I've had the itch to try CMP/NRA High Power competition. The first match I can attend is coming up next month and it looks like my load development is coming along.
Apologies to Don, but I use "Zen and the Art of Reticule Alignment" for self discovery.
The group on the left is only three tenths of a grain hotter. Slowing the load down that little bit shrunk the group almost in half. This is, of course, off sandbags, front and rear. After this work is done, it's all on the shooter.
The rifle is a handful. 10lb 4oz. Very steady in prone and sitting, but what a load in standing. I won't be posting those pictures o.O
Rick
Cool stuff. I've been plinking with my son a lot lately, but we focused now on getting him his first turkey.
How's business down there?
Yikes...an "assault weapon!"
Nice groups there Squinty.
What loads (brass, powder, primer, bullet) are you using?
I have very good luck with Winchester, BLC_2, CCI-450, Nosler 40grn. Ballistic Tip.
3x5 card w/ 1.5 Bull @ 100 yards w/ front sand bag. The group measures ~0.25" center to center. I can't do it every time, but I think that's more ME than the rifle. I can shoot ~0.50" (3-5 shots) pretty much all day with it, but I do need to give the barrel time to cool off between groups.
Rifle is a Ruger M77 Mk_2 .223 Rem. (Bolt Action, Stainless) with the standard light weight sporter barrel (22" I think). Not too bad for an "out of the box" sporter.
AR platforms generally like heavier bullets (55-70 depending on twist rate). I kinda like the Hornaday 68grn. BTHP Match (#2278), but they need a 7-10" twist to stabilize (which you probably have).
Loyal
Been a busy spring Forrest! Still looking for more residential stuff. I think surveys have been scratched off the banks check list.
Good luck with the gobbler!
Rick
Nice Loyal! Ruger makes a fine rifle.
That's a 69gr Sierra Match King over 24.2gr of Varget. Brass is R-P, I've got a bunch of Federal range pickups. CCI 400's for a primer. The barrel is 1:8 so I could go heavier. Most of the matches are at 100 or 200 yards with scaled targets, so the "carry" factor isn't much of a concern. I've got a bunch of the Hornaday 68gr match bullets coming, the SMK's get a little spendy.
This is my first time loading for .223 and I'm please with the progress. Now to get off the sand bags and on my hind feet. I shoot a lot of standing 22lr in our winter league, I just need to get used to this hog leg. The Savage 22 is under 7 1/2 lbs, so this is a leap!
If I like the venue I see an "as issued" AR in my future.
Rick
Good combination you have there.
I've been loading the .223 (& 5.56) since 1968 (various rifles), and find it to be a very versatile little round. I have had some “issues” with R-P brass (and ammunition) over the years, and pretty much avoid it now days.
One thing that seems to really help “small case” loads (.222, .222 Mag., .223 etc.), is to clean, size, trim, de-burr (including the inside flash hole), and then weigh EACH case. I sort the cases by weight, and any case more than ~1 SD from the norm gets marked as a “fouler” or plinking round.
Seems to tighten up the groups more than you might expect.
Loyal
Yes, shooting and hunting are a form of active meditation.
Thanks, Loyal. I should have clarified...the chamber is 5.56. I've had to fuss over several calibers (a 264 WinMag is still a work in progress, 10 years on)and this little round has been very cooperative.
I need to buy some fresh brass, but the cost of the pickups was hard to beat 😛 SWMBO has been very tolerant, so far.
Rick
As a practical matter (in my experience anyway), bullet seating depth is the wildcard when playing with the .223 v. 5.56 chambers. Having BOTH in my collection, I generally “load” for the .223, and that works FINE in the 5.56, but I NEVER shoot 5.56 loads through the .223.
I bought Spud (my grandson) a Remington 40x (with Unertl 3/4” 24x Scope) last year, and it's chambered in the .222 Remington Magnum. The .222 Rem. Mag. And .223 “look” SO MUCH alike, that I had Spud color the necks of all of the .222 Mag. Brass with a red magic marker! Both his Dad and Mom have ARs, so we have to be CAREFUL.
I generally seat bullets in the .223 @ .020 from the lands, with makes them rather “short” in the 5.56 chamber. Inasmuch as I rarely shoot the .223s in the 5.56, this isn't a real issue for me. When loading the 5.56, the magazine is usually the limiting factor in overall length.
A bit more on cases...
Tight groups (consistency in general) is heavily dependent on initial conditions.
You really ONLY have control over the exterior dimensions of the case (although you can tweak things a little by neck reaming), so once you have done the obvious sizing, trimming, etc., any variance in weight is PROBABLY due to variance in the interior of the case (and therefore the volume thereof). By doing you best to make the “combustion chamber” as consistent as possible, you are also (by extension) making the load as consistent as possible.
BTW... A chronograph is a HUGE aid in working up loads, and evaluating load consistency. If your velocities are jumping around, your groups probably are too.
Loyal
Military Brass
One final word on brass...
Military Brass (which I use a lot), is SIGNIFICANTLY different than commercial .223 brass. Loads worked up in R-P, Winchester, etc. .223 brass, will PROBABLY be way TOO HOT when used in Military Brass. Military brass is USUALLY quite a bit heavier, and has a significantly SMALLER interior volume... be careful of that.
In fact, in my experiance, Remington Brass is heavier, than Winchester Brass, and Federal is different than either one.
Loyal
Military Brass
Loyal-
I always kind of saw Wyoming as more of a .25-06 kind of place.
"Apologies to Don, but I use "Zen and the Art of Reticule Alignment" for self discovery."
:good: But really, Grasshopper, what have you discovered?
Just dickin' around, Rick 🙂 I never obsessed to that degree but I damn sure did a lot of plinkin in my youth.
Cans and critters that really didn't need killing.
Don
25/06
I do have a 25/06 (Savage 112-V, 26” bull Barrel, Unertl 32x Programmer 200), that I built for Pronghorn hunting back in the 70s, but I haven't shot anything but paper with it for 20+ years. The last Pronghorn that I shot was done in by an "old" 300 H&H Magnum (that was one DEAD goat!).
Aside from Pronghorns and Mule Deer, there isn't too much use for 25/06s in Wyoming (others will of course disagree). The 30/06 is still KING, but the 270/7mm Rem. Mag. of course have a strong following.
I'm partial to the ol' ought-six myself, jack rabbits to moose, and everything in between are well within it's capabilities.
Loyal
>
> :good: But really, Grasshopper, what have you discovered?
>
Only that, despite hours of meticulous technical preparation, the simple beating of my human heart, throws all in disarray.
I love thinking about thinking.
Rick
