Help! needed loads for .223 ?

[manitou210]

Happy New Year to all
Just getting into f/m class shooting in Canada looking for a little help where I might start with long range load for Rem 700 Police in .223 with 1/9 twist 26" barrel.
The F class must be manufacture guns with no add ons,bedding is allowed which I will do. will be shooting 300 & 500 mostly and might touch waters out father 800&900 meters, any suggestions on load I might start with, or try, any help would be nice.

 

[Forum Boss]

You want a high-BC bullet for the longer ranges. Try a few 77gr Sierra Match-Kings--they might stabilize for you, depending on which side of 1:9" your twist really is.

Also try the Hornady 75 Amax and the Berger 75 grainer. Berger says a 9-twist should suffice:

75 gr Match VLD BC= 0.447 9 twist item 224075V

If any of these bullets keyhole on you, move down to the 69s and 70s. Because a 1:9" is on the "ragged edge" for the 75s and 77s, you really won't know if they work until you try.

Powder-wise there are many choices that will probably shoot very well. Sierra's "accuracy load" for the 69gr MatchKing is: 26.5 grains of VV N540,3100 fps). Here's a link to the Sierra Load Map for the .223 Rem:

http://accurateshooter.net/Downloads/sierra223rembolt.pdf

Personally, I'd start with H4895. This powder has performed very well in nearly every .223 we've tried. Varget is also popular, but I think H4895 is more consistent lot to lot.

 

[cooperman223]

I have a cooper .223 with 1/9 twist barrel, i found mine will shoot sierra 69gr match and Hornady 75gr Amax with H4895 into a .3 at 100yds, lapua brass and fed 205match primer. So far i have not found a varget load that shoots into 1",

 

[manitou210]

Thanks guys sure gives me some great info and place to start!!

 

[Hucleberry]

I've done some extensive testing for my Remington LTR 20", 1-9 twist, .223. Here's my super accurate load:
25.5 grains of Varget
Federal 205M
Sierra 69g. HPBT Match
IMI brass
.010 off the lands

The 69g Sierra bullets will stabilize in the 1-9 twist. I haven't tried the heavier bullets since I found the above load.

I've a Jewell trigger set at 6 oz. and use a Leupold 8-25x scope. It's a tact driver using the above load. I've a XP 15" .223 and Encore .223 24" heavy barrel. The load I use for these two is as follows: N-133 22.5g,Rem. 7 1/2 primer, 55g bullet,Sierra or Hornady FMJHP or SP), IMI or Remington brass and seat bullet at the Hornady cannalure. I use the Hornady's seating depth for the Sierras. This load is used in my XP .223 for NRA metallic silhouette shooting on 1/2 size target. The same load was used on a recent squirrel and rockchuck hunt and was very accurate out to 300 yards.

Work up your loads and happy loading!