69g smk suggestions

[Cory porter]

Going to try some 69g in my 1/9 savage 223. Is it worth measuring to the lands or should I just load them to mag length. It is an internal mag but I usually single feed. I've not found much info if these like to be in the lands or have had better success messing with oal.

 

[Skunce]

A friend of mine has the same rifle and twist that you have and his shoots best with a .045" jump. In my 223 AI Xcaliber 1-8" barrel they shoot the best with .015-.020" jump. We both use CFE powder.

 

[Cory porter]

I've always used varget but may switch to RL-15 if I can ever find it

 

[Bigguy1951]

My son and I just did this bullet in his 1in9 Savage. It was the most forgiving bullet we have ever tested in his gun. We used CFE 223 and the results were great. I don't remember the amout of CFE 223 we ending up using, but I do know that 0.008 jam was the magic number.

 

[Mozella]

I shoot a lot of SMK 69's. I just put a new barrel on my Howa. Both the old (24" 1:9) and new (26" 1:7) barrels like IMR 8208 XBR and both barrels prefer a .005" jump. I've experienced less precision with CFE-223. But Vihtavuori N-133 and N-140 work pretty well as does H-4198. The SMK 69 seems to be pretty easy to tune and I think you'll find that it works well with a variety of powders.

I think that optimum seating depth is most likely going to depend on YOUR gun and you'll only find out for sure by testing. In other words, you could try .005 jump like my gun and it is likely to shoot pretty well, but you'll never know if .010 jump is better for you unless you actually so some careful testing.

 

[dickn52]

I shoot the 69 SMK through an LRPV with that rate of twist. I have been using 20.3gn of RE7 which worked very nice.

 

[MS50]

I shoot the 69SMK in my Savage FCV 1:9 223. I use 23.0gn of H335 (2900fps) seated .010 off the lands. A test of different seating depths showed that loads other than .010 off the lands were wildly inaccurate. This load is good to 700 yds.

 

[DHuffman]

H322 in my 9 twist savage .223 and 69 smk's, into the land would one hole them.

 

[Cory porter]

Sounds like there are multiple loads that seems to work very well. Personally I've always used varget but I am using is for my 6br and 22-250 1/9 now so I will have to try a different powder.

 

[Cory porter]

H322 in my 9 twist savage .223 and 69 smk's, into the land would one hole them.

Do you have the load data handy by any chance. H322 always seems to be on sale at cabelas when I go there

 

[Shynloco]

Cory,
If I may suggest, one size DOESN"T fit all! Take for instance, I have two .223 (one .223/5.56) and one loves Sierra 69's and the other hates them. So people can tell you what works best in their rifles and there's really no telling what YOUR RIFLE will do with them. Do yourself a favor and don't develop a bad habit of trying to shortcut or under-estimate the "testing" process. Try (if you can) what others suggest or say works in their rifles, But ultimately your rifle will tell you everything you need to know. For what it's worth, I've had excellent results using H335, BLC-2, VVN 135 VVN 140 and VVN 530 ( pushing 69 gr Sierras) in various rifles as well as two other 223/5.56 rifles that my sons own.

Alex

 

[DHuffman]

Do you have the load data handy by any chance. H322 always seems to be on sale at cabelas when I go there

23.6 grains H322, CCI 450 or BR 4 primers. My notes say 1.936 base to ogive which I know is into the lands but can't remember how much. I'll have to re measure when I start shooting it this fall.

Shot multiple groups in the .1 - .2 range when testing.

 

[Cory porter]

Cory,
If I may suggest, one size DOESN"T fit all! Take for instance, I have two .223 (one .223/5.56) and one loves Sierra 69's and the other hates them. So people can tell you what works best in their rifles and there's really no telling what YOUR RIFLE will do with them. Do yourself a favor and don't develop a bad habit of trying to shortcut or under-estimate the "testing" process. Try (if you can) what others suggest or say works in their rifles, But ultimately your rifle will tell you everything you need to know. For what it's worth, I've had excellent results using H335, BLC-2, VVN 135 VVN 140 and VVN 530 ( pushing 69 gr Sierras) in various rifles as well as two other 223/5.56 rifles that my sons own.

Alex

Very good point. I'm just trying to see what powder everyone is using, so I can try some load development with the supplies I have. If I don't find anything I'll go from there

 

[284winner]

I've got a factory savage bvss 112 in 223/9 twist. It seems to like the 69s but it is a little more picky than with 50-60 grain bullets. Won't shoot 75 Amax at all. I get roughly .75 groups with 69s but have found .5 in consistency as well. More work involved to find the sweet spot with 69s than I thought. It's fun so I can't complain. 23-24 grains of H335 under the 69smk seems to be the right recipe but there are many i haven't tried.

 

[ranger3]

26 grains of Varget with 69 smk and using CCI 450 primers loading @ 2.33 has worked well for me in multiple guns this is a compressed load. It won't fit through a magazine.

 

[A_Gamehog]

Try XBR8208 .5 grains above book max from Nosler.

 

[chapstix97]

lapua brass, Rem 7.5 primer, 69 smk.005 off land, 24.0 grains Varget. 25 inch 1/8 Bartlein 5r barrel.
Magnetto speed 3030 fps.
Today tested 23.8 23.9 and 24.0 to verify loads. For me 23.9 and 24.0 is the ticket for me.

Rl15 requires .5 grain more to attain same velocity as Varget with my lot of powder.

Just my observation