ROOKIE QUESTIONS

[dusterdave173]

Hello Gang
I am a rookie reloader--one caliber only my 223 Savage BVSS--Will use this rifle for casual bench rest fun and mainly as a prairie dog rifle--I am in North Carolina--Have a trip planned to SD this summer to shoot PD's. So far the rifle shoots great--I bought a couple cases of Fiocchi 50g Vmax because it was available--it does respectable MOA or less on good day--but then...I got lucky and scored a Pile of equipment from estate deal--I have everything--Redding and lee press, Reddings best powder measures, New Redding micrometer dies, Good Hornady electronic scale--brass prep items galore
So I was able to score plenty of primers local Federal 205 and CCI small rifle--Bluecollar Reloading is near me so got powder and bullets--Second time testing I hit on a combo with VV N133, 53 gr Vmax at 23.3 grains--It shot a string with 4 ES! I was stunned--just under 1/2 inch groups at 100--I switched to another brass that I had more of and back to 3/4 inch--I can get the load pretty close but can't seem to get that low ES again--I hover around 20-30 but groups are all decent just not that magic I had at first.
I started paying a LOT of attention to brass prep, careful chamfer, using Imperial neck lube powder--paying close attention to seating pressure etc Measuring OAL and BTO with a hornady compare tool--

help me go forward do the right stuff and get better at this-- ALL advice, questions welcome--I am at the start of the trail
Help me out

 

[Rick300]

I have a BVSS also. Nosler 55 Varmegeddon for squirrels and Berger 70VLD for bench and steel. I always wanted to change that gun into something else but it's too accurate to mess with.

 

[6bra1k]

buy and sort 3-400 pc of brass..lapua match is a good starting point.( more if you can afford it,,all from one lot
1/2" is a good spot for pd ammo, tho smaller is always better.
most electonic scales are worse than a beam scale.
look at a chargemaster lite, tho and ad120fx is the way to go
the 205 primer is good
n133 is ok not sure of the best in 223
i like the vmax, but i shoot the 50

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

My Savage and other 223's all have liked the 53 gr vmax and Benchmark, exciting prairie dog combo.

 

[bozo699]

So you shot a string and got a e/s spread of 4fps?.. did you repeat that multiple times?… how many shot string was it?…was the chronograph readings the same with both brands of brass?… I’m betting not and if not try adjusting powder to get the same speed as your good load was
Wayne

 

[Dusty Stevens]

You already got a place lined up to shoot? You may not need but a box at the most these days if not. Id get some bulk 52smk, use the n133 and buy as much of the same brass you can afford to get. Once you find a load go back and try it again a few times on different days. You may see that really wasnt THE load (it happens). Definitely try it a few different days before you bulk up.

 

[Zero333]

You're well on the right track. N133 is a good powder in the 233rem with 50-55 gr bullets.

Some Short Action Savage rifles have lethargic firing pin springs, so I'd avoid cci primers because they are tougher than most and could give you a failure to fire or a hang fire.

 

[Bronsin]

24.6grs will give you much better speed and accuracy than 23.3 will. My best advice? get of a copy of Handloading for Competition by Glen Zediker, then read it twice. It will answer almost any question you may have, steer you towards the best equipment for the money spent, and how to set it up. It will honestly be the best money you will ever spend when it comes to reloading.

 

[bozo699]

24.6grs will give you much better speed and accuracy than 23.3 will. My best advice? get of a copy of Handloading for Competition by Glen Zediker, then read it twice. It will answer almost any question you may have, steer you towards the best equipment for the money spent, and how to set it up. It will honestly be the best money you will ever spend when it comes to reloading.

I agree!…. But Glen has a very dry sense of humor it might take 3 or 4 readings but it is a great book and lots of good information in it.
Wayne

 

[Jareds]

I have a savage bvss 22-250 and after buying a Wilson seater and decapping die for an arbor press and Wilson neck bushings along with lapua brass and bumping the shoulder back just enough back to make it chamber and cycle without a sticky bolt about .002 with a Redding body die gets me fairly consistent 3’s and low 4’s 5 shot 100 yard groups. It has it’s fair share of fliers for no reason that I can’t explain but I think that’s pretty common with factory barrels/rifles.

 

[K22]

I shoot a lot of 223 Rem. It's now my go to caliber and I have several rifles with varying twists from 8" to 12".

The good news is that I've found this caliber quite easy to load for to obtain accurate reloads. Not familiar with N133 but if you're getting 1/2 to 3/4" groups then I believe you're on your way. Fine tuning such as experimenting with seating depth, powder charge, etc. may tighten groups although I would be quite happy with 1/2 moa for varmint hunting which is my standard for precision for hunting. The most influential factor I've found affecting accuracy is bullet selection.

Powders that have worked very well for me are H335, Benchmark, IMR / H 4895, and Varget. This is not an absolute list, just the ones I've tried with considerable success.

I prefer Federal 205M (match) primers but Rem 7 1/2's work really well for me too.

In 12" twist rifles, my best bullet is the 50 and 55 Nosler ballistics tips with the 55 Vmax close behind.

In 9" twist, the 55's seem to work best for me.

I haven't tried them yet, but I understand that the 53 Vmax is an outstanding bullet in the 223 Rem, even in faster twists.

In 8" twist, the 60 Vmax in my Tikka's group sub 1/2 moa with H4985 which is now my go to powder in all my 223 Rem loads.

One thing you didn't mention was case sizing. In my opinion, this is one of the most important steps in reloading. If you don't have one, I would get a bump gauge and start measuring fired case head space and adjusting your sizing die to produce a slight bump (shoulder push back) of .001 to .002" after the cases have been fired a few times to fire form to your chamber. This is especially important for hunting to make sure that reloads will chamber properly without over sizing them.

 

[dusterdave173]

THANKS guys this is what I need--That string was LUCKY and I have not been able to repeat it--it was same brass--I swapped to brass that I had plenty of and started chasing everything again
I had a few half inch days then it seems 3/4 is best I can get and repeat--the worst so far has been new Lapaua brass--but once fired some they got good quick
I and been measuring bump and keeping an eye on it with Hornady gauge--I have a Hornady pocket scale and hate it as it turns off every 180 seconds--I have been weighing every charge but have no confidence in it
More N133 did good with better speed but primers started showing pressure signs fast as I went up
I have 6 lbs of 8208XBR I can try I have about 1000 GFL brass from Fiocchi, 200 Lapaua, and I pick up all the LC I can at the range
I was just surprised at how easy it was to get decent and how very hard it seems to repeat it??
And.....the only goals I see to chase group size wise may be out of my reach without a LOT more experience--I am fascinated with the process and stunned at how everyone does it different
I thought it would be more cut and dried and Whew! This looks like a LONG road
I have until summer to get better
I got a rangefinder and showed the wife what 400 yards looked like she laughed and said she was not worried about me harming those cute little prairie dogs anymore
Thaks fellows

 

[Creedmoor02]

Hornady pocket scales are probably their worst products, I would recommend getting a different scale. Good luck

 

[ALK]

Instead of all that reloading, try shooting the Fiocchi. I have a Cooper in .223 and after pulling and reseating the 50gr. vmax, they shoot a quarter inch. I can reload and get a little better but not much. For the price it's not worth it.

 

[dusterdave173]

Instead of all that reloading, try shooting the Fiocchi. I have a Cooper in .223 and after pulling and reseating the 50gr. vmax, they shoot a quarter inch. I can reload and get a little better but not much. For the price it's not worth it.

I have to tell you we found several cases of it same lot from nice vendor in TX--It shoots pretty darn decent--When chronographed it will have one 100 FPS off but overall very dependable--I was thinking since we are such rookies that it may be the right call for our first trip--
So what is the advantage to pulling and reseating? I am pretty sure i will not be doing that but was curious

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

When you go to the range to try and repeat a load, is it a different day? Do you adjust the scope? Are your groups round, or vertical/horizontal/diagonal strings?

 

[Dgd6mm]

Stick with the 53vmax. The N133 is good with it. L.C. brass. That bullet will shoot with a jump. My buddy just finished testing some loads in a rifle I sold another friend of ours. It's good to go for pdogs. We test that bullet at 100, 300, 600. Don't give up on the combo. Of course many powders will get that bullet to shoot well in a .223

 

[dusterdave173]

different days, no scope adjustments ever, good groups look round, bad groups look like 3 in one hole two in another near by no obvious vertical at all --always horizontal like wind maybe but usually in the 3 together two in another hole style