| Posted: Sat Nov 8th, 2008 05:58 PM |
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1st Post |
skibik
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| Joined: | Sat Jan 5th, 2008 |
| Location: | Badger, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 25 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | none | | My favorite chambering is:: | |
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The following loads were shot from a Savage Model 12 BVSS, 1 in 9" twist. Group sizes listed were shot at 100yds. I used CCI 400 and CCI BR small rifles primers, most of the loads it seemed the cheaper CCI 400 shot as good as and even better on a couple groups than the benchrest primers (I tested this by only changing the primer across the tested loads, the way I processed the case were the same and all powder charges were individually weighed). I have switched strictly to CCI 400 primers since they are cheaper. I tried to limit my choice of powders so I wouldn't have too many variables to deal with so I stuck to Varget and H335.
Sierra 52gr. HPBT over 26.5gr. Hodgon H335. Average group just over .500", smallest .227", largest .750". According to the Sierra manual with this bullet the accuracy load is 26.9gr. of H335. This load is what the gun seems to prefer. The Sierra 53gr. HP also works really well with this recipe shooting just about as good of groups, the difference in this bullet is that it is a flat base and not a boattail.
Sierra 69gr. HPBT over 25.0gr. Varget. I tried all the way to the maximum in the Sierra manual of 26.4 gr., the few different charges I tried I could not get it below .500" allthough most if not all the groups were at or less than 1 MOA.
69gr. Nosler Custom competition bullet 25.0gr. Hodgon Varget. Average group about .500" to .800", I did manage to have one group at .327". For a heavy bullet in this gun it performed very well. This bullet performed slightly better than the Sierra for the powder I tried.
I also tried some 75gr. Hornady match bullets. I tried these heavy bullets because while testing factory ammo to narrow down what bullet weight to start with I managed to shoot a 5 shot group where 4 of the 5 made a group size of about .225" but had one flyer that put the group at just under .500". The few sample batches I did try, I tried to match the factory speed with Varget powder but just couldn't get the group size down, the groups of different powder charges were at or just under 1 MOA.
I tried the Sierra 77gr. HPBT and came to the conclusion that this bullet is too heavy for the twist rate of my gun. I tried a batch or 2 at 22.5gr of Varget and ended up stringing a pattern vertical with a spread of about 2.250". this is where I come to the conclusion that these heavier bullets weren't made for this slow of a twist.
One of the last outings I had this year I tried some Winchester 748 ball powder, I had recieved it as a prize at our local trapshooting club. I decided to try this powder with some of the Sierra 53gr. HP bullets I had. The Hodgon webite only gives the max load for this powder at 26.0gr. so I proceeded to load at this weight. The person that donated it said this powder is the cats meow, he says it flows great through the powder measure and is a very accurate powder. Well I have to admit in the short time I have reloaded rifle cartridges and having only used 2 powders for rifle that this powder does flow with less or hardly any deviation between charges. I only loaded enough for about 3-5 shot groups and it did pattern less than .500". I will definitely load up some more rounds with this powder to make sure it wasn't a fluke.
I hope this helps any newcomers to the .223 caliber cartridge and hope it cuts down on some of the headaches finding a load. All loads listed above are in the manuals but please use caution when using these recipes and verify that the above information is correct. Use at your own risk.
Last edited on Sat Nov 8th, 2008 06:04 PM by skibik
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| Posted: Sun Nov 9th, 2008 11:23 AM |
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2nd Post |
| Posted: Sun Nov 9th, 2008 05:03 PM |
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3rd Post |
skibik
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| Joined: | Sat Jan 5th, 2008 |
| Location: | Badger, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 25 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | none | | My favorite chambering is:: | |
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Timber, wow that's a lot of rifles. I really don't care for that Accu-trigger myself, the trigger itself is crisp and I have it set for as light as it will go and it is a nice set up but I don't like that safety thing in the center of the trigger. I can't believe that Savage makes such a good trigger and then ruin it with all that safety trigger in the center, but in this age of lawsuits what do you do. Well if this helps you out I have a tip that will maybe help you on that trigger. I took a toothpick, one of those thicker round ones, pushed the saftey mechanism back on the trigger and stuck the toothpick behind the main trigger through the middle slot on the safety trigger. I then trimmed the toothpick to the width of the trigger. I believe this has helped me ring out some tighter groups out of the gun since when you touch the trigger you don't have to pull and pull before you get to the actual trigger to set it off. Now I can feel the trigger and when slight pressure is applied it fires and not like before where it seemed endless before it went off. And thanks for the compiment on the tight group, I just wish I could shoot them all like that. That one just happened to be the exception. It will still put most of the groups with that recipe slightly less than .500" if I can do my part.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 6th, 2009 04:38 AM |
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4th Post |
Enios
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| Joined: | Wed Jan 23rd, 2008 |
| Location: | Ft Payne, Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 27 |
| Photo: | [Download] | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! | | My favorite chambering is:: | Accurate |
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Doesn't take but about 10 minutes to take it out and get it out of the way. Last edited on Thu Aug 6th, 2009 04:39 AM by Enios
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Aim small to shoot small!
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I never have been able to,
with 69 grain Hornady match bullets,75 grain Amax..
