Ruger M77 MkII Varmint .223 loads.....A head scratcher

[jnespappa]

Equipment:
Subject rifle, 1:9 twist rate heavy barrel
RCBS Rock Chucker using Redding Bushing neck sizer and competition seating dies
Sinclair Seating depth tool used for oal measurements. Loaded to Jam, .001" off jam, and .005" off
Lapua brass, uniformed primer pockets, trimmed to length & neck sized
Hodgdon Varget Powder, 24.0 grains, measured/trickled each load
CCI primers

Bullets and results: All shot on the same day, same weather conditions (90+ Deg. F, low wind)
Sierra 69Gr. matchking; 8" group at 100 yards
Berger 70gr VLD; 4" group at 100 yards
Armscor 55gr ball ammo in once fired brass with thrown powder charges; 1" group at 100 yards
52 gr match ammo from a friend, itty-bitty group at 100 yards (1/2" ??)


It seems I am stuck with lighter bullets and I am currently considering 52gr Sierra Matchking or 53Gr Hornady Amax to load next, but I wanted to run it past you guys and see what you think.

I am a target shooter, not hunter and my goal is precision/accuracy. I want to see how small of groups me and this rifle can consistently achieve. I currently average 3/4 moa with her using factory Hornady 55gr v-max ammo.

Thoughts?

 

[LRPV]

My thought is that the barrel is not a 1in9 twist.
Jason

 

[AndrewV]

I also own a Ruger MkII V/T in .223, it's twist rate is a 1 in 12. This is just one of the loads that I use that groups at worst 1/2 inch at 100. R-P brass, Rem. 71/2 primers, 26.6 grains of H335 with Nosler 55gr BT, loaded oal length 2.280. About 62 grain bullets are going to be the heaviest you can use. Depending on your barrell and the bullet you may be able to go heavier but not much.

Andrew

 

[chevytruck_83]

I just posted a very similar post. If you check back a page or two there are some loads suggested. Most likely it is a 1-12 twist. I am currently trying out loads and even the hornady vmax in 50 grain doesn't shoot well for me. Others have had good luck with em but only thing mine will shoot is 40 grainers.

 

[37Lincoln1]

If your Ruger is a stock M77 MII Varmint it's a 1:12, like mine. The throat is so long on this rifle you could not seat a 52 SMK to stay in the brass if you tried to even get close to the lands. . .

I shot these groups yesterday testing different primers over a load of 52 Gr. Sierra Match Kings, 25.8 gr. of W748, Hornady brass, COL 2.285 @ 100 yards.

 

[jnespappa]

WOW. 1:12. Thanks for the info. guys. Much appreciated.

That explains a lot. Well, I might just go blast out the heavy ammo I loaded using my AR then!

 

[rocketron]

you can check the twist with your cleaning rod and patch. start the rod in the rifling with a masking tape flag on the rod. measure a point on the rilfe to the flag. then push it in till you get one turn of the flag. measure same point to the flag. that distance is your twist. 12" = 1-12 twist

 

[Shynloco]

Welcome to the club! I ran into the same problem with my Savage Model 12 VLP .223. It flatly wouldn't shoot the Berger 70 VLP's even when I tried BLC-2. What I found interesting was my shooting partner's F Class Savage .223 with the HV barrel shot lights out using that bullet and VVN 133. And to be sure, the barrel twist is 1:9 confirmed on both rifles. If it'll make you feel any better, try some, 53 Gr Blitzkings or even better, the Hornady 53 VMAX FB's with say 24.5 gr of BLC-2 for starters and you might get that grin back in your face. Now my groups with the Berger 70's were only around 1" @100 yds, but that was enough to piss me off since I too am a target shooter and an accuracy freak. But once I fine tuned the 53 Hornady VMax loads, I was back to 5 shot groups @ 100 that a dime would cover easily. I guess thats just the nature of the beast and goes to show that not all rifles of the same caliber and same barrel twist, like the same bullet and loads. Good luck.