.223, 68 grain Hornady HPBT with Varget powder

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  • jhart

    Plinker
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    Mar 17, 2010
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    greenwood
    so I sat down to load up some test rounds of varget for this weekends match. All the research I could find suggested a 24.5 grain load. And hodgon load data from there site says I should start at 24 grains and max at 26 grains. 26 grains is listed as a compressed load. they suggest a cartrige oal of 2.235 with the 68 grainers. Which is even shorter than I am seating them. I am seating them to 2.250

    My question is I started loading them up at 24.4 grains tried 5 diffrent head stamp cases all labeled as .223 cases. When I put 24.4 grains of powder and after tapping round to seat powder when I measure down in the throat its about .3" from top of case to top of powder. I am seating the rounds to an oal length of 2.250 which would give me about .480 of the round inside the case. With only .3" of open space.

    Would that make 24.4 a compressed charge? The rounds seat easily but I can't hear the powder when I shake them.

    or am I confused on what constitutes a compressed charge. Im Just wondering if this load data was based on the sierra 69 grain rounds which actually measure .1" shorter than the hornady.
     

    Broom_jm

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    Dec 10, 2009
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    That's a mildly compressed charge. Surprised it goes up to 26 grains, but Varget is on the slow side of suitable for 223.
     

    Leo

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    The compressed load is normal. I have shot literally multiple 1000's of them since 1996. You will like 24.5 Varget under a 69 Sierra. 2.250" is a normal OAL.

    It was a little unnerving to hear that powder crunch at first, but it is perfectly fine with Varget.
     

    jhart

    Plinker
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    Mar 17, 2010
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    greenwood
    well I'm sold varget wins and will be the powder I use this year. Even with the wind blowing 20-30mph today and me cold while shooting. It was producing some of the tighest groups this barrel has produced. So I bought a couple more pounds of it while I was there. don't mind the center or bottom right was re-adjusting the scope. Again thanks for all the help
    View attachment 53771
     

    natdscott

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    Varget is fine. If it bridges, you need a longer drop tube. If it feel compressed, you need a longer drop tube.

    :):

    -Nate
     

    jhart

    Plinker
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    Mar 17, 2010
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    greenwood
    You might be able to do better than that. Have you performed a ladder test? What charge was that?

    Not yet. I only loaded up about 20 rds to test. All were 24.5 grains. I probably will do that next weekend. But for the match this weekend It was looking better then I was getting from the Tac. And a lot of the groping today was me being cold and I had to have a metal shaving dug out of my eye so vision was a little blurry. I'm sure It will be a whole lot better when I can see better. Hazards of being a machinist lol.
     
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    Nov 23, 2008
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    Mishawaka
    I bought a box of the same bullets to use with Varget for my 700 PSS 223. I loaded a ladder test from 24.0 to 25.4 in .2 increments. I have yet to go shoot them but will report back when I get out there. I plan on using a chrono so I can monitor the results.
     

    natdscott

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    I plan on using a chrono so I can monitor the results.

    A chronograph doesn't tell you anything about results. Only perforations show results.

    I'm not trolling you, I'm trying to make sure your focus is in the right place with your loads.

    -Nate
     

    NyleRN

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    Dec 14, 2013
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    Scottsburg
    25gr of Varget with the 69gr sierra match is the sweet spot in my rifles. You'd be amazed at what just .3/grain makes in group size.
     
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    A chronograph doesn't tell you anything about results. Only perforations show results.

    I'm not trolling you, I'm trying to make sure your focus is in the right place with your loads.

    -Nate

    I honestly appreciate your concerns but if you use a chrono long enough you will see the results on paper always match the report being given by the chrono for consistency of the ES & SD. Also always know your expected velocity and it will tell you if your getting too close to your max pressures.
     

    natdscott

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    Speeds and their consistency tell you nothing concrete about how the loads will group except some insight into vertical spread (and even that is not always true, if the load is well-tuned). Yes, certain barrel profiles and lengths can be said to tune in a generally consistent velocity ranges to produce vertical compenstion and low horizontal dispersion, but barrel-to-barrel variance will still wash that all to pieces...

    Speed only tells you speed.

    It says nothing about pressure that can be relied upon.

    But hey, this guy is just doing work that has been done probably 1 Billion times over:

    http://precision.whiteoakarmament.com/info-reloading.html

    http://www.radomski.us/njhp/cart_tech.htm


    -Nate
     

    Leo

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    Mar 3, 2011
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    That 69 grain MatchKing (or 68 Hornady) will perform well over a stout charge of Varget, REloader 15, 8208XBR, 4895 and a few other powders that fill the case. A good bullet in a good barrel makes good results on the targets. If you don't have those two elements first, no amount of powder tweeking will print good results on your target.
     
    Last edited:

    sloughfoot

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    I was never worried about my match ammo until I got my first chronograph and saw the numbers. Somehow I had managed to shoot 20 years of high X count groups with large ES and SD.

    That infernal machine is still gathering dust in the basement.
     

    Leo

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    I was never worried about my match ammo until I got my first chronograph and saw the numbers. Somehow I had managed to shoot 20 years of high X count groups with large ES and SD.��

    That infernal machine is still gathering dust in the basement.

    That is true, for most shooters, reasonable quality, modern ammo will take them in the winners circle if they develop their personal skills. You do have to agree, wide velocity deviations come into play on the 600 yard target, and will ruin a score on the 800-900-1000 yard Palma target.

    I learned to relax a little with my across the course ammo after buying a couple boxes of Federal Gold Medal Match. I carefully measured and took apart a dozen or so. Their powder charges were +/- .3 grains and their total bullet/case run out was over .010". My loads were already 3 times better on those specs. the benefit was the knowledge that if I did not shoot a 10 X clean, it was not the fault of the ammo.
     
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    sloughfoot

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    True about long range, but even so I have dropped far more points due to wind rather than elevation.

    In the realm where the 68/69 bullet rules, I don't think ES or SD matter much. But we are all careful reloaders.
     

    Clay Pigeon

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    I bought a box of the same bullets to use with Varget for my 700 PSS 223. I loaded a ladder test from 24.0 to 25.4 in .2 increments. I have yet to go shoot them but will report back when I get out there. I plan on using a chrono so I can monitor the results.

    I'm curious to see the results of that 69 grainer in your PSS.
    My PSS a 1" in 12" will not shoot over a 60 grain bullet without tumbling 30 to 50 yards down range.
     
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    Nov 23, 2008
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    Mishawaka
    Very odd that yours is a 1 in 12. Mine is a 1 in 9 with a 26" barrel. I wasn't aware that Remington made them in different twists.

    EDIT: After doing a google search Remington did indeed do different twist rates on the Police model 223. Learn something every day I suppose.
     
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