Fella's;

As some of you may have noticed from another thread of mine, I'm getting a .223 Rem bolt gun.  Won't have it in hand till early next year, but thought I'd get a jump on things now.

Would any of you mind sharing your good .223 data?  The barrel length is supposed to be 20" & the action is the mini-Mauser.  Therefore, the garden variety semi-gun loads are probably going to run a touch light in this gun.  Not that that's a bad thing, I'm not interested in trying to wring the last fps outta the little bugger.  After all, I've got the .220 Swift if I want the speed.

It's accuracy that I'm after.  So, please, all the data, OAL, swedger used, etc., thanks.

900F

cb I've been using 21.5 grs of 4198 with win. bulk 46 gr hollowpoints , military brass, in my handi rifle. On hot days prairie dogs go splat, on cool wet days they go squish, out to around 250 yds. It makes coyotes go down in a puff of hair inside 200 as well.

 748 and h4895 both work pretty well for me with 55 gr bullets.

I like RL 7 in mine, and I'm right at Max (maybe .1 over) with 40 gr noslers.

  Groups nice in that NEF of mine.

Here's a load I worked up in an Anschutz that I don't own any more but it seems to work pretty good in everything else I've tried it in. I still use it in my  24" Contender rifle with nice results.

28grs. Win. 748, Win brass, Sierra 52gr BTHP Matchking, Win primer.

2.24 OAL.

It did 3200 fps over the chrony with the Anschutz I've never checked the vel of the Contender with it's 2" longer barrel.

DD

h-322, 52 grain sierra hpbt mk's, black hills ammo match brass (from once-fired bha red box), and cci br primers work well in my wife's 223 bolt.

i am working on a couple different loads for another 223 myself, but so far haven't found anything worthy of talking about, and probably won't get after those loads again until spring, anyway.

CB, I read the rifle thread and it sounds like you're getting (going to get) a neat little rifle. 

Bullets:  Hornady V-max,  40, 50 or 55gr.  Ballistic Tips are real good but more expensive.

Powder:  W748, Varget.

Winchester brass and Win primers.

Now, finding the magic powder charge, oal, etc. is going to be the fun part.  You're gonna have to wait till you get the rifle and see what works.      GR

CB, light bullet 40 gr Hornady VMax , with 27 grains Varget and a Win SR primer.COL AT 2.272" with Winchester Virgin Brass trimmed at 1.75".Brass was primer pocket uniformed at a depth of .118",flashhole deburred witha RCBS handheld tool and shot  a Best group  at .315" CTC from a 23.5" barreled Weatherby Vanguard sporter with a 1 in 14 inch twist.This group shot at 100 yards off bags in the prone position.

I got a decent group from BL(C)2 with Sierra 40 gr Blitzs but nowheres near as good with the VMax and VARGET.I have yet to test the Blitz bullet with VARGET, but I am betting it`ll shoot.

I dont load anything heavier than 40 gr bullets so I hope that helps some if you are after a light bullet load.

Fella's;

Thanks guys, I appreciate the information.  First thing I've got to do is determine the twist of this barrel.  I've been shooting the 50 gr V-Max in the .220 Swift & the 75 gr V-Max in the 6mm.  Both have been excellent performers, I'll be sure to try the 40's in the .223.

900F

Don't forget sissy loads.

Blue Dot pistol powder, 13.5 to 14 grains, under 33, 35, and 40 grainers. Work your way up a tenth at a time, load to the lands (if you can reach them) and enjoy. Workup is a little fussy, but once you find the right charge, they should shoot and scoot, like somewhere around 3200 feet per. And WAY quieter. Like a hot Hornet. If it is not too windy, I use them on PDs, and use them on West Side gophers.

My guess is you will either wind up using H335, H322 given the 20 inch barrel and the planned light bullets. If you go to 55s, then H4895 and Varget should come into play. Both have worked super duper under 55VMs, 25.5 of 4895; 26.8 of Varget. The Varget at that charge fills the case just-so with the bullet seated. Not compressed, not loose. Just so. I am amazed at how good Varget has been.

CB, I went yote calling at day light this morning..didn`t call one in.So I came home and sat down reading the posts on the site.I have a deer feeder in my back yard about a 100 yards from the house.Well low and behold I look out the window and looky what was theivin my deer corn.I dont know if you can see this wound in the center of him but it is pretty big for a critter of his size.The shot was about 80 yards with the 40 Gr VMAX load at 3550 fps.

Cb,my 223 is 1:9 but it dlivers the 52grainers into one hole. (

The following loads are all Bench Mark 2 which I think for this caliber is one of the best powders.

69gr Sierria HPBT OAL 1.906(10 th off lands) 24.3grn BM2 3091fps.

52gr Nosler HPBT OAL 1.896(15 th off lands) 25.3grn BM2 3335fps.

55gr Nosler BT OAL 1.895(15 th off lands) 25.5grn BM2 3331 fps.

All these are .250 loads.

The 69's have been out to 600 with success in target and varmit.

I love that rem police 700.

Macca

CB,

My post '84 Winchester Model 70 carbine(20" bbl) gets about 3,050fps with WW cases, WW 55gr SP, WSR primers and 27.0grs of BallC-2 powder.  Groups 3-shots consistantly into 0.75" at 100yds.

I also have the Mini-mauser action but it has the .473 boltface, the barrel has been shipped expecting it any day now.  It will be a 22" half round/half octagon and chambered for the 6.5 Remington BR.  The stock arrived the other day...Richards Microfit, #102 Old Classic in Grade A Fancy California Claro walnut...beautiful piece of wood.

Fella's;

Well, I picked up a pound of 748 today.  I tried to use the entire gift card amount, but the store was outta the 40 gr Hornady V-Max's.  Mumble, grumble, belch.

I figure to reload this round on the Dillon & that means I'd like to stay with the ball powders if possible.  For those of you who are contemplating reloading anything on a Dillon press, I'l strongly suggest using the Dillon dies.  The radius'd mouth makes all the difference in smooth ease of use.

So, it's obvious that the first load I'm gonna try is the 40 gr V-Max in front of 748.  Now all I have to do is score the rifle.

900F