.223 Target Load for 1:9 CMP gun???

dcmdon

dcmdon

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Hi All,

I'm going to be competing in the Eastern Mass High Power Rifle League, beginning in 3 weeks. I'm out of a bunch of target loads I made a couple of years ago with Varget and some 62 gr bullets.

I've got to make some new rounds up and thought I'd get some input on recipes that work for you. I'm not going to have time to work something up through trial and error. So I'm hoping to get close on my first or second pass, then make enough to get me through the 3 weeks competitions.

I keep reminding myself that this is an offhand match. So we aren't talking about a need for .25 MOA accuracy. I'll be lucky if I'm shooting 5 moa myself

I'm open to using any weight bullet. Although this is only a 200 yard match. So high BC and crosswind busting qualities are not really an issue.

I have 16# or Ramshot TAC powder, although I'd be open to buying a couple of lbs for just this event.

Don
 
I run hornady 55 grain FMJ with24 grains H335/W844 for 200 yrd CMP Mondern military match out of my 20" A2 1/9 twist. It shoot 1.5moa with out trying very hard.
I am having a good day if I hold the 8 ring or better standing.
For my National Match service rifle almost any decent bullet and 2X grains of the ommon powders will deliver better than I can hold?

I tried TAC over the summer out of both guns. with some 60 grain sierra varmint bullets. I also ran some 75 grain hornady match with 24 grains of TAC? It did ok off the bench but so far its just hard to beat Varget or RL15 for me. Im giving IMR8028 XBR a run
 
Don: I'm not of much help since I don't shoot this caliber anymore, but when I did have a Winchester Heavy Varmint, I found W748 to be decent with the generic 55gr FMJ bullets. I think the HV had a 1:7 barrel.
 
dcmdon said:
Thanks guys.

I have some 69gr SMKs on hand. Any thoughts on this use with a 1:9?

I am certainly open to buying some hornady 55s. Since they are very reasonably priced.

Don
Click to expand...

My rock river arms A2 1/9 regular old barrel will shoot 77s down to 1.25" groups off the bench with 24 grains of Varget. Im not sure if the groups would get better with more careful loadings? I just have a good amount of 77s and varget loaded up for my NM rifle so I use it when Im to lazy to load anything else. So the 69s should do ok?
 
Here are my go-to loads:

Best groups w/ Nosler 77 gr Match
22.6 gr Benchmark, 2.267" OAL in a Compass Lake chamber
Norma brass, CCI primers
consistent .3 MOA or better from the bench, Windham VEX.
Less than 1 MOA prone with irons, 100 yards, in my Krieger barrel service rifle. NOT match conditions, LOL.

2nd best groups w/ 69 SMK's or Nosler Match 69
23.0 gr Benchmark
Same brass, OAL, primers
easy .5 MOA from the bench


I think the 69 grain bullets will be good in your 1:9 and more stable than lighter bullets plus better drag coefficient for 200 yards. I think the Varget is potentially as accurate as the Benchmark but I have found the smaller grain size of the Benchmark to be much easier to meter accurately. I use Varget in my Garand and 1903.
 
I have a recipe for 69's that I loaded for a Super Bowl Sunday match but didn't shoot. 23.5-24 grs of AA 2460 with a Remington 7 1/2 primer. Mine are loaded at 24 grains . Check out the (info) reloading page on White Oak Precision's web-site and you'll see it.

My go to load is 77 grain SMK, 23.8 grains of Varget, AR Match small rifle primer (or regular match primer). This load has proven itself in both 1-6.5 and 1-7.7 barrels.

Another load which works for me is the 77 grain SMK's, 22.8 grain Accurate 2460, CCI 450 Mag primers. Chronographed pretty much the same as the 77 SMK Varget load but feels really soft.

Any other questions or needs, ask...
 
Thanks all.

Highscore - I'm guessing that a 77 gr is unnecessary since I've got 68s and the match is only 200 yards.

How far do you shoot the 77 gr bullets?

Eddie, I'll send you my address. I'm confused though about what you are offering to send me? Are the Hornady's you are talking about the ones they sell in bulk?

Don
 
dcmdon said:
Thanks all.

Highscore - I'm guessing that a 77 gr is unnecessary since I've got 68s and the match is only 200 yards.

How far do you shoot the 77 gr bullets?

Eddie, I'll send you my address. I'm confused though about what you are offering to send me? Are the Hornady's you are talking about the ones they sell in bulk?

Don
Click to expand...

I shot 77 SMKs (and later 77 Nosler Custom Comp) at 200 and 300 when I was still shooting service rifle, mainly just because I wanted to keep the different loads to a minimum. The 69 SMKs shot pretty much the same at 200 but the 77s seemed to group slightly better at 300 so I standardized on 77s.

Honestly for 200 yards on an SR target it almost doesn't matter. I shot a ton of the cheap Hornady 55 grain bullets over 748 for offhand practice between matches and they were all pretty much on call.
 
dcmdon said:
Thanks all.

Highscore - I'm guessing that a 77 gr is unnecessary since I've got 68s and the match is only 200 yards.

How far do you shoot the 77 gr bullets?

Eddie, I'll send you my address. I'm confused though about what you are offering to send me? Are the Hornady's you are talking about the ones they sell in bulk?

Don
Click to expand...

Yes they are. I'll send you some if you'd like to try them out.
 
The 55gr hornady bulk are dirt cheap and will shoot sub MOA from a good rifle.

The 68-69gr are the most accurate i've tested in 1:9.

1:7 seem to like 73-77gr best.
 
My most accurate 69gr. Smk load is 24.1 of cfe223 I have consistently shot 1/2 moa at 100yds. Its probably the cleanest powder ive ever used in the 556/223
 
dcmdon said:
Thanks all.

Highscore - I'm guessing that a 77 gr is unnecessary since I've got 68s and the match is only 200 yards.

How far do you shoot the 77 gr bullets?

Eddie, I'll send you my address. I'm confused though about what you are offering to send me? Are the Hornady's you are talking about the ones they sell in bulk?

Don
Click to expand...
77's are shot up to 300 yards. The loads must be good as even I have cleaned a number of targets at 300 with both of them. Others shoot them up to 600 yards. Shooting 77's for 200 and 300 yards and 80's for 600 just makes things easier. I used to shoot a lot and adding another load into the mix wasn't something I was willing to do. I find something I completely trust and stick with it.
 
I'm not shooting HP, but I've had great results using the 55gr Hornady bulk. Buying them in 5k/6k boxes you can find them very cheap. Sub MOA.
 
dcmdon said:
Thanks guys.

I have some 69gr SMKs on hand. Any thoughts on this use with a 1:9?

I am certainly open to buying some hornady 55s. Since they are very reasonably priced.

Don
Click to expand...

24.5 varget does well behind those(69smk) for me in both my 1:9 bolt gun and 1:7 AR. sub moa at 1 and 200 yards.
 
With the 69 SMKs and nosler CCs, what worked well for me was 24.0 of RE-15. I metered it with probably +- 0.2 grains because its this stick powder but it worked well for iron sights to 200+ yards.

For precision shooting with magnification what worked well was 24.2-24.4 of varget. The sierra accuracy load is 24.3. You can probably get away with metering this too.

These were out of 1:8 twist rate barrels so ymmv.
 
1919FAN said:
My most accurate 69gr. Smk load is 24.1 of cfe223 I have consistently shot 1/2 moa at 100yds. Its probably the cleanest powder ive ever used in the 556/223
Click to expand...

CFE223 works well with heavier bullets.

With 55gr you have to load it hot or it gets sooty, at least in my 16" guns.
 

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