Trying to get my .223 to shoot

[yobuck]

I decided I wanted a .223 for my practice rifle as it is relatively expensive to shoot. Want to use to 600 yards with heavier bullets. I had a rifle built for this. Trued Rem 700, 1-8 Brux barrel #3 26", Greybull Precision stock, timney trigger and bottom metal from Legacy Sports. I was told to look no further than Varget for powder so I bought 8lbs. Working with 80 gr Amax and 77 gr Sierra HPBT. Working best with 24 to 25 gr of Varget but will not even shoot to 1 moa so far, 112 rounds down the tube and I am getting frustrated. Mag length is not issue as I have to 2.8" there. Does anybody have some new ideas for me? Powders or bullets or any little tricks. I thought this would be a 1/2 minute with not problem.

I decided I wanted a .223 for my practice rifle as it is relatively expensive to shoot. Want to use to 600 yards with heavier bullets. I had a rifle built for this. Trued Rem 700, 1-8 Brux barrel #3 26", Greybull Precision stock, timney trigger and bottom metal from Legacy Sports. I was told to look no further than Varget for powder so I bought 8lbs. Working with 80 gr Amax and 77 gr Sierra HPBT. Working best with 24 to 25 gr of Varget but will not even shoot to 1 moa so far, 112 rounds down the tube and I am getting frustrated. Mag length is not issue as I have to 2.8" there. Does anybody have some new ideas for me? Powders or bullets or any little tricks. I thought this would be a 1/2 minute with not problem.

Well you could try to threaten it by saying your going to put it in the safe till it learns to like what you have prepared for it. lol
Personally, i don't really care all that much about 100 yd groups with guns i intend using for longer shooting anyway. If you haven't already, id be seeing how well it does at much longer distances,
before pushing the panic button.

 

[CanardNoir]

.... 9 times out of 10, I find the weakest link is the shooter, not the rifle, the scope, the load, or even the conditions...

Amen.

 

[Gary Griswold]

Try cfe, bench mark, brx,H335 and load 3 rounds of each powder at the middle of the road charge, then see which one groups the best. then work up load from min to max charge to shoot for groups 3-5 shoots whatever you like. See witch powder charge works best for you. You may have to test at 200 yards because the bullet might not be stabilized yet.

 

[CanardNoir]

I should add that I am using Lapua brass and working with velocities in the 2900 to 2980 range. No pressure issues.

Back up the MV closer to 2750 fps - first. Then progress with 5-shot/0.2 gr loading increases to establish you ballistic profile for MOA accuracy. Accuracy - with few exceptions - generally declines as MV increases...

Eliminate and/or fix - just one variable at a time and you'll find your rifle's sweet spot much quicker.

 

[Rusty54]

Try cfe, bench mark, brx,H335 and load 3 rounds of each powder at the middle of the road charge, then see which one groups the best. then work up load from min to max charge to shoot for groups 3-5 shoots whatever you like. See witch powder charge works best for you. You may have to test at 200 yards because the bullet might not be stabilized yet.

 

[skipglo]

.223 can be the toughest! Read the box of bullets you are going to reload. Each load is Spin/ twist specific to the barrel you are using.....a lit of loads won't stabilize on various twist rates!

 

[skipglo]

.223 can be the toughest! Read the box of bullets you are going to reload. Each load is Spin/ twist specific to the barrel you are using.....a lot of loads won't stabilize on various twist rates!

 

[skipglo]

I decided I wanted a .223 for my practice rifle as it is relatively expensive to shoot. Want to use to 600 yards with heavier bullets. I had a rifle built for this. Trued Rem 700, 1-8 Brux barrel #3 26", Greybull Precision stock, timney trigger and bottom metal from Legacy Sports. I was told to look no further than Varget for powder so I bought 8lbs. Working with 80 gr Amax and 77 gr Sierra HPBT. Working best with 24 to 25 gr of Varget but will not even shoot to 1 moa so far, 112 rounds down the tube and I am getting frustrated. Mag length is not issue as I have to 2.8" there. Does anybody have some new ideas for me? Powders or bullets or any little tricks. I thought this would be a 1/2 minute with not problem.

Also magazine length only means the bullet fits the mag....it has nothing to do with critical seating depth for the load

 

[Rusty54]

Gary Ive read all the other replies to your question. Unfortunately, and this thread isn't unique, they put the cart before the horse. What most reloaders are not realizing is that your brass cartridges must be uniformed and properly cleaned to be able to use them to work up a uniformly accurate load. To do this I turn the necks on all my brass, regardless of the brand, make sure flash holes are at least at minimum dia., Case length cut uniformly, all cases sorted by weight in lots not varying by more than 2.0grain and by mfg. The powders I use to compete with the 5.56 are primarily IMR4064 and IMR4895, there are other powders that are just as good" I've used many of them. You don't need heavy bullets to compete at 200yds either, save the heavys for longer distance. Just remember the casing is the foundation of your load! Look up David Tubbs on You Tube. The best tutorial I have seen yet!

 

[snowpro440]

25.2 varget CCI 450 69gr SMK right in against the lands , that is all it takes .

 

[ScottH]

I am a slow learner and would always **** near wear a barrel out tuning loads and shooting groups. I don't have that kind of time any more. I would also rather spend my time shooting steal than punching paper. I always have at least 2 powder choices and bullet choices to look at. I personally jump mine .010. I'm not chasing the lands and changing bullet seating every 500 rounds. My 223's are practice rifles. They shoot better than 1/4" plenty good for banging steal. Sure I like to drive them in the same hole. If they shoot better than 1/2" with no vertical and the SD is suitable good enough. A custom rifle should shoot better than 1 moa. Some barrels just hate certain bullets or certain powders. There are several good powders and bullets mentioned. Varget being one of the best in my opinion. Just try a few different bullets first. If no luck try the same bullets and a different powder.

 

[longrangehunterII]

The gun will either like the bullet/powder combination and seating depth or not. So get down to basic load developing work and start with finding the lands with each different bullet and start .010"-.015" off and work up to the expected velocity.

Every .223/5.56 I've had to deal with all liked a different combination of bullet, and powder. My bolt Mil-Spec .223 likes VarGet in Lapua brass w/the 73 gr. Burger BTHP, my two gas guns, the MK12 likes RL15, and the 77 gr. SMK, the M4 H335 and the 77 SMK, another gas gun I know longer own liked the 69 SMK, and VV N133, etc.

You'll need to just try the usual known bullet/powder combos and see what works I'd say. Sometimes things take time, and a little work to come together. Guns can be Finicky......

 

[swarbt119]

I shoot 69gr Sierra Matchkings with 8208XBR, great results.

 

[Robertmreese]

When i was shooting service rifle, my standard load was 24.5 gr Varget with Sierra 77s (moly) in Winchester and WCC headstamped cases. it was a great shooter at our 200 yard course. During development, using a rest and bags i had several 10 round groups below .750 at 100 (iron sights, no wind). I also used it the few times i was able to shoot 600, and it did well. Second the recommendation above to prep your brass: i selected cases within a few grains of each other, with minimal neck thickness variation, and all were treated to flash hole reaming and primer pocket uniforming.

Hope this helps: i have always been able to get Varget to run well for me with multiple bullets. Berger 73, Hornady 75, etc.

Good luck