223 load info please

[salitydog]

i know this has been asked before and i tried to find what i need here but could not to much of what i do not need. i have a 5-r with 9 twist and can not get it to act right get it to group OK with one load move to another and off 6 to 10 ins. up and sideways at 100 yd. have never seen this before?[?] using 55 and 69 sgk and varget in middle range.have 77gr and more 55 also have varget, 3031,imr4320,h4198,and h322 not much left except in varget but want to try and find something that will work in gun as rem. have done well with me . i can not shoot with you but i do like it to go same place if poss. looking for load info and what bullet will work i like sierra but not above getting another type can not find burregs in hunting bullet but at this point do not know how heavy to get. any and all help will be nice. thank for info rick

 

[ShootDots]

You have a 9twist barrel.. One of the most accurate bullets to go down a 9 twist is the Berger 73gr. Boattail.. You have Varget. Start at 23.5grs and work your way towards, keeping an eye open for pressure, 25.5grs... Keep that bullet JUST off the lands (2-3K off).. I would bet you will get surprising accuracy.. I hope this helps... Let us know if you choose to go that route, I would like to know the results..

 

[amlevin]

I agree that the 73 gr Bergers are a great bullet for a 1:9 twist. If you can't get the bergers then go with a 52 gr Match or Varmint bullet. I shoot both in my SPS-Tactical .223 with 1:9 and found them to be super accurate with CFE223.

Can't hunt anything large here in my State with .223 but "Pests" never complain after getting hit with either, match or "hunting" round. If you insist on a good Hunting round that's not a fortune, look at the V-Max line. I find them to be very accurate as well and they do carry a "hunting" use on their description.

The light bullet will be great for short range and the 73 gr bullet will extend your accurate range considerably. Wind will always be your enemy with .223 rounds at any distance.

 

[wapiti25]

What kind of rifle is this and who's barrel? IMR 4320 has been used as a substitute powder for Varget, I have used IMR 4895 and it shot as good for me as Varget out of a 8 twist with 80gr bullets shooting 600 yds. I have a 9 twist PacNor barrel that likes 69 gr SMK and 70 Berger using IMR 8208. Both of the guns have a heavy barrel used for 600 yd F-Class matches. What is the barrel contour? My rifles are a trued Remington 700 with a Krieger barrel and a Savage target action with the PacNor barrel and both can shoot 6" groups or less at 600 on a calm day if I do my part. IMR 4064 and Accurate 4064 can be used for the same application as Varget and you can find them, I will be receiving 8 # of Accurate 4064 in a few days.

 

[salitydog]

it is a rem 5-r off the rack varmet barrel. just got threw loading 3 rounds each with varget at 22.5 23.0 23.5 24.0 24.5 using sierra 69gr nosier in 55 and 62 gr what i had . have not shoot any yet waiting for better weather. if i went wrong way please let me know as stated have other power but low and hard to find rl 15 is imposable to get just got new bottle of varget trying to use it have about 100 rounds down it shooting store bought for 50 and tried to reload then it went south.

 

[wapiti25]

Check and see if the barrel is free floated from the stock. Next if it was my rifle is to glass bed the action. Varget is a good powder for the 223 using 69 gr bullets. H335 is a good powder for the 55's using about 25 gr. You always need to work up your loads starting low on the powder charge watching for pressure. I use 2 rounds at the start and will as I go up in charge use 3 or more. The throwing groups around on the target sounds like it could be bedding or barrel bouncing off the stock. Check and see that the screws are tight on the scope mounts and the action. Clean the barrel very good as new barrels can foul more than barrels that have 200 rounds Thru them, copper can build up fast on new barrels. Changing bullet weights will change where the groups print on the target. good luck I understand your frustration.

 

[wapiti25]

Cleaning barrels can be almost "Black Magic", use a cleaning rod guide and you may need something like JB compound to get the fouling out. There are a lot of good solvents out their but stubborn fouling requires more effort to get the fouling out, JB compound will get most stubborn fouling out and can smooth the rough spots. If you can find a gunsmith or friend with a borescope that will answer a lot of questions about how clean or fouled the barrel may be.

 

[salitydog]

i thank the gun is clean will not show any sings of carbon or copper. had farmer john stand over me with a 2x4 showing how to clean and check. but did not check screws on stock it has a 5-r stock on it witch has full alum. bedding block. do i still need to get it bedded? and john helped me put the scope on it when it was new. i have same gun in 308 and at 100 yd. shoot clover leaf group john can almost get one hole at 400 yd. not in his class just like to shoot with him and keep him honest. just think it should shoot as well or better then the 308. thanks for the input rick

 

[amlevin]

Check and see if the barrel is free floated from the stock. Next if it was my rifle is to glass bed the action. Varget is a good powder for the 223 using 69 gr bullets. H335 is a good powder for the 55's using about 25 gr. You always need to work up your loads starting low on the powder charge watching for pressure. I use 2 rounds at the start and will as I go up in charge use 3 or more. The throwing groups around on the target sounds like it could be bedding or barrel bouncing off the stock. Check and see that the screws are tight on the scope mounts and the action. Clean the barrel very good as new barrels can foul more than barrels that have 200 rounds Thru them, copper can build up fast on new barrels. Changing bullet weights will change where the groups print on the target. good luck I understand your frustration.

He stated he had a 5-R milspec. That rifle has a hammer forged barrel and an H-S Precision stock with full aluminum action bedding block. The first thing the party should do with that rifle is get rid of the X-Mark Pro trigger and install a Timney. THEN see how it shoots.

FWIW, the hammer forged barrels are as smooth as they get. Fouling is not a problem and the 5-R rifling cleans up with only a small effort.

 

[Beau]

If it won't shoot with 25gr of Varget and a mag-length 69, it won't shoot!