Loads for .223 Rem

[yeet]

My cheapy Savage Axis likes the 55gr V-max over 24.2gr of imr 4166 COL of 2.22 inch, shoots about .75 moa from bipod at 100 yards

 

[Cyres]

If your rifle will shoot it 69 grn TMK with N140 will do everything you need to do. Its a target bullet but acts like a v max on fur and feather.

D

 

[scrumbag]

If your rifle will shoot it 69 grn TMK with N140 will do everything you need to do. Its a target bullet but acts like a v max on fur and feather.

D

That's good to know, thanks

 

[scrumbag]

Defintely N130 or N133 and a 50g-55g bullet.

You will not go wrong with the flat based 53grain .224 Nosler Varmegeddon. Cheap and scarily accurate. Puts bigs holes in pests and who doesn't like a mean black tipped bullet?

Thanks for this

 

[zambezi]

3) Varmint Round

I reckon the 65gr GK load might be a bit hard for foxes and pencil through so I was wondering about "Varmint" load

Anyone have any suggestions? Is it worth going super light and super fast or is it worth going something like a 60gr V-Max or Berger to take advantage of the twist?

The only loads I have developed for the .223 are all varmint rounds. All are accurate. All deliver a point and shoot solution to 200m for a 7cm diameter target.

The recipes that work in my 1-in-8 .223 are as follows. All reloads use CCI #400 small rifle primers. For all reloads the dimensions are as follows COAL/CBTO/inside-neck=2.232”/1.835”/0.221”

All are accurate:

27gr Viht N540, Sierra 45gr Spitzer, MV=3070fps, bc=0.196
24.8gr H322, Sierra 45gr Spitzer, MV=3210fps, bc-0.196
25.2gr H322, Barnes 36gr Varmint Grenade, MV=3338fps, bc=0.149


Of all the calibers for which I reload, the .223 seems the least fussy. I.e. all donor brass gives good accuracy. Dies are vanilla Lee collet that only apply neck tension afaics. After multiple firings, brass still does not require trimming [i.e. L3 = <1.760"]

 

[Boosh]

Only have a good varmint load flying out of my 1-9 Howa at 3500 fps in the lead free Hornady NTX 35 with 25 grns of N133, shoots accurately at exactly the same at the same speed out of my mates 1-12 Sako.
Can push the charge up a bit and get 3750 fps, but accuracy drifted a little, (still under 1 moa though).

 

[Cyres]

You are very lucky to shoot such light bullets in a 1:8. Lightest mine will shoot is a 60 grn V max so it was a god send when the 69 TMK became available. Very accurate and frankly it gets boring shooting at a 12" gong at 600 yds.

D

 

[25 Sharps]

Hello folks,

I'm starting to enjoy the flexibility of reloading and finding out what a rifle can do when you can step away from factory offerings.

I've been playing around with the .223 (1:9 twist) quite a lot due to the sheer amount of load data and projectiles available

So, I have a couple of loads I like

1) Small deer load

For muntjac and Chinese Water Deer (and Scottish Roe if I get the chance) I quite like a heavier soft point bullet (this is after good experiences with the Federal Fusion 62gr bullet. Shoots well and good on game performancde but harder to get locally).

So my preferred load is a Sierra 65gr Gameking with just under 26gr of Ramshot TAC.

2) Plinking round

This if for 100yd multi-position and running target.

For this I use 55 gr Hornady FMJ BT (The "inexpensive" bullet that comes in the 500rd Bulk Pack) with just over 25gr of TAC. With a crimp it does a bit under 1.5" groups with a thrown charge which is certainly good enough for those purposes.

(Has anyone tried the 62gr Hornady FMJ BT? Looks interesting with the 1:9 twist).

3) Varmint Round

I reckon the 65gr GK load might be a bit hard for foxes and pencil through so I was wondering about "Varmint" load

Anyone have any suggestions? Is it worth going super light and super fast or is it worth going something like a 60gr V-Max or Berger to take advantage of the twist?

4) Longer Range Target Round

Was thinking one of the 68 / 69 / 70 gr bullets (Probably not ballistic tipped) so BTHP.
Any particular difference between the 68gr Hornady, 69gr Sierra / Lapua offerings or the Nosler 70gr RDF?

5) Non-lead Deer Load

So, it seems Non-lead is becoming more of a thing whether we like it or not.

Wondering if anyone has developed a small deer load they like for .223 Rem

I've loaded up some 55gr GMX and looking for a report (@Kalahari )

Anyone had better luck with other things? I have a part box of 55gr Fox to try (If @Edinburgh Rifles ever gets back to me with load data). Would like to try the Nosler E-Tip but they seem to be like hens teeth. I have heard some worrying things about Barnes not expanding so well so perhaps not so keen on those. Anyone tried Peregrines?

Thoughts very welcome.

Powder

I started using Ramshot TAC as a couple of years ago when I started reloading a couple of years ago had data for pretty much anything I wanted to load.

It's a ball powder so some say it is difficult to get ignited (And in some lighter loads I have noticed a sooty case) but I will say it goes through a powder thrower nicely.
Also some say it's a bit temperature sensitive but given I would guess the vast majority of UK shooting occurs between 5 and 20C I'm not sure how relevant it is.

Has anyone noticed that N133 / 135 / 140 to be a better performer? (Sadly you'd give up the nice metering properties of course).

Primers

Currently I am using Magtech S&B small rifle primers. Would it be worth stepping up to a Magnum Small Rifle Primer?

Anyway, thoughts are much appreciated!

Scrummy

69 gr tmk over tac or n140 for the Varmint round will be excellent

 

[25 Sharps]

Defintely N130 or N133 and a 50g-55g bullet.

You will not go wrong with the flat based 53grain .224 Nosler Varmegeddon. Cheap and scarily accurate. Puts bigs holes in pests and who doesn't like a mean black tipped bullet?

The varmageddon line of bullets are excellent and well priced

 

[long_range_rob]

I had a 1-8 twist Sako. I used to use 73gn Berger length tolerant bullets with 25gn of Varget behind it very accurate out to 600m. I’m sure N140 would be a suitable substitute. I also found a 60gn Vmax with the same load was accurate and a bit faster.

 

[Cottis]

The varmageddon line of bullets are excellent and well priced

They are aren't they? I have never really understood why but whenever I can get my hands on the 250 count boxes of 53grainers, I always top up. I normally have to pre order from reloading solutions as very rarely do I ever see them on the shelf of gunshops or reloading suppliers.

 

[25 Sharps]

They are aren't they? I have never really understood why but whenever I can get my hands on the 250 count boxes of 53grainers, I always top up. I normally have to pre order from reloading solutions as very rarely do I ever see them on the shelf of gunshops or reloading suppliers.

Keep an eye on brownells as they have good offers on sometimes, that said the yanks are buying everything up at the moment and 90% of the bullets listed are out of stock!

 

[Brighty3006]

N133 50 grain v-max

 

[Ruger 1022]

In my Remington 700 PSS 1-9 twist the best load I have is 69g SMK with 24.5 grains of Viht N140 in commercial cases and 24.3 grains in military cases, this was given to me by one of the guys at the club and he did lots and lots of research with different bullets and powder charges to fine the perfect load and he used to work in the munitions industry so knows his stuff.
You can also use 70g Berger with 24.5 grains of N140 but bloody expensive.

 

[cjs66]

Although from a 22-250 in 14 twist, the Sierra 55g Game King is a cracking bullet. Tough enough on small deer and smashes vermin. Very accurate too.

cjs

 

[antsa]

In my .223 Varmint, 60cm 1:12" barrel I use a Sierra 50gr BlitzKing over ADI Benchmark 1 (≈ N133) in Lapua brass with CCI 400 primers. Always below 0.3 MOA @ 100m off the bench and best in-field result on a very calm evening is a head-shot large "grasshopper" @ 255m (on a cull permit).

Cheers

 

[1st Pattern Paul]

N133 50 grain v-max

What charge of N133 have you found works best? Starting to load for my 223 over the next few days.

 

[Brighty3006]

24.1 grains viht n133. Howa 1500

 

[Woodlander]

N130 55gr Varmageddon Fed 205m our of a 24” 1:12.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Hello folks,

I'm starting to enjoy the flexibility of reloading and finding out what a rifle can do when you can step away from factory offerings.

I've been playing around with the .223 (1:9 twist) quite a lot due to the sheer amount of load data and projectiles available

So, I have a couple of loads I like

1) Small deer load

For muntjac and Chinese Water Deer (and Scottish Roe if I get the chance) I quite like a heavier soft point bullet (this is after good experiences with the Federal Fusion 62gr bullet. Shoots well and good on game performancde but harder to get locally).

So my preferred load is a Sierra 65gr Gameking with just under 26gr of Ramshot TAC.

2) Plinking round

This if for 100yd multi-position and running target.

For this I use 55 gr Hornady FMJ BT (The "inexpensive" bullet that comes in the 500rd Bulk Pack) with just over 25gr of TAC. With a crimp it does a bit under 1.5" groups with a thrown charge which is certainly good enough for those purposes.

(Has anyone tried the 62gr Hornady FMJ BT? Looks interesting with the 1:9 twist).

3) Varmint Round

I reckon the 65gr GK load might be a bit hard for foxes and pencil through so I was wondering about "Varmint" load

Anyone have any suggestions? Is it worth going super light and super fast or is it worth going something like a 60gr V-Max or Berger to take advantage of the twist?

4) Longer Range Target Round

Was thinking one of the 68 / 69 / 70 gr bullets (Probably not ballistic tipped) so BTHP.
Any particular difference between the 68gr Hornady, 69gr Sierra / Lapua offerings or the Nosler 70gr RDF?

5) Non-lead Deer Load

So, it seems Non-lead is becoming more of a thing whether we like it or not.

Wondering if anyone has developed a small deer load they like for .223 Rem

I've loaded up some 55gr GMX and looking for a report (@Kalahari )

Anyone had better luck with other things? I have a part box of 55gr Fox to try (If @Edinburgh Rifles ever gets back to me with load data). Would like to try the Nosler E-Tip but they seem to be like hens teeth. I have heard some worrying things about Barnes not expanding so well so perhaps not so keen on those. Anyone tried Peregrines?

Thoughts very welcome.

Powder

I started using Ramshot TAC as a couple of years ago when I started reloading a couple of years ago had data for pretty much anything I wanted to load.

It's a ball powder so some say it is difficult to get ignited (And in some lighter loads I have noticed a sooty case) but I will say it goes through a powder thrower nicely.
Also some say it's a bit temperature sensitive but given I would guess the vast majority of UK shooting occurs between 5 and 20C I'm not sure how relevant it is.

Has anyone noticed that N133 / 135 / 140 to be a better performer? (Sadly you'd give up the nice metering properties of course).

Primers

Currently I am using Magtech S&B small rifle primers. Would it be worth stepping up to a Magnum Small Rifle Primer?

Anyway, thoughts are much appreciated!

Scrummy

For what it's worth your small deer load of "just under 26gns" looks "hot" on paper - Ramshot Guide max is shown as 24.6gns for 60gns Sierra and 24.3 for 65gns Sierra. Are you seeing any pressure signs?