V-Max, Are you jammin? Or jumping?

[Bat Rastard]

223, 55gr vmax in an AR. I am willing to forfeit mag feed capabilities for accuracy.
I'd appreciate any input.
Thanks Bat

 

[Clancy]

Start them .010 off and go shorter from there. If you’re really looking for accuracy, I’d use a Berger or Nosler, but v max like to jump.

 

[FeMan]

My load of 55 grain Vmax with CFE have shot sub moa in the four ARs I have tried them in and under 1/2" in one of mine. My COAL is 2.240". I am not sure how far the jump is but hope that helps.

 

[Bat Rastard]

I measured last night. At mag length I was jammed.
I loaded 10 at 2.214"
I will try them today.

 

[jepp2]

I am willing to forfeit mag feed capabilities for accuracy.

What is your COAL for touch? With that short of bullet, I doubt you will exceed the 2.260" max length to feed in a magazine that hasn't been windowed. But if you do and still wish to magazine feed, just window your magazine.

 

[Clancy]

You may have to jump them even farther but that’s a good place to start.

 

[alf]

My "good" AR is chambered in SAAMI 223 Rem with .025" freebore.

I use ASC mags and load to 2.280" OAL with 53 Vmax in the lands a hair.

1/2" MOA to 400 yards.

 

[RED DIRT]

My "good" AR is chambered in SAAMI 223 Rem with .025" freebore.

I use ASC mags and load to 2.280" OAL with 53 Vmax in the lands a hair.

1/2" MOA to 400 yards.

 

[K22]

I have never jammed bullets into the lands, never. While I do not shoot AR's, just bolts, I never had any difficulty findings accurate load combinations with bullets seated no closer that 0.010" off the lands with most of the time at least 0.020" off. Because of the long free bore in Remington's, often a long jump is required to have sufficient bullet length in neck and to fit the magazine, yet my varmint models are as accurate as other brands where less jump can be achieved. Go figure.

When I say "accurate" I am referring to "varmint grade" level accuracy meaning in the 1/2 to 5/8" moa range with some of my rifle in the 1/4" range.

Because of the variation in bullet ogives, the last thing I want is to have a bullet stuck in the lands when I am in the field when I extract an unfired cartridge. I will not trade functional reliability for a small gain in accuracy.

Also, because I am not an "expert", I take the reloading manuals at their word regarding their warning about pressure increases resulting from jamming bullets into the lands.

Because of the secant ogives, Vmax bullets present a challenge finding the lands, at least that has been my experience trying to use conventional base to ogive tools. Therefore, I often use the "old" method of finding the max COL by using dummy rounds.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Start .015 in, as in the rifling. Back up .003 at a time until you find a sweet spot. Then go a tenth or two either way with powder, Bingo, done. Forget all the unrelated bs.

 

[Dgd6mm]

My rifles like the 53vmax jumping.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

My rifles like the 53vmax jumping.

My Next Barrel will Be, chambered for, a .22 GT,.. and "Twisted" to, Shoot,..THAT, Bullet !
Better, BC's than, the 50 grainer and a little more, "Thump"!
Or, Maybe, just Go "Cheapie" and Buy, another New, .22-250 Rem,.. a T-3 Lite, Tikka with,.. the 1-8 twist.
Heard that, they Shoot, the 53 V-Maxes, real Well And I already HAVE, Plenty of Brass, Dies, etc.
And then, Sell my old Remington 700, for near What, the New Tikka costs,..

 

[jpjulian]

4 of my 6 .223's are AR's with Wylde chambers. 'taint no way to getting a 55 Vmax to jam. That and I wouldn't do it anyway. I load the Vmax and Varmageddon to 2.250" for all 6 of my .223's and just grab a box and go shoot when I want to. Easy peazy.

 

[WV Hitman]

In both of my .22-250 XP-100 handguns I put 50 & 40 gr. Nos. BTs .03" of the lands. I get 3/8" groups with both off the top of my backpack filled with firm pillows. I imagine a hard rest might do better, but I don't have any hard rests available in the field. Did 2 groundhogs this week with each gun at 300 & 301.

 

[searcher]

I find that the 55 V-Max does outstanding at max magazine length (2.250" OAL) which is a pretty good jump for most of my rifles. In my four .223 heavy-barreled varmint A/R's, getting 1/3 MOA or better was attained in each rifle after extensive powder swaps and ladders to find the optimum for each barrel. The best accuracy was not always attained with the velocity I wanted, but I tend to seek the best accuracy, as I can dial elevation and windage changes. Some of the best powders I found for the 55 V-Max (for accuracy) in my 1-12" down to 1-8" twist barrels are Accurate LT32, Reloader 7, IMR8208XBR and TAC (in that order). I have "windowed" my magazines (and single-shot) for less bullet jump and ultimately found that all my loads with that V-Max shot better well off the lands. I had shot Varget, CFE223, W748, Varmint, 10X, Benchmark, N130, N133, H322 and other powders in most of these rifles, yet those first four powders excelled overall in all rifles. I guess my point is that choosing a proper powder suited for that barrel will be an easier endeavor than cutting mags and trying to get one or two powders to perform - which may never do well. I also found that the 50 V-Max was overall more accurate in ALL of my rifles than the 55 V-Max. Given that I have various twist on all my barrels, that was a bit of a head scratcher.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Mine is a 556 chamber with pmags and 53 gr vmax. I tested from mag length -.003 at a time. I ended up just under mag length. Can't remember off hand but i think .006 under.

 

[ken158]

I never jam bolt or auto gun after once opening the bolt / pulling back the bolt and having the case dump powder in the action because the bullet stuck to the lands. Obviously, I do not crimp as I find that unnecessary and it interferes with accuracy. No loaded ammo is closer than .010 to lands.

 

[RegionRat]

223, 55gr vmax in an AR. I am willing to forfeit mag feed capabilities for accuracy.
I'd appreciate any input.
Thanks Bat

Have you tried any yet?

If this is a high quality bbl/upper, you will probably have no trouble with any of the popular varmint bullets.

Sometimes, it pays to search around for what the gun likes, but as often as not a dedicated high quality varmint-oriented AR rig is going to put a smile on your face and shoot just about all of them pretty well out past where they blow up a prairie dog.

I can't say that I have ever felt the need to single feed a varmint bullet in the 55 grain or below. I just mass produce them in 1k to 2k batches and run them through (WOA uppers) at mag length.

Single feeding is something we all do when shooting 80 SMK or 80.5 Bergers out to 600 yards in Service Rifle, but not something we typically need to do in a varmint AR setting using 40 - 55 grain bullets.

Even those SR long loads are jumping, so I just don't follow the need to single feed a 55 VMax in an AR? Is it because you weren't happy at mag length?

Good Luck and in for the range reports!

 

[long40shot]

Always jumping.

 

[K9TXS]

Not an AR shooter, but the system I use will work with the AR's as well.

When checking out a new load, my arbor press and Wilson dies are always with me. I start by knowing where the bullet touches the lands. All my test ammo starts there along with a known powder charge that I think will work with the bullet weight.

Shoot 3 rounds and seat the bullet about 10 thousands or so. Some seat in lower increments, but I seat a little deeper to see a faster change in the group size and then fine tune it from there. When I get to a group size that is good, then I shoot a 5 shot group. If the 5 shot group is great, then that's my seating depth for that bullet and powder combo. I make up a dummy round and save it for the next time I need to reload for that caliber and handgun. My Garmin is used at the same time.

I've only had to change the powder weight a couple of times over the years either up or down a few grains, but not by much.

All my range reloading tools are in a separate case so I don't forget any key components.