm looking hard at the Berger 80.5's.

10at6,
What length barrel for this load? Also, do you shoot it in 600 yard f class?

 

[Nature Boy]

Thanks fellas

I’m working up loads for my 15 year old son’s F Class rifle. These suggestions great.

I did an abreviated test with with Varget, lapua brass and 205M primers and 24.2 looks promising.

I’ll try H4895 next

 

[Huckleberry75]

My fireform load in my 223ai is 24.0 of 8208xbr, cci-450, LC/Lapua cases with the 80.5's. Shots 1/4-.5moa.

 

[Nature Boy]

Here’s what I got this morning. Both look good at 100. Biggest improvement was sticking them both +0.010 into the lands

80.5 on the left, 90 on the right

Now to take them to 500 and see how they hold up

 

[Nature Boy]

Got my 15 year old son out to the range today so he could get some practice in and try these 80.5s that I’ve worked up for him at 500 yards.

Wind was a little tricky but he was calling his shots and did pretty good. I think this load will work for him at an upcoming 600 yard F/TR match.

 

[JMH30]

Varget and the 80.5's are what I am running and it is by far the most accurate bullet in my rifle. shot a .321 3 shot at 300 with it the other day. Those full bores are baddddd

 

[Buzzsaw]

will these specs work in a 20" barrel?

with a break and a suppressor. ?

 

[Ned Ludd]

will these specs work in a 20" barrel?

with a break and a suppressor. ?

The bullets will certainly work, but you will still need to determine the load specifics for your exact setup. Some of the load info above may provide a good starting point, but that is no guarantee it will be optimal in your rifle.

 

[JMH30]

My load is 25 gr. of Varget with the 80.5 gr fullbores. I am right at 2900 suppressed out of a 26 inch barrel. I'm sure the bullet would work but like Ned said, I would work up from less than that. Those fullbores are stupid accurate when you get them shooting. I may have misread but I didn't see what twist you were running. I had a 20 inch 223 that I ran the 69 SMK's with 26 gr of varget and that was an excellent load with a 9 twist barrel.

 

[Buzzsaw]

i'm at 24.0 varget with 60 & 77 SMK's also 70gr Burgers and about any other similar weight bullets.

I need to try the 55's just see for prairie dogs

My gun is a Remington 5R, 20", Jewell Trigger, Kampfeld bedding, brake, fluting and Coating