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Fast twist .223 - trying to get 53gr V-Max to shoot well

I see on Northland Shooter's Supply site that Criterion offers a 26" varmint weight 1-9 twist in .223AI and if Jim has one in stock I'm going to try that barrel and see how fast and accurate I can get the 53's to shoot out of that barrel.
 
try Win 748 I have an 7 twist and I use those to just warm barrel up before shooting berger 82s with varget
 
I did get the 26" CBI 1-9 twist 223AI barrel this week. Got it screwed on and head spaced on Thursday, loaded up the first round of test/fire forming loads yesterday and I am very pleased with the results.............

2015-04-11133225_zps511b2b35.jpg


I'm getting 1/2" 5 shot fire forming groups running the 53 grain V-Max right around 3500 fps with 26.5 grains of H4895. This is what I was looking/hoping for. ;D

And another big plus is I am getting just a tad over 1/2" 5 shot groups using the inexpensive Fiocchi Extrema 50 grain V-Max ammo. I have a few hundred rounds of this I had planned on taking out with me for my PD trip in June if it would shoot well, and I'd say it's shooting just fine for inexpensive factory ammo.
 
My next round of testing today. I loaded up some of the Lapua brass that I had fire formed this last weekend with 4 different charges of H4895 from 26.0 to 26.9 grains in .3 grain increments. I also shot some factory Fiocchi ammo to fire form some more brass to use later and shot my Savage B-Mag 17 WSM as well. I'll let the picture of the target show all the details.....

2015-04-16155052_zps0610d833.jpg


I think I may be just now coming into a node on the upper end of what I shot/tested today and I plan on doing a 300+ yard ladder test this weekend from 26.0 to 27.5 grains of H4895 in .3 grain increments and see what it tells me. I show no signs of pressure whatsoever yet so I'm sure I can go a few charges higher w/o any problems and maybe I'll get a nice load in the 3650-3700 FPS range that shoots accurately. All in all I'm pleased so far and I think once I really nail down my load and mess with some different seating depths I should easily find a load that's at or under 1/2 MOA, at least that's what I'm striving for.
 
My testing today with H335 powder and 53 grain V-Max .............

2015-04-26132423_zps97474123.jpg


I then went home and loaded another 20 rounds @ 26.4gr and shot out to 400 yards. My last 5 shot group @ 400 yards measured about 2 1/4". 8)
 
Looks good , how do you measure your groups, I measure two ways out side to outside then center to center but I never subtract the bullet size because the bullet hole will never be the size of the bullet its always smaller, center to center works best, unless it's just to small of a group then I just do outside, just curious, I see your post a lot
 
fm1947 said:
Looks good , how do you measure your groups, I measure two ways out side to outside then center to center but I never subtract the bullet size because the bullet hole will never be the size of the bullet its always smaller, center to center works best, unless it's just to small of a group then I just do outside, just curious, I see your post a lot

I measure center to center of the holes.
 
IA_shooter said:
varmintshooter said:
I shoot them in a 223 AI @ 3600 and the accuracy was good enough that I didn't look any farther. This was in a 9 twist. Never tried them in a 7 twist.

That's exactly why I am going to order myself a .223AI barrel with a nice brake installed soon. I want to be able to shoot the 50-55 grain .224 bullets in the 3500-3800 fps range and still be able to see the hits in the scope.

I thought about putting a barrel like that on this Savage 12 VLPDBM but I want to keep the 1-7 twist barrel on this to be able to use for some FTR shoots in the future so I'm just going to build a completely new rifle in .223AI this year. 8)
Save your money on building a 223 AI can't use them in FTR and for what you gain it not a option.and breaks are not allowed in F class shooting
A 1/7 twist shooting 80 to 90 gr bullets will out shoot the 55 so bad your not in same league beyond 250 yards shooting 52 to 55 gr bullets

sorry for being a little harsh
manitou
 
manitou210 said:
IA_shooter said:
varmintshooter said:
I shoot them in a 223 AI @ 3600 and the accuracy was good enough that I didn't look any farther. This was in a 9 twist. Never tried them in a 7 twist.

That's exactly why I am going to order myself a .223AI barrel with a nice brake installed soon. I want to be able to shoot the 50-55 grain .224 bullets in the 3500-3800 fps range and still be able to see the hits in the scope.

I thought about putting a barrel like that on this Savage 12 VLPDBM but I want to keep the 1-7 twist barrel on this to be able to use for some FTR shoots in the future so I'm just going to build a completely new rifle in .223AI this year. 8)
Save your money on building a 223 AI can't use them in FTR and for what you gain it not a option.and breaks are not allowed in F class shooting
A 1/7 twist shooting 80 to 90 gr bullets will out shoot the 55 so bad your not in same league beyond 250 yards shooting 52 to 55 gr bullets

sorry for being a little harsh
manitou

Harsh? LOL No problem. There isn't any competitions close enough to me to justify messing with it really so I went with the 223AI for pleasure/varmint shooting.

Maybe some year in the future we'll have a range and a place to shoot that holds competitions close enough to me to worry about building something to shoot just for that purpose.
 
just as a reference point.
2 ar's with 50gr Amax's
one is a 1/14 hart...26"
the other a 1/7 Krieger...27"

2230 powder
.2 in the 1/14
.35 in the 1/7
new win brass sorted
both over 3100 fps
 
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All,
I have a Remington 22-250 w/ a 14" twist. I've had nothing good to say about the 53 grain V-Max. I am unable to get the bullet to stabilize at any speed so far. .I have a few left from the 2 boxes I started with. My last loads ran 3625 fps and the groups were at least 1.5". The holes were oblong and ragged. l guess I be shooting Sierra's or Nosler's in UBR's factor class.
Txnintn
 
txnintn said:
All,
I have a Remington 22-250 w/ a 14" twist. I've had nothing good to say about the 53 grain V-Max. I am unable to get the bullet to stabilize at any speed so far. .I have a few left from the 2 boxes I started with. My last loads ran 3625 fps and the groups were at least 1.5". The holes were oblong and ragged. l guess I be shooting Sierra's or Nosler's in UBR's factor class.
Txnintn

The faster a given bullet is driven, the more stable it is.

That said, 3625 is VERY slow for a 22-250.

I shoot 53 V-MAxs in a 14" 22-250, but I drive them much faster.
 
CatShooter said:
txnintn said:
All,
I have a Remington 22-250 w/ a 14" twist. I've had nothing good to say about the 53 grain V-Max. I am unable to get the bullet to stabilize at any speed so far. .I have a few left from the 2 boxes I started with. My last loads ran 3625 fps and the groups were at least 1.5". The holes were oblong and ragged. l guess I be shooting Sierra's or Nosler's in UBR's factor class.
Txnintn

The faster a given bullet is driven, the more stable it is.

53 grain pill @ 3625 fps is getting very close to a maximum load. 41 grains of H4350 launches a 52 grain bullet @ 3550 according to their site. However I have loaded up 9 maxium test loads. Maybe they will be in the 3800s. :)

That said, 3625 is VERY slow for a 22-250.

I shoot 53 V-MAxs in a 14" 22-250, but I drive them much faster.
 
txnintn said:
CatShooter said:
txnintn said:
All,
I have a Remington 22-250 w/ a 14" twist. I've had nothing good to say about the 53 grain V-Max. I am unable to get the bullet to stabilize at any speed so far. .I have a few left from the 2 boxes I started with. My last loads ran 3625 fps and the groups were at least 1.5". The holes were oblong and ragged. l guess I be shooting Sierra's or Nosler's in UBR's factor class.
Txnintn

The faster a given bullet is driven, the more stable it is.

53 grain pill @ 3625 fps is getting very close to a maximum load. 41 grains of H4350 launches a 52 grain bullet @ 3550 according to their site. However I have loaded up 9 maxium test loads. Maybe they will be in the 3800s. :)

That said, 3625 is VERY slow for a 22-250.

I shoot 53 V-Maxs in a 14" 22-250, but I drive them much faster.

First, if you are going to "quote" me, please have the curtesy not to change what I said!!!

Second, I don't know where you are getting your loading data, but my .223 gets almost that velocity. :( :( :(

3550 for a 22-250 is a girls load. :D :D :D :D :D
 

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