.223 varmit loads...

[Ring]

the load i use is a moly coat Vmax 40g with 28g of 748

this is excelant out to 200yards, but i think its lacking at 300+

im thinking of switching to the 60g Vmax, do any of you use that? how does it shoot?
how is its terminal effects?

ALSO HAS ANYONE USED THE Hornady 75g A-Max Bullets for this?

[ 10-25-2004: Message edited by: Ring ]

 

[brian b]

Ring,
just something to try,I use a 223 quite a bit and have found the 40grainers to work well out to pushing 500 yards,you can get an extra 200fps or more by switching from 748 to n133,benchmark,or RL10x .not the best for coyotes but works awesome for rockchucks and smaller.
The 75 a-max's are great but dont do much damage at long range at 223 velocities,but with a 22-250 Ack Imp they are devastating,if you shoot these bullets you need to know what twist your barrel is because you need to have a 1-9" or faster to shoot the 75's.
If you have a chronograph try one of the three powders I mentioned and work up slow and I'llbet you find a safe load that shoots some where around 3800 to 3900fps,with the load you are using of 748 you are probably only shooting at around 3500fps. dont give up on the bullet yet try another powder!!!!
B

 

[Steve Douglass]

Ring, I can definately attest the the inaccuracy of a heavier bullet in the wrong barrel. Going to a 68 or 69 Gn from a 55 gn makes a considerable diff. I might even say the break point would be in the mid to high 5o gns. Even a my 1:10 didn't handle a 68 gn match but, does handle a 55 gn very well. Just sharing!

--------------------------------------------

Experience the best, Judge the rest!!

Steve

 

[milanuk]

The 60gr V-Max should be an improvement over the 40gr pills you are using now in terms of wind deflection and retained energy at distance, assuming you can push them fast enough. I can easily push a 55gr fast enough to do so, at according to the computer. Reality... may or may not see an actual improvement in 'smack' on the critter; I'd say you would probably have to field test to see if it provides enough benefit to overcome the somewhat initially flatter trajectory of the 40gr bullets. YMMV.

Monte

 

[Guest]

Ring
I use an Imp version of the .222Rem which is very similar to the 223.
I used 40VMax for about 1000rds on rabbits and have now switched to the 55VMax.
The 40gr @ 3950 cut them to pieces aout to about 180yds and then terminal performance washed off noticeably as they shed velocity very quickly due to the low BC and wind is a major factor.
I run the 55gr at 3450 fps and they are much beter in the wind and I feel confident with them for about another 100yds or so over the 40gr. They hit hard with an audible "Smack" on small targets such as crows out to at least 250yds.
I think this weight is about the max we can push in this size cartridge on varmints.
APB

 

[Ring]

@ 28g of 748 i get about 2600fps.. all my 223 guns are 1in9 twist..

i can bump it to 29g but they dont seem as accurate.

i use 748 because i have like 8lb's or more of it laying around..


this is my main varmit gun

i can find any load data on the 75 amax... and 1 have a link?

 

[gonehuntingagain]

Sweet can on the end of that thing!

I have shot rockchucks with the 75 gr v-max (can't remember if it was 200 or 300 yards) out of my AR15. The chucks died, but didn't explode like when I use the Calhoon 42gr DHP or 52gr DHP.

I found a load in a magazine a few years ago for the 77gr Sierra HPBT using Win748, starting load was 22gr, max 24.4gr, velocity 2736fps. This should get you in the ballpark.

[ 10-26-2004: Message edited by: gonehuntingagain ]

 

[4ked Horn]

If it was the big golden grandpa and grandma chucks in the south hills on our last trip they were at 300 - 315. You hit another one at about 200 that you and tanner walked out on and took pictures of. That was the one with the "deflated canoe" shaped cranium.

(All three were just lucky shots if you ask me.

)

[ 10-26-2004: Message edited by: 4ked Horn ]

 

[gonehuntingagain]

Man, your memory is getting shorter by the minute. The "deflated" chuck was at 150 yards using the 308 with a 125 TNT - it only gave us a head shot while hiding on that rock. I used the 75's on the chucks that were on the big rock face on our way back to your vehicle....Seems like they were way out there since I was having trouble finding them with the scope on 16 power. The huge grandpa chucks were hit with the 52 gr Calhoons.