223 Rem with 80ELDM

[RAM2940]

What velocities should i be getting with this setup and load. I have a 26" PVA 1/7 twist .100 FB MTU barrel in a MPA chassis. With the 80ELD i hit jam at 2.540. Loaded round at 2.515 COAL. I loaded a OCW starting at 24 grains Varget. Average velocity was 2690. This was my tightest group at .45. As i went up in charge groups started opening a little each group. Top load was 25gns at 2840 average velocity about 1" group. Starline 5.56 virgin brass had no signs of over pressure. Just on a side note, I shot several Palmetto state Arm. AAC sierra 77gn MK at 2950 velocity .7 group. All velocities read with a Magneto speed. Could i get some advice what to do with this round.

 

[Dolomite]

For what it’s worth I would break in the new brass after sizing maybe different FPS from the virgin cases unless you plan on using virgin brass. I had issues shooting 75 eldm best .75 from 2600-2900 FPS finally gave up on hornady bullets all out of a 1:8 twist barrell with starline 223 brass. The faster I went the worse it shot. Maybe a lower node below 2600 might work but that’s really slow.

 

[Rob01]

How many rounds through the barrel? My PVA 7 twist with .062 Wylde chamber is shooting 25.1grns of Varget in Hornady brass and 75 ELDs at about 2970fps and do this with 5 shots at 100. Have shot it out to 1150 yards. I have also used XBR8028 and it works great too. I am hitting lands at 2.490" and I load at 2.470". I got some Starline 5.56 also and it shoots about the same.

 

[RAM2940]

Ive got about 60 rounds through the barrel. I have also tried 80.5 berger fullbore, also has best grouping with 24 gns of varget at about 2710 velocity, 2.490 COAL. Cases measured 1.452 before firing and 1.456 afterwards. I should only gain .002 in case length.

 

[Rob01]

Have you cleaned it yet? I clean after every range trip in the beginning of a barrel’s life until about 150-200 rounds.

 

[RAM2940]

I did the break in procedure on the PVA site. Its been cleaned a total of 3 times. This is there Osprey barrel. When i run a cleaning patch through the barrel it does seem tighter than other 223's.

 

[Rob01]

I have never done a break in but just go out and shoot and then clean it very good down to metal after each range trip. Does the same thing. Did you use a good copper solvent?

I’d give it another 100 rounds before you started to worry or change powders.

 

[RAM2940]

I have the KG copper solvent and carbon solvent along with butches bore shine. I will give it another 100 rounds and then see how it is going. It does seem to shoot some tight groups, its just seems slow for the powder charge.

 

[DocBII]

What velocities should i be getting with this setup and load. I have a 26" PVA 1/7 twist .100 FB MTU barrel in a MPA chassis. With the 80ELD i hit jam at 2.540. Loaded round at 2.515 COAL. I loaded a OCW starting at 24 grains Varget. Average velocity was 2690. This was my tightest group at .45. As i went up in charge groups started opening a little each group. Top load was 25gns at 2840 average velocity about 1" group. Starline 5.56 virgin brass had no signs of over pressure. Just on a side note, I shot several Palmetto state Arm. AAC sierra 77gn MK at 2950 velocity .7 group. All velocities read with a Magneto speed. Could i get some advice what to do with this round.

RAM,

That appears to me to be a very slow velocity. In a 1/8 twist, 2950 is obtainable @ 2.555 with no jam and the 80gr. ELDM. Lapua or Winchester brass @ ~ 93.0 gr. case weight. You will lose some velocity by using new brass, on the order needing 0.5gr more powder to obtain the same result.

HTH,
DocBII

 

[Rob01]

I have the KG copper solvent and carbon solvent along with butches bore shine.

Those will work. I use Butch’s as my go to solvent.

 

[RAM2940]

Here are some photos of the data i collected, if someone could look this over. This is my first time at doing this. I am going to fireform some more brass then try this again.

 

[Evlshnngns]

I am not the right guy to give advice....but this is the internet. Ha ha

It helps to have your aim point/target the same for each group. Makes it easy to compare where the shots are going with the differing charges.

The top two on this page work great.

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[ronemus]

Varget is rather bulky which leads to compressed loads and less velocity than is achievable with other powders. I would recommend Reloder 15.5, N-550, or Reloder 15, ranked highest to lowest. H-4350 and H-4831 as well as Varget are in the the right range of burn rate, but in my experience all 3 fill the case long before pressure becomes an issue with bullets up to 80 gr. I'm not a fan of highly compressed loads, so I favor powders with higher density than the Hodgdons I mentioned.