53 Gr. V-Max in .223 AI

[NCVarhtr]

Been thinking about putting a new barrel (12 twist or faster) on one of my .223 AI rifles and using the 53 Gr. V-Max. I was wondering what your experience has been with that bullet? Is it easy/hard to tune--in the lands or off the lands and performance once it reaches its final destination? Any comments would be appreciated.....Thanks---George

 

[Phil]

If memory serves me correctly Smokin Joe shoots the 53 in a .223AI....

It is on my list of builds, but not finished yet.....

 

[pahoghunter]

I used that bullet in my Tikka M595 with a 12 twist. I used it in the "groundhog shooting matches" at 100,200 & 300yds. 24.2 grs of 8208xbr. At 100 yds, it had no equal, at 200 it was ok and at 300 it sucked. I called Hornady and they said that bullet is marginal with the 12 twist, they said if I could SAFELY get a little more velocity It might work better? So with your AI who knows?

 

[Phil]

I use a 12 twist BUT it`s in a 22BRDX and moving out around 4000fps....I think that it would be hard on the brass ( and Dangerous ) to try and duplicate that with any .223AI..


I would expect ~3700 to be the upper end, but I`ve been wrong before......

For the .223AI and the 53 Vmax I think I`d source a 11 or 10 twist, but depending on the free bore I might get an 8 twist and adjust the free bore to be able to shoot the 53 Vmax and the 75 Amax, if possible....

 

[40X Guy]

I have been playing with 53 V-Max this summer in 2 guns. I bought a Savage LRPV off of a member here and he included a few hundred 53 V-Max with the gun chambered in 22-250 with 12 twist. I promptly loaded some up with his recipe and won a GH match in stock class. Gun loves them and when I saw the BC was higher than the 55 Ballistic Tip I figured i would try some out in my .220 Swift with a Broughton 13 twist. I was driving them hard at 4,028 fps and the 13 twist did not stabilize them and pressure signs reared their ugly head. I checked bearing surface between the 2 bullets and the V-Max is a good .020 longer. Went back to Noslers and pressure went away and gun is fine again. The 53 V-Max is a heck of a bullet that is easy to tune, I am running them at .015 off the lands and it did not matter from .005 to .020 off the lands in my LRPV. In your planned .223AI you may want to go with a faster twist than 12. And also try CFE223 powder as well.

Frank

 

[varmintshooter]

Just this past week I was playing with the numbers and it looks like if you are at a high elevation on a hot day you may be okay but not if you are at sea level on a cold day. I am shooting the 53's in my 223 AI 9 twist @ 3600 with very good results. I would go with a faster twist if wanting to shoot the 53 v max.

 

[2dogs]

My 27" 1:8 223 AI made 3725 with the 53 A Max with excellent accuracy. That load was max in my rifle, so work up.

 

[Toolbreaker]

(Snip)The 53 V-Max is a heck of a bullet that is easy to tune, I am running them at .015 off the lands and it did not matter from .005 to .020 off the lands in my LRPV. In your planned .223AI you may want to go with a faster twist than 12. And also try CFE223 powder as well.

Frank

This is basically my load with a standard .223. Running them through a factory Model 12 barrel (1-9 twist), seated .020" off the lands and with a max load of CFE223, I'm hitting just a touch over 3400 fps. Couldn't be happier with the accuracy, either.

 

[NCVarhtr]

Thanks guys for all the good information and suggestions about twist. I think I will probably go with a 10" Twist and hopefully that will be enough....

I've been using Benchmark with the 50 Gr. bullets but I'm about out of that powder and was thinking about using IMR 8208 XBR since I have a good supply ....I try to stay with stable powder when I can but I'm always open for suggestions...Some have suggested CFE223 but I don't have any, can't seem to find any and it is not a stable powder...Thanks again for all the great help.....

Have any of you guys used 8208 and if so, could you share your results please?

 

[Phil]

Try some AA2200 or AA2015

 

[jonbearman]

Don't think enough ,get enough and go with 1in8 or 1in9 forget the 10 twist. If you ever want to shoot heavier bullets then you are out of luck. I switched to a 1 in8 and never looked back.

 

[premo 2]

1/8 only way to go.you can 8) shoot 50gr. to 80gr.

Don't think enough ,get enough and go with 1in8 or 1in9 forget the 10 twist. If you ever want to shoot heavier


bullets then you are out of luck. I switched to a 1 in8 and never looked back.

 

[Coleridge]

George,

A little while back I was playing with a Benchmark barrel that was 1-12" twist with the 53gr Vmax ( I bought used on a Salvage LRPV). It's now a 6BR with a PT&G bolthead change, but the barrel is stuck back for one day when I get to shoot prarie dogs again...

I didn't do any extensive load development. Just shot enough to see if the barrel was worth keeping. This was 4 different lengths (with 53Vmax) all on the same charge of Hodgdon BM powder (a charge I use in another 223). The 4 3-shot groups....




I then loaded up 5 of the best length & shot a very nice group. To double check, I loaded 5 more & shot into the same 5-shot group. The 2nd 5 nearly doubled the group size but proved to be "good nuff".... I think the 53's would be #&!! on a dog town & obviously easy to tune (the sticker dots are 3/4 inch).


Not too bad for the little effort in load work & a rag Savage on bi-pods. 10 shot group--




This was all on standard 223. I'm sure a well built (non-Savage) 223AI would be even better ;D ;D

 

[NCVarhtr]

Greg,
Thanks very much for the above information. Kinda reassures my faith in the "Salvage" rifles. Would you be nice enough to share with me what you found to be the best Seating Depth off the lands? Thanks very much...
George

 

[Coleridge]

George,

I looked and I did have the length marked & wrapped on the barrel, but I didn't have the legnth from/to lands noted. I don't think I could get an accurate mesurment with the barrel off the action. Not going to be much more help...

Not sure if they are very depth sensitive anyway. All 4 groups were reasonably decent.

 

[NCVarhtr]

Greg,
Thanks anyway. I usually do a staggered seating depth test anyway. I'll get it worked out.....
George