Load To Match The 223 Superformance?
- Thread starter Stu Farish
- Start date
Bullet has potential. This is a 1 in 7 barrel. I'll have to go back & pay some more but the 6 charges I tried were good enough to kill anything I aim it at.
The Colt is a 1 in 7 twist barrel, hard so far to get light bullets to shoot well. I did get one good group today with the 53gr VMax & will spend some more time working around this load to see if it stands up:
pokeyjeeper
New member
That one on the lower left looks good to me but i'm not looking to shoot bug holes out of my ar's load it up and go put some fur down
not according to hornady 9th ed:
W748 23.8 - 28.9gr
Primers look fine, can't tell any difference from starting to max loads.
W748 23.8 - 28.9gr
Primers look fine, can't tell any difference from starting to max loads.
I'm looking for a hunting load. I had some other groups that would be OK, but if I can get one that does this on a regular basis, I'll take it.
Next trip I'll revisit this load as well as try a few using 55gr BT's to see if I can any joy from them.
Next trip I'll revisit this load as well as try a few using 55gr BT's to see if I can any joy from them.
Hidalgo
Well-known member
Originally Posted By: Stu Farishnot according to hornady 9th ed:
W748 23.8 - 28.9gr
Primers look fine, can't tell any difference from starting to max loads.
Good.
Just goes to show how data can vary. Hodgdon's website shows 26.0gr as max load ... 3200 / 43,500.
After re-looking at that, 43,500 isn't a lot of pressure. Gotta wonder why they showed that as a max load.........
W748 23.8 - 28.9gr
Primers look fine, can't tell any difference from starting to max loads.
Good.
Just goes to show how data can vary. Hodgdon's website shows 26.0gr as max load ... 3200 / 43,500.
After re-looking at that, 43,500 isn't a lot of pressure. Gotta wonder why they showed that as a max load.........
We have a strange range. You have to shoot through steel pipes about 20' long. This is from down range:
This is from the bench, looking though the pipe:
This is from the bench, looking though the pipe:
Hidalgo
Well-known member
I can only assume that was done to prevent stray bullets going off into the "wild blue yonder"? Our competition range has an overhang that sticks out past the benches 15 feet to prevent that very thing. Never thought about using pipes, though. Interesting (and effective) way to keep bullets from going where they don't belong.
don't know the history, but I do think it's the only one of its kind in the state.
Fairly safe -though nothing is foolproof, there will always be a better fool- in design. There are steel plates hanging from a rail. Pulled to the left, the plates expose the holes to shoot through & the rail blocks the gate in a chain link fence, nominally preventing people from going down range when anyone could shoot. Pulled to the right, the pipes are blocked, you have no clear view from or near a bench through which to shoot at anything & the rail is clear of the gate.
One station has no bench & is high enough to practice shooting from a standing position. The other 7 are benches.
There is no way at this range that I can practice from hunting positions, ie a chair & sticks, unless I want to shoot through the fence. Which I'm pretty sure is against the rules & might get me banned for good...
There is a field to the left where people throw calys & use shotguns, but as it has no solid backstop I don't think setting up with a rifle there would be a good idea either.
Fairly safe -though nothing is foolproof, there will always be a better fool- in design. There are steel plates hanging from a rail. Pulled to the left, the plates expose the holes to shoot through & the rail blocks the gate in a chain link fence, nominally preventing people from going down range when anyone could shoot. Pulled to the right, the pipes are blocked, you have no clear view from or near a bench through which to shoot at anything & the rail is clear of the gate.
One station has no bench & is high enough to practice shooting from a standing position. The other 7 are benches.
There is no way at this range that I can practice from hunting positions, ie a chair & sticks, unless I want to shoot through the fence. Which I'm pretty sure is against the rules & might get me banned for good...
There is a field to the left where people throw calys & use shotguns, but as it has no solid backstop I don't think setting up with a rifle there would be a good idea either.
great weather, but a bit windy. range was interesting.
a bit busier as we get close to deer season but still not bad.
I don't have bug hole loads yet but I do have good enough to hunt with for the grendel, 3 different bullets, with mire fun to be had.
the 53 gr VMax load didn't impress me for consistency. It could be hunted with but isn't anything to give me warm fuzzies.
The most fun part is that I have good hunting loads for the 223 with 55 gr Ballistic Tips. This is a 1 in 7 barrel, hard to get lighter bullets to shoot accurately. It's intended for match loads, 68gr or heavier bullets. But I now have loads with at least 2 powders that shoot them pretty well, will be more fun to check for consistency on the next trip.
a bit busier as we get close to deer season but still not bad.
I don't have bug hole loads yet but I do have good enough to hunt with for the grendel, 3 different bullets, with mire fun to be had.
the 53 gr VMax load didn't impress me for consistency. It could be hunted with but isn't anything to give me warm fuzzies.
The most fun part is that I have good hunting loads for the 223 with 55 gr Ballistic Tips. This is a 1 in 7 barrel, hard to get lighter bullets to shoot accurately. It's intended for match loads, 68gr or heavier bullets. But I now have loads with at least 2 powders that shoot them pretty well, will be more fun to check for consistency on the next trip.
I also decided that I don't like the scope on my Colt. It's a Leupold 3-9, same as I have on other rifles but it doesn't seem to be able to focus right. I think next spring I'll send it in & let Leupold check it over.
It'd good enough to use, but hinders serious load development. And I don't have a spare scope to put in its place, I'd have to swap with another rifle. I'd rather wait & send it in.
It'd good enough to use, but hinders serious load development. And I don't have a spare scope to put in its place, I'd have to swap with another rifle. I'd rather wait & send it in.
So, working with my Colt.
First up I wanted to retry the 53gr VMax load. to see if it was consistent. It turned out to not be so impressive:
Next up I started working with 55gr Ballistic Tips. Expectations were that I might find better accuracy at somewhat lower velocities & that proved to be the case.
My typical shooting pattern is center, top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right.
This target was W748 / Federal 205 primers, starting at 24.0 grains to a max of 26.0. The first load (center) at 0.418" got my attention, I'll be shooting more of that to see if it repeats:
N140, 205 primers, from 25.3g to 26.9. I'd hunt with any of this, so will be revisiting it again to see how it holds up:
Benchmark, 205 primers, from 24.0g to 25.6. Looks like 24.0 - 24.5 works well with this bullet, so will be revisiting it again:
Last, I tried H4198. Not only was it not as accurate, I had feeding failures with all 3 charges:
First up I wanted to retry the 53gr VMax load. to see if it was consistent. It turned out to not be so impressive:
Next up I started working with 55gr Ballistic Tips. Expectations were that I might find better accuracy at somewhat lower velocities & that proved to be the case.
My typical shooting pattern is center, top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right.
This target was W748 / Federal 205 primers, starting at 24.0 grains to a max of 26.0. The first load (center) at 0.418" got my attention, I'll be shooting more of that to see if it repeats:
N140, 205 primers, from 25.3g to 26.9. I'd hunt with any of this, so will be revisiting it again to see how it holds up:
Benchmark, 205 primers, from 24.0g to 25.6. Looks like 24.0 - 24.5 works well with this bullet, so will be revisiting it again:
Last, I tried H4198. Not only was it not as accurate, I had feeding failures with all 3 charges: