F/TR .223 loads

[swadiver]

i built up a fun/practice .223 bolt gun ona Savage 10 action, Bartlein 1 in 7.7 twist, 28" barrel. throated fairly long for 80 gr class of bullets. it shoots amazing in a Choate Tactical stock.

anyway, any .223 F/TR shooters pushing the 80 gr class of bullets in the 3000 fps mv range?

 

[wapiti25]

80 gr SMK using Varget, Sierra used 24.8 gr. I shot 24.4 gr it worked ok for me at 600.

 

[swadiver]

what muzzle velocity did you get?

 

[Laurie]

If you do a forum search on 223 loads in FTR, you'll find lots of threads and hundreds of posts on this subject, chambers, freebore, components and loads. You'll find 80gn class bullets at ~3,000 fps is fairly tame and there are many posts on running 90gn VLDs at 2,850 to 2,900 fps, sometimes 2,900 fps +.

 

[swadiver]

If you do a forum search on 223 loads in FTR, you'll find lots of threads and hundreds of posts on this subject, chambers, freebore, components and loads. You'll find 80gn class bullets at ~3,000 fps is fairly tame and there are many posts on running 90gn VLDs at 2,850 to 2,900 fps, sometimes 2,900 fps +.

thanks much

 

[duanehunter1]

24.4 works for me at 2850fps. I'm using a 24" 1-7 and jamming the 80g SMK .010".

 

[Ned Ludd]

I'm getting ~2860 fps using the Berger 80.5s over 22.5 gr H322 in a short-freebore 26" barrel. With a longer barrel and more optimal freebore length, I'd probably try H4895 first, followed by Varget. There are certainly quite a number of other powders that would also work well, but you won't go wrong with either of those two.

 

[Liven The Dream]

R-15 with 80's and 80.5 At 2850 + or -
Was a winner for me

 

[watercam]

My throat is very long - case mouth to ogive of .275" (throated for 90s). The Berger 80.5s jumped .035" still work and there is quite a bit more case capacity to work with. With the shank/boat tail right at the neck/shoulder joint of the case I am working with 25.5 gr. of Varget/Tula 5.56 primers/Lapua brass for about 2950 fps.. Primers are just flattened at 85ºF so I am not pushing the brass any harder.

 

[Twitchy]

I got slightly over 3000 with 80g SMKs when I switched lots of Varget. Up until that point my sweet spot was 2920. I got 5 firings from that sweet spot load until the switch. When it bumped up with the new lot of Varget I lost 10% of the pockets. I backed down as 2920 was already really hot.

This was with a 26" throated for 80s.

 

[swadiver]

ok, getting an idea of what's in use out there. with the 80.5 Bergers right at the lands, I i tried two loads. 23.2 Of IMR 8208 XBR (2900 or so fps) and 24.1 of H4895 which yielded close to 3000 fps. this is with a base to ogive measurement of 2.007". (Stony Point gauge). the H4895 load showed flattened primers but the bolt lift was ok. this was @ 90 deg F. both loads shot extremely well at 100 yds.

i have decided that i feel more comfortable going with the 8208 XBR load @ 2900 fps. since this is for fun and practice competition @ 600 yds max, i don't feel the need to punish the brass and the barrel throat more than necessary with the higher velocity and pressures of the H4895 load

will take it out to 600 yd next weekend and give it a go.

 

[Berger.Fan222]

23 grains of Varget, 80 SMK, OAL 2.465" (0.020" ish from lands), 2850 fps in 30" barrel. Brass lasts a long, long time. This load has won a lot of local matches.

 

[watercam]

23 grains of Varget, 80 SMK, OAL 2.465" (0.020" ish from lands), 2850 fps in 30" barrel. Brass lasts a long, long time. This load has won a lot of local matches.

In the end, all that matters!

 

[25AI260]

Don....
what did you max out with on the R-15 .. ??
i just tried 23.0 seems Way to slow

 

[Longtrain]

An 80.5 Berger and 24.4 of Varget gets me 2825 from a 30 inch barrel, stupid accurate to 600 in prone sling matches.