Todays .223 Chrono Results

[Joe C]

So, today I finally got a day to take my new 35P out for a test run, along with the new rest I bought on here! After getting it all set up and making sure the Oehler wasn't going to get shot I broke out the ammo. Now, this is very interesting to me because I've been following another thread here talking about how sometimes the ammo with the best numbers doesn't group the best out of your gun...and guess what I found out!?

The test consisted of three different loads out of the same rifle. The rifle is a Winchester Coyote M70 (New Haven). It has 80 rounds out of it since I got it with 40 rounds through it by the previous owner for a total of 120 rounds. The barrel is 24" and it has a Kepplinger set trigger on it. It has a Bushnell 3200 10x40 scope with TPS rings and 20MOA base. I have shot several five shot strings with one of these loads that measure in the .600's.

Ten shot groups were fired with barrel cooling between ammo types (except the last load was 8 shots and is the one that I get .600's out of regularly for five shots). The wind was off and on and while I tried to time to shoot during the lulls, it is Nebraska. ;-)

The first ammo was Blue Box Black Hills 75g Match HP.

2834 ~ High
2781 ~ Low
53 ~ ES
2812 ~ Median
20 ~ SD
1.250" ~ Group Size (5 closest .705")

Second ammo was handloads from a close friend who says they shoot bug hole groups out of his .223. 50 V-Max, 28g BL C(2), once fired Win brass.

3429 ~ High
3355 ~ Low
74 ~ ES
3391 ~ Median
27 ~ SD
2.028" ~ Group Size (5 closest 1.842")

The final load was Factory Fiocchi Extreama with the 50g V-Max bullet.
3313 ~ High
3159 ~ Low
154 ~ ES
3200 ~ Median
50 ~ SD
1.135" ~ Group Size (5 closest .683")

Up next is some reloading, one load in particular is a Varget load with the 77g SMK from a friend who is a serious HP shooter.

I welcome any thoughts, questions, comments, etc as I am here to learn.

 

[ReedG]

Joe, I personally am not a fan of just shooting random loads. If your twist is 1:9 or less pick a 69- or 75-gr. bullet; if the twist is 1:12 or slower, go with 50- or 55-gr. bullets. Load three-shot groups of your choice of powder (Varget, BL-C(2), H322, etc.), starting 2 gr. below max. in the manual in .5-gr. increments. Pick the best shooting load and then load three-shot groups at -10, -5, @, +5, +10 into the lands. My sickness is testing loads, and this is the basic method I use and it almost always finds what my barrel likes.

I think the 77-gr. bullet requires at least a 1:8 or 1:7 twist but I do not have much experience with heavy bullets in .223. I always had 1:9 twists and got best loads with 68-gr. Hornady's and 69-gr. Sierra's.

Enjoy!

 

[Joe C]

Reed,

Thank you for the advice and thoughts about testing loads. I will put that information to good use as I'm working up loads for several different rifles right now.

 

[Taildrag15X]

I have had 75 A-Max and Sierra 77gr. Match Kings shoot well out of a 1-9" barreled bolt gun, so don't count them out.

 

[CaptainMal]

Reminds me of a recent experience. Been struggling with a new Krieger barreled Remington in 260AI I had built. After a few hundred rounds of testing I sat reading my notes. There was this load, sent to me that told of a velocity, powder, bullet and load that shot .3's in a barrel 2" shorter.

Set up this past Monday and duplicated that load for 100fps LESS and a 2.1" group. Now I may be having trouble with this barrel and that's not unusual for me. Went 500 rounds testing a McGowen on another action before giving up and having a Krieger put on. Great barrel. Now it looks like I have a bummer Krieger on this other rifle.

You need to work up your own loads and forget what others did with their guns. Sad your groups are so bad. It's just that results like that seem common to me when I have rifles built or buy new ones. Then you either scrap the barrel of find something that works.

Just do it on your own.

 

[MrMajestic]

Sound testing procedure. Continue and you will find it! Remember the three B's to accuracy, Barrels, Bullets and Bedding. Also your ES and SD will come in to play more when the ranges are extended.