53 SMK at 100 yards and 200 yards?

[chkunz]

Does anyone shoot the 223 53 grain SMK at 100/200 yard benchrest competition?

 

[Berger.Fan222]

Great pill for the Triple Deuce. Won a few matches with the combination a few years ago. Interests shifted to F-Class more recently. 300-600 yards it gets blown around by the wind. But money at 100-200 yards.

 

[jr600yd]

Didn't use them in BR but did in reduced 100 yd XTC matches. Excellent bullet for short range (100 yds )

 

[chkunz]

Great pill for the Triple Deuce. Won a few matches with the combination a few years ago. Interests shifted to F-Class more recently. 300-600 yards it gets blown around by the wind. But money at 100-200 yards.

Thanks for the reply. What powder do the bench rest folks use with that bullet and the 222?

 

[chkunz]

Didn't use them in BR but did in reduced 100 yd XTC matches. Excellent bullet for short range (100 yds )

That is what I am using them for and the results so far are favorable. I though it would be interesting to know what load the bench rest folks use for this bullet.

 

[Berger.Fan222]

Thanks for the reply. What powder do the bench rest folks use with that bullet and the 222?

There were not many other Triple Deuces when I was shooting mine, but a load of H4198 near max (19.5 grains) did the trick. Usual bench rest load development: tweak powder for smallest groups, then hold powder constant and tweak seating depth to try and find something even better.

When H4198 ran short in the dearth of supplies, I used H4895, but those loads never shot as well. Won some matches, but more due to luck and weak competition the months I made it out.

 

[NickB1075]

I shoot the 53 a ton and get excellent results. I am not a benchrest shooter so o can't speak about that level of accuracy but that bullet over h335, in my 222 and 223 was exceptional for my standards in a factory rifle. .250 to .5 out of each rifle at 100. These are both stock Remington with minor bedding and barrel floating.

Nick

 

[scubohuntr]

I used to shoot the 53 SMK in a triple deuce over BLC-2 or H322. H335 was okay but not in the same league in my rifles, and none of the various 50 or 52 gr bullets were worth a damn. I've never had a .223 that was better than mediocre, so I can't speak to that.