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New .224 Matchking...

FWIW - the 95 SMKs are only about .020" longer (bullet OAL) on average as compared to a recent lot of Berger 90 VLDs...much of that is likely the pointed meplat on the 95 SMK. Sierra appears to have increased the weight largely by lengthening the bearing surface, which is almost .060" longer than the 90 VLD, rather than by lengthening the nose, which is ~0.045" shorter than that of the 90 VLD.

According to the Berger Twist Rate Calculator; at 65 degrees and 500 ft elevation, a 7-twist will be giving up ~2% of the intrinsic BC. A 6.8 twist is the minimal twist predicted to obtain the full BC, so not all that different from the 90 VLD. Bottom line...you're going to need LOTS more freebore to seat the 95 SMK optimally than with the 90 VLD. My guess is that a freebore length in the range of 0.250" to 0.275" would be just about right, dependent, of course, on where they prefer to be seated (i.e. into the lands, touching, or jumped). A rifle throated for 90 VLDs with the 0.169" fb 223 Rem ISSF reamer is going to have a LOT of bearing surface and boattail sunk down in the case below the neck/shoulder junction with the 95 SMKs.

Even with optimal freebore and seating depth, it is going to be difficult to hit the same nodes with a 30" barrel as the 2820-2850 fps nodes many people are getting with 90 VLDs and either Varget or H4895. Predicted pressures are at least 1-3K psi higher than my 90 VLD loads with H4895 (~2850 fps, 30" barrel), which already show extremely poor brass life, maybe 3-4 firings. For anyone considering this bullet for F-TR, you might want to be thinking about a 32" pipe with at least a 6.8-twist to go with the extremely long >/= 0.250" freebore for optimal performance.
In that case I would expect the BC to come in very close to that of the Berger. You’ll give up a little from the shortened nose and gain a little from the increased weight. Reading between the lines it sounds like they don’t want to make them any longer (why else shorten the nose over the main competitor). Maybe because of stability or maybe there are production issues with jackets that long. Just speculating of course.
 
As usual Greg is spot on. Need more throat than a 90vld, but I've got a throater. Should get a few sent down range this weekend but probably not in a longer throat.

* That's not a 90 in this picture, it's 2 - 95s.

28459.jpeg
 
I have a snakebitten project from some yrs ago that I am going to have to revisit. My first 223 for F-TR was a Savage that started with a Wylde chamber that I throated, that is already longer than 0.169.

Never got it to work for a host of reasons. I swear I almost left it in a trashcan at the range once. Shooting with the action screws loose for months, scope rail that came loose for who knows how long, squibs during testing, you name it, and it somehow went wrong with that rifle. Anyway, it predates my buying my ISSF223 reamer. I think I'll throat it out and see what I can get out of this bullet.
 
The chamber above was hand reamed, so it might be a little shorter than the ISSF, but it's close. Based on the picture he sent me, it could stand to be a little longer even for the 90 vlds.
 
My throat length is somewhere around a 210 freebore I'm guessing. I'm 2.712 (tip) 2.114 (hornady insert ogive) with my lot of Berger 90's. I've got some of these headed my way and will post a pic of what they look like touching the lands in a 223 case.
 
My throat length is somewhere around a 210 freebore I'm guessing. I'm 2.712 (tip) 2.114 (hornady insert ogive) with my lot of Berger 90's. I've got some of these headed my way and will post a pic of what they look like touching the lands in a 223 case.
Have to modify a standard 308 mag to fit that. It can be done though
 
My throat length is somewhere around a 210 freebore I'm guessing. I'm 2.712 (tip) 2.114 (hornady insert ogive) with my lot of Berger 90's. I've got some of these headed my way and will post a pic of what they look like touching the lands in a 223 case.
Are they available to buy?
 
As I mentioned previously, a freebore in the .250" to .275" range, or possibly even as much as .300" will be necessary to seat the 95 SMK optimally. If you're setting up a barrel to shoot them in F-TR, I'd suggest using a minimum 6.8 twist, and at least a 31"-32" finish length. You're not likely to get near the velocity with these you can with the lighter 90 VLD and its relatively short bearing surface. If you can't get the 95 SMK up to somewhere in the 2750 - 2775 fps range because of pressure issues and end up killing your brass in a single firing trying to do it out of a 30" (or less) barrel, it won't really matter what the BC is because you won't be getting all of it.
 
Literally threw a load together and shot a sub 2 inch @600 yard group. 2680fps in a chamber close to the ISSF, primers look good.

20180120_130412.jpg

This was a different load. .2gr different from above pic.

20180120_130420.jpg
 
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Literally threw a load together and shot a sub 2 inch @600 yard group. 2680fps in chamber close to the ISSF, primers look good.

This was a different load. .2gr different from above pic.
Could you please post a measurement of a couple of these 95s? OAL, BT, BS
 

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