LR 223 Bolt Rifle Barrel Length

[JERRYHM]

LR 223 bolt rifle barrel length.


The loads listed below were shot in a single shot Barnard action all were below the highest loads tested.
May NOT be suitable for other bolt rifles or AR type rifles.


This section of the test is comparing barrel length / MV.




LATEST UPDATE ----------- August 24, 2009

Testing the 223 Palma rifle

NEW RIFLE
Barnard Action 223 Palma Rifle completed on May 5, 2009
Krieger barrel 32” 7.7 Twist. Same chamber as Flaharty’s rifle.
The fired brass from Dennis’ rifle will chamber in the Barnard.

Winchester brass Neck sizes: fired is .249”, sized is .245” and loaded is .246”.
Case max. L= 1.760”, Trim to 1.750”

Bullet OAL to touch the lands:
Sierra 80 grains = 2.557”
Berger 80 VLDS = 2.503”
Berger 82 BTs = 2.515”– New Lot = 2.519”
JLK 80 VLDS = 2.540”
Berger 90 VLD = 2.624
Berger 90 BTs = 2.579”
Nosler 80 BTs = 2.536”
JLK 90 VLDS = 2.607”
Hornady 80 Amax = 2.564”

UON: all primers are cci-br4s











Three Lots of RL15 ---- BARREL AT 32”
August 3, 2009 Sacramento 100 yard chronograph – 63 degrees – 62% humidity
Bullet --- Powder-lot --- Charge --- MV ---- ES --- SD --- Primer --- Group size --- Comments
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.0 ------ 2986 ---- 13 --- 05 -----CCIBR --- 0.387” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.5 ------ 3033 ---- 21 --- 09 -----CCIBR --- 0.497” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.0 ------ 2980 ---- 37 --- 15 -----F205M --- 0.537” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.5 ------ 3028 ---- 09 --- 03 -----F205M --- 0.356” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.0 ------ 3002 ---- 27 --- 09 -----CCIBR --- 0.230” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.5 ------ 3044 ---- 17 --- 06 -----CCIBR --- 0.591” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.0 ------ 2999 ---- 15 --- 06 -----F205M --- 0.479” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.5 ------ 3040 ---- 35 --- 15 -----F205M --- 0.701” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.0 ------ 2988 ---- 22 --- 09 -----CCIBR --- 0.812” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.5 ------ 3028 ---- 13 --- 05 -----CCIBR --- 0.302” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.0 ------ 2973 ---- 28 --- 11 -----F205M --- 0.740” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.5 ------ 3023 ---- 30 --- 11 -----F205M --- 0.379” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
H80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.3 ------ 3015 ---- 18 --- 08 -----F205M --- 0.544” ------- jump 20 8/03/09
B90VLD -N550----------- 25.5 ------ 2850 ---- 48 --- 19 ------------------ 0.561” ------- in 10 6/15/09
B90BT ---N550----------- 25.5 ------ 2825 ---- 21 --- 07 ------------------ 0.504” ------- jump 20 6/15/09
B82 ------ N550----------- 26.0 ------ 2963 ---- 40 --- 15 ------------------ 0.352” ------- jump 20 6/15/09
S80 ------ N150----------- 25.6 ------ 2971 ---- 26 --- 10 ------------------ 0.518” ------- jump 20 7/20/09
S80 -----Varget ----------- 25.6 ------ 3022 ---- 27 --- 10 ------------------ 0.675” ------- jump .010” 5/15/09
B80 ---- Varget ----------- 25.5 ------ 3024 ---- 32 --- 12 ------------------ 0.351” ------- IN .010” 5/08/09










Barrel Cut to 30”
August 21, 2009 Sacramento 100 yard chronograph – 70 degrees – 48% humidity
Bullet --- Powder-lot --- Charge --- MV ---- ES --- SD --- Primer --- Group size --- Comments
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.0 ------ 2973 ---- 41 --- 16 -----CCIBR --- 0.216” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.5 ------ 3022 ---- 25 --- 09 -----CCIBR --- 0.541” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.0 ------ 2971 ---- 25 --- 10 -----F205M --- 0.735” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.5 ------ 3025 ---- 29 --- 12 -----F205M --- 0.768” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.0 ------ 2976 ---- 25 --- 10 -----CCIBR --- 0.580” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.5 ------ 3034 ---- 22 --- 09 -----CCIBR --- 0.640” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.0 ------ 2975 ---- 13 --- 05 -----F205M --- 0.467” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.5 ------ 3033 ---- 16 --- 06 -----F205M --- 0.558” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.0 ------ 2984 ---- 17 --- 06 -----CCIBR --- 0.628” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.5 ------ 3033 ---- 24 --- 10 -----CCIBR --- 0.623” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.0 ------ 2969 ---- 16 --- 06 -----F205M --- 0.809” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.5 ------ 3021 ---- 25 --- 10 -----F205M --- 0.491” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
H80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.3 ------ 3013 ---- 28 --- 11 -----F205M --- 0.341” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
B90VLD--- -N550 ------- 25.5 ------ 2837 ---- 27 --- 09 ----------------- 0.431” ------- in .010 8/21/09
B90BT ------N550 ------- 25.5 ------ 2853 ---- 26 --- 10 ----------------- 0.461” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
B82 --------- N550 ------- 25.5 ------ 2958 ---- 19 --- 09 ----------------- 0.394” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 --------- N150 ------- 25.6 ------ 3011 ----- 14 --- 06 ---------------- 0.706” ------- jump 20 8/21/09
S80 --------Varget ------- 25.6 ------ 3039 ----- 18 --- 07 ---------------- 0.431” ------- jump .010” 8/21/09
B80 ------- Varget ------- 25.5 ------ 3042 ----- 21 --- 10 ---------------- 0.425” ------- in .010 “8/21/09

Barrel Cut to 28”
August 24, 2009 Sacramento 100 yard chronograph – 69 degrees – 48% humidity
Bullet --- Powder-lot --- Charge --- MV ---- ES --- SD --- Primer --- Group size --- Comments
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.0 ------ 2936 ---- 08 --- 03 -----CCIBR --- 0.362” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.5 ------ 2993 ---- 26 --- 10 -----CCIBR --- 0.447” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.0 ------ 2941 ---- 37 --- 15 -----F205M --- 0.424” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.5 ------ 2994 ---- 24 --- 09 -----F205M --- 0.638” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.0 ------ 2944 ---- 17 --- 07 -----CCIBR --- 0.590” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.5 ------ 3016 ---- 34 --- 13 -----CCIBR --- 0.896” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.0 ------ 2965 ---- 37 --- 16 -----F205M --- 0.532” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-27X ------ 25.5 ------ 3004 ---- 16 --- 06 -----F205M --- 0.582” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.0 ------ 2960 ---- 33 --- 11 -----CCIBR --- 0.520” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.5 ------ 3021 ---- 38 --- 14 -----CCIBR --- 0.513” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.0 ------ 2954 ---- 44 --- 17 -----F205M --- 0.285” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 ---- RL15-27Y ------ 25.5 ------ 3012 ---- 43 --- 19 -----F205M --- 0.518” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
H80 ---- RL15-13X ------ 25.3 ------ 2985 ---- 38 --- 14 -----F205M --- 0.330” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
B90VLD--- -N550 ------- 25.5 ------ 2806 ---- 07 --- 02 ----------------- 0.480” ------- in .010 8/24/09
B90BT ------N550 ------- 25.5 ------ 2805 ---- 32 --- 13 ----------------- 0.473” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
B82 --------- N550 ------- 25.5 ------ 2934 ---- 59 --- 09 ----------------- 0.514” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 --------- N150 ------- 25.6 ------ 2989 ----- 12 --- 23 ---------------- 0.579” ------- jump 20 8/24/09
S80 --------Varget ------- 25.6 ------ 3021 ----- 34 --- 05 ---------------- 0.466” ------- jump .010” 8/24/09
B80 ------- Varget ------- 25.5 ------ 3018 ----- 26 --- 10 ---------------- 0.397” ------- in .010 “8/24/09


Summary after cutting barrel from 32” to 30” and to 28”
19 five shot groups for each length.

MV average
32” --------- 30” ---------28”
2989 ------- 2983 ------- 2963

ES average
32” --------- 30” ---------28”
25 ---------- 23 ---------- 30

Group size average
32” --------- 30” ---------28”
0.539” ----- 0.501” ----- 0.502”

The first 60 shots of the three RL-15 lots.
AVERAGE OF 60 SHOTS BY LOT NUMBER – RL15
LOT -------- MV --- ES --- GROUP
95013X --- 2990 --- 25 ---- 0.492”
95027X --- 3003 --- 23 ---- 0.568”
95027Y --- 2997 --- 28 ---- 0.552”

AVERAGE OF 90 SHOTS BY EACH PRIMER – RL15
PRIMER --- MV --- ES --- GROUP
CCIBR ---- 2996 --- 25 ---- 0.516”
F205M ---- 2995 --- 27 ---- 0.556”

 

[Rust]

Jerry - I note that you are jumping your bullets 0.020". Interested in why you are jumping and why you chose 0.020"?

I would also be interested in your thoughts on preferences for barrel length, I note that you are testing barrel lengths between 28-32"

Also, I note that the ES/SD increase as barrel length decreased. Do you feel that the ES/SD could be adjusted to better numbers by seating depth/neck tension/primer change/powder charge adjustment etc.

I know it's a lot of questions but I've started the process of adding a .223 to the LR collection.

 

[JERRYHM]

The data was just to show what happens when cutting the barrel from 32 - 30 - 28 inches. NO ES/SD tuning of the loads for these tests. Loads were from other testing some good ones and some not so good.

I shot another 2000 rounds dealing with different bullets, powders, primers, seating depth, and other parameters.

As for jumping bullets: I find with any bullet that I can get better groups with a jump as compared to seating them into the lands.

Some of the jumps are more than 100 thousands. (including VLDs).

 

[DukeDuke]

Super post! Important info for the 223 buff! Thank you!!!

 

[Rust]

Jerry - Thank you for the input.

You mention that you have achieved better accuracy seating off the lands. Does this refer to your experience with .223 in this particular rifle, or your experience with .223 across a variety of rifles?

What angle leade are you using for .223?