Testing the 53gr vmax in my 223

[Chris Shelton]

Got the 223 out today to break in the shooting range at my new house. Recently bought some Starline brass to try that was talked about in another thread. The old rifle seems to shoot pretty good still. Here is the rifle and load data.

Rifle:
Factory Remington 700 SPS varmint in 223
Triggertech special set around 1lb
Bolt work and knob done by The Polished Knob
Stockys Stock
Midnight Bronze Cerakote

Test loads:
Starline brass (new)
53 gr vmax at 1.880” to the ogive
Cci400
Benchmark 23.5-25.5 gr

I do 4 shot groups typically then confirm the loads with 5 shot groups. 24-25g shot pretty good. Numbers aren’t the best but could be from fire forming, need a different primer, etc. Open to suggestions on that. 25.5 seemed a little erratic. Don’t have any pressure signs really, just seen a POI shift and started flattening primers a bit.

Here are some group pictures and pics of the rifle just because. Felt pretty good to put the rimfire stuff away for the winter and bring the center fires out to get ready for a June Pdog hunt. A lot of work to do still. Any input on primer change or anything is always welcome.

 

[TA17rem]

try a different powder or ditch the bullet. just saying

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I don't use 400's in any load past the hornet family, Rem 7.5, WSP or any primer with a thicker cup and check the load at 24.5 ,24.7,25.0. I run several rifles at 25.0 BM for pd and other varmints. Factory barrel, consistent .5 @ 100 is a pile of dead pd.

 

[DogBuster]

12 twist 700 ?

Have any 8208…335…H4895..?

REM 7.5’s ?

Maybe try a Savage or Tikka……

Couldn’t resist

 

[CF Junkie]

Nice looking rifle, an all the right stuff.
What is the twist?
If the rifle is more than 10 years old, I would expect it to be a 1:12 twist, but even some older rifles had faster twists.
Never the less, 53 gr bullets should shoot just great in it.
I have had three .223 bolt actions and a couple of .22-250s and all of them shot anything from 50 to 53 grains great. The 1:12s shot 55 grs great also.

Most of my newer rifles are faster twists, but they still shoot light bullets fine.
But with the 1:9 to 1:7 twists, I tend to concentrate on heavier bullets. Lately, I have had great results with 80 gr Bergers in my 1:7s.

With all of my .223s, I have always gotten good results with 50, 52 and 55 Berger Flat Base, and 52 BT and 53 FB SMKs.
53 gr V-Max #22265 did fine, as did the 53 gr Hornady Match #2250s.
I also have gotten my best results with N133 powder with lighter bullets, but each barrel has its own preferences so you are right to try out different combinations until you get a good idea or what works.
The heavier bullets seem to shoot most accurately with powders that are normally used with .308s.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Got the 223 out today to break in the shooting range at my new house. Recently bought some Starline brass to try that was talked about in another thread. The old rifle seems to shoot pretty good still. Here is the rifle and load data.

Rifle:
Factory Remington 700 SPS varmint in 223
Triggertech special set around 1lb
Bolt work and knob done by The Polished Knob
Stockys Stock
Midnight Bronze Cerakote

Test loads:
Starline brass (new)
53 gr vmax at 1.880” to the ogive
Cci400
Benchmark 23.5-25.5 gr

I do 4 shot groups typically then confirm the loads with 5 shot groups. 24-25g shot pretty good. Numbers aren’t the best but could be from fire forming, need a different primer, etc. Open to suggestions on that. 25.5 seemed a little erratic. Don’t have any pressure signs really, just seen a POI shift and started flattening primers a bit.

Here are some group pictures and pics of the rifle just because. Felt pretty good to put the rimfire stuff away for the winter and bring the center fires out to get ready for a June Pdog hunt. A lot of work to do still. Any input on primer change or anything is always welcome.

I bet if you do a 20 shot group with your best result of 24.5, the total size of the group will be similar to your worst group. Everything goes to poo when you up the sample size! I only see significant changes if I change components or a very big change in charge or oal.

I have shot thousands of 53 vmax. Probably 1k+just at paper. My best results are with n133 and xterminator. Once the sample size is in the 20s its about moa. Most are within .75 moa with a couple outliers.

My personal opinion is thats the best 53 vmax with starline brass can do. To shoot better would require better brass and or a better bullet. Measure the neck wall on 10 or 20 pieces and then tell me where you think the big ES comes from lol

 

[ELR LVR]

Got the 223 out today to break in the shooting range at my new house. Recently bought some Starline brass to try that was talked about in another thread. The old rifle seems to shoot pretty good still. Here is the rifle and load data.

Rifle:
Factory Remington 700 SPS varmint in 223
Triggertech special set around 1lb
Bolt work and knob done by The Polished Knob
Stockys Stock
Midnight Bronze Cerakote

Test loads:
Starline brass (new)
53 gr vmax at 1.880” to the ogive
Cci400
Benchmark 23.5-25.5 gr

I do 4 shot groups typically then confirm the loads with 5 shot groups. 24-25g shot pretty good. Numbers aren’t the best but could be from fire forming, need a different primer, etc. Open to suggestions on that. 25.5 seemed a little erratic. Don’t have any pressure signs really, just seen a POI shift and started flattening primers a bit.

Here are some group pictures and pics of the rifle just because. Felt pretty good to put the rimfire stuff away for the winter and bring the center fires out to get ready for a June Pdog hunt. A lot of work to do still. Any input on primer change or anything is always welcome.

As others asked, Twist?
your twist for that 53 VMAX may not be fast enough
---
Benchmark was a good powder for me when I tried it but
W-748 seems more forgiving and has always worked very well in every .223 I try it in
---
I'd try some Rem 7-1/2 Primers also
---
Some rifles can be finicky even as to the bullet they respond well to

 

[Chris Shelton]

12 twist 700 ?

Have any 8208…335…H4895..?

REM 7.5’s ?

Maybe try a Savage or Tikka……

Couldn’t resist

Yep it’s a 12 twist. Have a bunch of 8208 and 4895. It hated 8208 last time I tried. I have about every small rifle primer, magnum and regular, so I plan to try 450s or 205gm next. The 7.5s are reserved for my 20 cal stuff

 

[ELR LVR]

Yep it’s a 12 twist. Have a bunch of 8208 and 4895. It hated 8208 last time I tried. I have about every small rifle primer, magnum and regular, so I plan to try 450s or 205gm next. The 7.5s are reserved for my 20 cal stuff

Understood,
I'd try the Fed 205's first then if you're saving the 7.5's
of course, be sure to also compare them to the 450's
---
a simple primer change, which matches the powders characteristics can be dramatic

 

[Chris Shelton]

The rifle is a 12 twist. I only stick to temp stable powders so no 335 or any ball powders here. I could prolly get away with them for prairie dog only rifles, but a lot of my rifles get used in too big of a temp swing to mess with it. Just a personal preference.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I also stay with powders that are rated more temp stable, especially pd loads. Can get hot in the summer.

 

[lb-ft]

53 Vmax, cfe223 are deadly in my 700 SPS 223 1:12 26”

 

[ELR LVR]

53 Vmax, cfe223 are deadly in my 700 SPS 223 1:12 26”

I do like CFE-223 also
great powder
---
when I load 223 on the Dillon
I choose W-748 - More forgiving recoil Impulse
or CFE-223 - similar accuracy but more punchy recoil impulse
---
but its a 223 so , the difference is negligible

 

[alf]

2230 is a great powder for the 53's also.

 

[TA17rem]

Never the less, 53 gr bullets should shoot just great in it.

But they didn't in his case and that's a pretty big group to try to shrink. Just saying

 

[JB10]

Id try some W748. My load is 26.5gr but work up for ur rifle. Same load shoots good in 3 different 223s ive tried it in.

 

[dusterdave173]

In the PD fields I have found the 53 Vmax to be better in the wind than other similar weights and styles--It just is--N133 is my powder of choice--one of the best in the temp stable dept--very clean and able to produce very tight ES / SD The other good thing about the 53 VM is if it is in front of the bolt and behind the muzzle it will shoot--it is not depth sensitive like many can be.
FWIW I never was able to get my best load in Starline--I always seemed to have an easier time with brass that had more capacity--I found it very easy to get 3250 ish and still be below any pressure signs--
Keep playing with it--in the end it will be your new favorite I bet.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

3 of the groups were under 0.5 inch in 1.0 gr powder range, from a mass produced factory barrel. At that point I would just be deciding whether I want to tweak the load. Why he asked about primers and new brass. I think he may end up at the top of that node with chamber fitted brass and a primer test.

 

[TA17rem]

In my case I already decided on bullet and just grabbed powder giving vel I wanted, then sited it in with thermal

 

[TA17rem]

Another lod thrown in different rifle