LOADS FOR 80 GRAIN PROJECTILE'S FOR 223 PLEASE

[barryt]

Hello i need loads for nosler and sierra 80 grainers.i have a ruger rifle with a s/steel, 26 inch barrel with a 1 in 8 twist.i have tried hornady,but they where no good.i have started to shoot fclass,so the load must shoot well from 300 to 600 yards.i do need help.
hope to hear from the forum soon.
from barry t.

 

[Klong]

Start with Varget at around 23.5 gr and work up from there. I push the 80 SMK out of a 20" barrel above 2900 fps out of an AR15 with VV540. Safe only in my rifle with careful work up.

Let us know what you end up with.

 

[Travelor]

Try 69 gr Sierra MatchKings with 24.5 grains of H4895 loaded to .020" off the rifling.

I have had NO LUCK with the 80's either.

George

 

[CADDIE5]

Two loads for 80 gr. sierra 223 cal
22.2gr AA2015 with wsr primers and winchester brass
23.5gr H4895 with wsr primers and winchester brass
both loads shoot 1.25" groups out of my krieger 1-7.7 twist barrel 26" length at 300yds.
What are you jumping your bullets?? How are you prepping your brass? to match stds.?? Steve

 

[flatlander]

Sierra's manual has data for the S80MK. They're slightly conservative, but that should keep you out of trouble during load development.

 

[MTETM]

You can also give RE15 a try. Start at 22.5 and work up from there.

 

[DukeDuke]

My best load for 80 SMK is with 26.0gr of RL-15.

 

[subsonic]

My best loads for my SS Shilen 26" 1:8 twist is Nosler CC 80gr with 25.0gr Varget in Winchester brass & primer seated .020" off the lands at 2.438 COAL. With the 77gr Sierra M and 24.0gr Reloader 15 with same brass & primer seated the same, both loads produce less than 1MOA at 300 & 600 yards.

 

[essexboy]

Not sure if these loads are any good to you as i tend to use 80g a-max, but my load is 24.4g of varget with a rem 71/2 primer with a aol of about 2.530, this is about as hot as i use in summer but in winter i can stoke it up a bit. This load allowed my rifle to win a recent 600yard club event with a score of 98.12 [ 5 score for bull, 5.1 for a v] the 2 dropped points were me missing a wind change [20 mph gusting job]. I have also tried 80g berger but found them too much hassle to use ie at 100yards i'd get one .450 group then the next would be .800 etc. The a-max while being slightly less accurate will average about .650 all day long.

Regards
Steve

 

[distinguished]

I use 24gr N540 with 80gr bullets, seated 10 to 20 thou off with Nosler or Sierra, Lapua brass, CCI BR primer. Krieger barrel 1-7.7 twist, 26".

 

[1000yardstare]

I have mixed emotions with the .223, calling it the curse of the M16 but also a cheap cartridge to reload. The Canadian Army in its wisdom adopted this groundhog cartridge as its standard round so F/TR can be shot using a .22 calibre out to 1000 yards?? The Ontario and Canadian Championships use teenage target pullers in the butts and they have a devil of a time with .22 bullets seeing them splash on the backstop and finding their holes in a target face covered in patches. Maybe I have become cynical in my old age but why didn`t Stoner go with a 6mm?

But I digress......... to get to the question, have better groups at 300 metres with 69, 75 and 77 gr bullets out of an 8 twist 30 inch barrel compared to 80 gr SMKs. On a calm day 69s are the best, 77s for wind.

Was second F/TR at the Ontario 300 metre Sierra ISU match this past July with 77 gr Nosler Competition bullets and 24.5 gr H4895, CCI 450s, Win brass. Chronos at 2950 fps. Use the magnum primer to handle the pressure. It has harder cup metal.

In my experience and watching other .223 users in F Class and Palma, if you go for the magic 3000 fps with 75 to 80 grainers all hell breaks loose with stuck cases and pierced primers. On a rainy day when the cases get wet, this can cause a hydraulic lock in the chamber. The brass has nowhere to expand and then you are talking blown primers and expanded primer pockets.

 

[barryt]

hello ,to very person who has replied to my topic,a big thank you.i have not had a chance to go to the the range because of the weather here,the same today,when will i get good weather.again a big thank you and keep the info comming ,it all helps.from barryt.

i shoot fclass in australia, and we can only shoot, sierra 80's and nosler in our 223's in standard class.any thing in open class,thats the rules.

 

[infantrytrophy]

I have used 23.5 and 24.0 gr of RE-15 in 20-in. and 26-in. 1-7 twist barrels for the SMK 80 bullet with success. I respectfully submit that Duke's recommendation (above) for 26 gr of RE-15 is a tad warm, in my opinion. While that works in his rifle, approach that load with caution since your rifle is different.

You should also consider the chamber - in your rifle and in the rifle from which a load recommendation is given. My recommendation comes from experience with a Wylde chamber, which has generous dimensions and a fairly long throat. Here is some information on several chambers used in .223 service rifles:
http://radomski.us/njhp/cart_tech.htm

Your Ruger rifle (a great rifle) was designed as a hunting rifle, and the chamber information posted above refers to military-oriented rifles. I have no idea whether Ruger's chamber is on the smaller side or on the generous end of the spectrum. The chamber dimensions will affect pressure, for sure.

Randy

 

[barryt]

hello ,finely got good weather,my rifle is a ruger 223 mk 2 varm with a madco 26 inch s/steel barrel with a 1 in 8 twist.i use remington cases with rem 71/2 benchrest primers and 80 grain nosler comp projectile. the powder i use is adi ar2208 = to your varget. o.a.l is 2.490 in (63.25mm)
my best loads for the day where.
24.4 grains - 0.520 in
24.7 grains - 0.732 in
25.0 grains - 0.689 in
25.3 grains - 0.430 in
in hornady amax 80 grainers ( i do not like them ) the best so far is 24.5 grains of the above powder,seated at 2.530inch (64.25mm).the group was 0.572 inch.
all loads where shot at 110 yards.
from barry t

 

[15Tango]

With the difference in load density from Varget to R15 and whatever other reasons that are there, I get about 140 fps more with R15 out of both of my .223s with 75 grainers. 25.3 R15, Rem case, Rem. 7.5 primer, 75 gr AMax, 2.470" COAL - 3015 FPS, 24" DPMS.

Wayne