35gr v max 223 load question??

[223AL]

Got a box of 35 v max yesterday thinking I would load them to shoot crows with. I have a Savage model 25 thumbhole w/1-9 twist.My Hornady handbook shows no information for the 35 gr. They start with the 40 gr bullet. Did I screw up or can I load these? I have win748 & aa2640 powder on hand. My main load is 25.9 gr of win748 with a 55 gr v max and it shoots great. I'm new to reloading so I don't want to mess anything up. Thanks for any advice. Love this forum!!

 

[Johnboy]

hello,I would go to the Hodgdon,IMR,and winchester powder site and see what they give in that weight of bullet.and if they don't give anything on that weight I would reduce the charge weight by 10% for the 40g bullet.I use the same powder weight for 52g and 55g bullets all the time and I've never seen bad signs of pressure yet.hope this works for ya.
Johnboy



shoot,shoot again,RELOAD

 

[223AL]

Thank you so much for the reply. I thought that I would get all kinds of suggestions by now. I know that 35gr is a light bullet but I thought it would be great for crows.

 

[halfmile]

I have used 27.5 of 748 with 50 grain bullets for years. I would wager you can use more than that with the lighter pill.

I think you will run out of case room vefore you come up with signs of pressure.

Hodgdon's website has 40 grain info for 748. That will work fine.

HM

 

[savmako]

I also have a sav mod 12 with a 26" 1in9 twist, and would love to know how tight of groups your getting with 35 or 40 grainers, my best groups come with 70gr bergers

 

[savageboy]

I have had great success with a reduced load of 12.5 gr. of Blue Dot and the 35gr. vmax in my 223AI which has a greater capacity than the straight .223 case of course.
It runs right at 3100fps and is very accurate in my 1:14 twist 24" barrel. Shoots flat to about 125 yds then starts to drop off pretty quick.

 

[stosh]

I use the 36 gr vmax in my 22 hornet and can tell you the bullet is explosive at 3000fps and pretty accurate too. Been thinking about loading it in my AR 223 but figured the bullet may blow up at those velocities.I load 12.3gr of H-110 in my hornet FYI.

Stosh

 

[7stwhunter]

you might need to try a faster powder somthing like h4198, out of a 24" barrel quickload says you can get almost 4000fps out of it with a max charge of 25.4grns. but who knows its always worth a try

 

[GentleBen]

I've been getting some excellent results using H322 powder behind 40gr V-Max and 45gr Sierras ... 5 shots hit within .325 at 100 yards the first time I loaded them up with 23.5 to 24.5 grains of powder. Chrony said I was shooting upward of 3,350 fps. This weekend I am trying the same bullets with 25 to 25.5 grains of H322. Using a McGowen 26-inch bull, 1:9 twist.

Will also try some 35gr bullets with 24-25 grains of H322 and see if I can get upward of 3,500 fps before I see something disintegrate down range.

BTW, what does it look like when your bullet blows its wad -- just some specks on the target or something?

 

[savageboy]

I use 12.5 gr of Blue Dot with the 35vmax in my .223 AI. I get 3100fps and 1 ragged hole maybe with a flyer occassionally for a 5 shot group at 110yds. I killed a woodchuck at 65yds with it. Quiet, very dead woodchuck, worked great. It is my fav load to shoot under 150yds. After that it drops like a rock. Its not real good in the wind either. The 35vmax has the bc of a brick

 

[sharps]

Been there and done that.........the guy who mentioned the BC of a brick is right....didn't shoot worth a darn past 175 yards and at two plus it got really irratic in one of my loaner rifles....decided to go back to what really works and 40gr V-max
just seems to have enough ojive/bearing surface to fly like a bullet as opposed to a cube at higher speed and rotation......been
using the 35 in the hornet and it likes them as long as I keep
the range down and watch wind deflection all's good in dog town...
take a look at the bullet and it doesn't take a rocket scientist
to figure out this isn't a Berger VLD....its a VW bus of a bullet......just plain blunt!!!!!!

 

[GentleBen]

Last weekend I fired the 40gr VMax with 25gr of H322 and finally shot one ragged hole with 5 rounds,it looked like one .45 cal round). Outstanding. My chrony says they were taking off at nearly 3,600 fps. NO signs of pressure.

Next time out I will use the 35gr VMax with just about same load of H322 and see if I can make them evaporate when they hit the target. Wonder if I can get them to 3,800 fps without pressure?

Now that I have established my rifle loves 40s and 45s up to 100 yards, I'll go back to the 50gr-55gr range and see if I can find a pet load there for 100 and slightly beyond. I'll save the 60 VMax, 68 Horn. HP and 69 SMK for 200-300 shooting.

To the original poster, if you like the 35s and 40s, get a pound of H322 and have a blast.

 

[Eagle-I]

Got a box of 35 v max yesterday thinking I would load them to shoot crows with. I have a Savage model 25 thumbhole w/1-9 twist.My Hornady handbook shows no information for the 35 gr. They start with the 40 gr bullet. Did I screw up or can I load these? I have win748 & aa2640 powder on hand. My main load is 25.9 gr of win748 with a 55 gr v max and it shoots great. I'm new to reloading so I don't want to mess anything up. Thanks for any advice. Love this forum!!

I noticed this post today, I know its an old post but hopefully people are still going to comment on it if not I can repost a new version of it, but just a side note if I was going to shoot Crows I would use a Shotgun but that's me, anyway
so I found a great deal on a Savage .223 Remington bolt action Rifle and I'm wanting to do the same thing as the OP,
I plan on getting some 35gr V-MAX bullets and using TAC powder to load some "Screamers" that can push 4,000 fps accurately.
I know that Hornady makes factory 35gr. NTX .223 Remington ammo that claims to have a Muzzle Velocity of 4,000 fps out of their test Rifle so I know it can be done.

 

[searcher]

You said you had some W748. I'd be sure to try that with he 35.

 

[jds holler]

That pic doesn't look like the 35gr V-Max that I'm used to. Looks like the profile of a 40. 35's are truly a "Hornet Style".

My Bee loves them, and I've even loaded them in my 22BR for kicks. jd

 

[Eagle-I]

View attachment 1158478
That pic doesn't look like the 35gr V-Max that I'm used to. Looks like the profile of a 40. 35's are truly a "Hornet Style".

My Bee loves them, and I've even loaded them in my 22BR for kicks. jd

Yep, your right uploaded the wrong pic.
Thanks for letting me know.
These are the ones that show a 4,000fps Muzzle Velocity.
So I'm hoping to get some where near there with the 35gr. V-MAX

 

[KY_Windage]

Hodgdonreloading.com lists several powders for 35-gr. .223 but the highest max load velocity is 3,891. I have shot the 35-gr V-Max at about 3,800 fps and they worked great out to at least 400 yards. That was in a barrel with a 1:12 twist, though.

 

[js223]

Yep, your right uploaded the wrong pic.
Thanks for letting me know.
These are the ones that show a 4,000fps Muzzle Velocity.
So I'm hoping to get some where near there with the 35gr. V-MAX

Noticed that Hornady's manual only lists the 35 NTX, not the V-Max, for 223 Rem. Same thing for the 222 Rem. They do however list the V-Max for 218 Bee and 22 K Hornet. Wonder if they are indicating that the V-Max might go poof at higher velocites?