Anyone load the Honady 53gr V-Max?

NineDriver

New member
Hello,
I'll soon be receiving my RRA ATH in 223 and I want to load some 53gr V-max bullets. They are a boat tail round with a BC of .290 so they oughta perform well. There's not much load data for them so I was wondering if anyone has used them and what seems to be the recipe of choice. I have some H335 and some Varget so I'm leaning towards those powders unless someone has found something better.
Thanks!
 
Im shooting them with great results. I used Hodgdons data on there website for a 53gr bullet. im using benchmark, I worked up slowly and setled at 25.5gr and a col of 2.25. This is half a grain under max, so work up. They might shoot great with the two owders you have..
 
In the hornady vol 8 reloading manual, there's data for using IMR 3031 and achieving 3400 fps at max load. Has anyone used that powder? I like speed but I also want accuracy. The hornady manual doesn't list the most accurate load...
 
Originally Posted By: Steve M.In the Hornady vol 8 reloading manual, there's data for using IMR 3031 and achieving 3400 fps at max load. Has anyone used that powder? I like speed but I also want accuracy.

IMR-3031 is a very old powder and it is a real looooong sick powder. It does not flow well through powder measures - there are better powders available in that burning range.

Quote: The Hornady manual doesn't list the most accurate load...

Because there is no such thing as the most accurate load - every gun is different - if there was a most accurate load, they would have to only list one load.

There are powders/bullets/cartridges that will be accurate most of the time, like Varget/308/175SMK... but that does not mean it is the MOST accurate load.
 
Thanks to all for the reply's!
Here's a copy of the load data in the hornady manual. It's the only load data I can find for the 53gr v-max. I'm looking to get in the 3250 fps range and of course accurate as well. Anyone use this data/recipe? Any one better than the other?






 
Wow im loading with benchmark in my AR and am using 25.5gr of benchmark!! Im half a grain over max. Its a warm load but not too serious. I went off of hodgdons website data for a 53 gr bullet. Tac is some good powder and 8208xbr. They are temp insensitive as well.
 
Widow, I hear ya. This is the only published data I've found for the 53gr v-max. Everything else is for the HP or 55gr v-max. The 53 seems rather unique with it's BT and high BC so I trying to get things right without the risk of failure/injury.
 
Its good to play it safe. Im surprised i didnt have some extreme pressure signs as my AR has a .223 chamber. I thaught i was half a grain under, but guess im a half a grain over.
 
Originally Posted By: Widow maker 223Its good to play it safe. Im surprised i didnt have some extreme pressure signs as my AR has a .223 chamber. I thaught i was half a grain under, but guess im a half a grain over.

It happens all the time... manuals are guides but are not absolute as many preach. Work up and pay attention with some common sense and you will be OK.

The the OP I would try the H335 with the 53gr..... 25.0 gr is safe in about 8 .223's I have tried it in with 55gr bullets and all were accurate so you maybe able to work up from there.
 
Originally Posted By: Widow maker 223"Its good to play it safe. I'm surprised I didn't have some extreme pressure signs as my AR has a .223 chamber. I thought I was half a grain under, but guess I'm a half a grain over."

There is no pressure difference in the chambers - it is a wives tale that keeps getting passed on to each generation of newbees..
 
Shooting a .223 spec loaded round in a .223 chamber is going to have less pressure than shooting a 5.56 from a .223 chamber. The chambers are different sizes the lead in the throat is longer on a 5.56
 
Originally Posted By: Widow maker 223Shooting a .223 spec loaded round in a .223 chamber is going to have less pressure than shooting a 5.56 from a .223 chamber. The chambers are different sizes the lead in the throat is longer on a 5.56

Well, just what is the spec??? and how many different 223 chambers are there (that's a loaded question, son - and a pun
smile.gif
)

Or did you read this on the internet somewhere? There have been millions and millions of 5.56mm ammo shot from civilian chambers - with no problems, no high pressure, no nothing - tell me, how did that happen??
 
Whats as civilian chamber. .223 ,Wydle or 5.56

The .223 Remington is a sporting cartridge with almost the same external dimensions as the 5.56×45mm NATO military cartridge. The name is commonly pronounced either two-two-three or two-twenty-three. It is loaded with a 0.224-inch (5.7 mm) diameter, jacketed bullet, with weights ranging from 40 to 90 grains (2.6 to 5.8 g), though the most common loading by far is 55 grains (3.6 g). When loaded with a bullet that expands, tumbles, or fragments in tissue, this cartridge is capable of delivering devastating terminal performance.

While the external case dimensions are very similar, the .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm differ in both maximum pressure and chamber shape. The maximum and mean pressures for some varieties of the 5.56 mm (different cartridge designations have different standards) exceed the SAAMI maximums for the .223 Remington, and the methods for measuring pressures differ between NATO and SAAMI.[2] The 5.56 mm chamber specification has also changed over time since its adoption, as the current military loading (NATO SS-109 or US M855) uses longer, heavier bullets than the original loading did. This has resulted in a lengthening of the throat in the 5.56 mm chamber. Thus, while .223 Remington ammunition can be safely fired in a 5.56 mm chambered gun, firing 5.56 mm ammunition in a .223 Remington chamber may produce pressures in excess of even the 5.56 mm specifications due to the shorter throat.[3]





Contents
[hide] 1 History
2 Cartridge dimensions
3 Uses
4 .223 Remington versus 5.56 mm NATO
5 Related cartridges
6 See also
7 References
8 External links


[edit] History

The .223 Remington (5.56x45mm) is a cartridge that is ballistically in-between its predecessors, the .222 Remington, and the .222 Remington Magnum. The 223/5.56x45 was developed to fit the action length of the new M16 service rifle. The 223/5.56mm quickly became popular as a civilian cartridge because of the availability of brass, and the chambering of commercial varmint rifles in that caliber. Shortly after military acceptance of the M16, the semi-automatic version, the AR-15 became available, making the .223 cartridge even more popular.

[edit] Cartridge dimensions

The .223 Remington has 28.8 grains (1.87 ml H2O) cartridge case capacity.



.223 Remington maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions. All sizes in millimeters (mm).[4]

Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 = 23 degrees. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 305 mm (1 in 12 in), 6 grooves, Ø lands = 5.56 millimetres (0.219 in), Ø grooves = 5.69 millimetres (0.224 in), land width = 1.88 millimetres (0.074 in) and the primer type is small rifle.

According to the official Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives (C.I.P.) guidelines the .223 Remington case can handle up to 430 megapascals (62,366 psi) piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle cartridge combo has to be proofed at 125% of this maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers. This is equal to the NATO maximum service pressure guideline for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge.

The SAAMI pressure limit for the .223 Remington is set at 379.212 megapascals (55,000 psi), piezo pressure.[5]

[edit] Uses

The .223 Remington is one of the most common rifle cartridges in use in the United States, being widely used in two types of rifles: (1) varmint rifles, most of which are bolt action and commonly have 1-in-12 rifling twist suitable for bullets between 38 to 55 grains (2.5 to 3.6 g), and (2) semi-automatic rifles such as the AR-15 and the Ruger Mini-14, which are commonly found to have twist rates of 1-in-7, 1-in-9, or 1-in-8. (Most modern AR-15s use 1-in-9 which is suitable for bullets up to 69 grains / 4.5 grams or 1-in-7 which is suitable for slightly heavier bullets, but older M16's used 1-in-12 twist rates, making them suitable for use with bullets of 55 grains / 3.6 grams.) The semi-automatic rifle category is often used by law enforcement, for home defense, and for varmint hunting. Among the many popular modern centerfire rifle cartridges, .223 Remington ammunition is among the least expensive and is often used by avid target shooters, particularly in the "service rifle" category or 3 gun matches. The .223 is also used in survival rifles.

[edit] .223 Remington versus 5.56 mm NATO





These 5.56x45mm NATO cartridges are identical in appearance to .223 Remington. They are, however, not completely interchangeable.
While the 5.56mm NATO and .223 Remington cartridges and chamberings are very similar, they are not identical.

While there is a myth that 5.56 NATO cases are thicker and hence have less capacity than commercial .223 cases, this has been shown to be false. Each brand of case and each manufacturing lot has a slightly different case capacity; 5.56 NATO and .223 commercial cases tend to have nearly identical case capacity when measured using the water test.[6] The NATO specification allows a higher chamber pressure. NATO EPVAT test barrels made for 5.56mm NATO measure chamber pressure at the case mouth, as opposed to the location used by the United States civil standards organization SAAMI. The piezoelectric sensors or transducers NATO and SAAMI use to conduct the actual pressure measurements also differ. This difference in measurement method accounts for upwards of 137.9 megapascals (20,000 psi) difference in pressure measurements. This means the NATO EPVAT maximum service pressure of 430 megapascals (62,000 psi) for 5.56mm NATO, is reduced by SAAMI to 379.21 megapascals (55,000 psi) for .223 Remington.[7] In contrast to SAAMI, the other main civil standards organization C.I.P. defines the maximum service and proof test pressures of the .223 Remington cartridge equal to the 5.56mm NATO.

The 5.56mm NATO chambering, known as a NATO or mil-spec chamber, has a longer leade, which is the distance between the mouth of the cartridge and the point at which the rifling engages the bullet. The .223 Remington chambering, known as SAAMI chamber, is allowed to have a shorter leade, and is only required to be proof tested to the lower SAAMI chamber pressure. To address these issues, various proprietary chambers exist, such as the Wylde chamber (Bill Wylde)[8] or the ArmaLite chamber, which are designed to handle both 5.56mm NATO and .223 Remington equally well. The dimensions and leade of the .223 Remington minimum C.I.P. chamber also differ from the 5.56mm NATO chamber specification.

Using commercial .223 Remington cartridges in a 5.56mm NATO chambered rifle should work reliably, but generally will not be as accurate as when fired from a .223 Remington chambered gun due to the longer leade.[9] Using 5.56mm NATO mil-spec cartridges (such as the M855) in a .223 Remington chambered rifle can lead to excessive wear and stress on the rifle and even be unsafe, and the SAAMI recommends against the practice.[10][11] Some commercial rifles marked as ".223 Remington" are in fact suited for 5.56mm NATO, such as many commercial AR-15 variants and the Ruger Mini-14, but the manufacturer should always be consulted to verify that this is acceptable before attempting it, and signs of excessive pressure (such as flattening or gas staining of the primers) should be looked for in the initial testing with 5.56mm NATO ammunition.[12]
 
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