Load data for 69 gr TMK

[ginger]

I just got some Sierra .223 69 grain Tipped Matchking bullets in and was looking for load data. Not much info to be found. Some say to use original matchking data, but the difference in bullet length makes me leery of that. Anyone have any data on this bullet? Any help is appreciated!

 

[NyleRN]

Your max coal will be always be 2.26 with a .223 unless you want to hand feed regardless of bullet length. Just start at lowest charge with your powder and work your way up till the gun prints a promising group all the while watching for signs of over pressure

 

[ginger]

I just didn't know if someone had something they were using that I could go off of so I'm not wasting time and effort. Thanks though!

 

[GIJEW]

Given that YMMV with any load in YOUR rifle, it's always worth doing your own load development. I would guess that load data for a 69gr. SMK would give you a reasonably close starting point. Obviously you'd step back from maximum, but just how much longer is the TMK than the SMK? Worst case, call Sierra

 

[NyleRN]

Do you have a manual OP? And what powder you using? I load 69gr SMK's in front of varget. I know starting load for that bullet with varget is 24gr and max is 26 which is a compressed load. My Rainier Arms match barrel is showing that it likes 25gr as it prints .6 moa 3 shot group at 110yds. I'm still on minimum coal of 2.235" and will doing a ladder test using that 25gr. I've just started my load development on this barrel

 

[ginger]

Yea, I've got Nosler, Hornady, and Lyman manuals. I've got varget, benchmark, H335, CFE223, W748, IMR8208, and RL15. Would basing my starting load off 69gr Nosler CC be alright? Never loaded anything without hard data on that bullet.

 

[NyleRN]

Yea, I've got Nosler, Hornady, and Lyman manuals. I've got varget, benchmark, H335, CFE223, W748, IMR8208, and RL15. Would basing my starting load off 69gr Nosler CC be alright? Never loaded anything without hard data on that bullet.

That's up to you. Personally I'm not sure if I'd load up a bullet/powder combo if there's not any hard data out for it. My suggestion is to start with a bullet and powder that has hard data. Just use the TMK's and varget and load em up based off SMK's. Varget is not temperature sensitive. What are you wanting to achieve with these loads? Precision or plinking?

 

[ginger]

Precision and for coyote hunting. Not really satisfied with the 200+ yard accuracy out of the 55gr Nosler Btips I'm using right now. I was unaware Varget was not temperature sensitive. Ill start with 24grs of Varget with an OAL of 2.26. Hodgdon lists that weight as starting for the SMK with OAL of 2.235.

 

[Leo]

I have shot a lot of 69 Sierras over Varget and Re 15. Both work great at 200 and 300 yards. They always shoot best at near max powder charges, is several different barrels. good luck

 

[trophyhunter]

I have shot a lot of 69 Sierras over Varget and Re 15. Both work great at 200 and 300 yards. They always shoot best at near max powder charges, is several different barrels. good luck

Times 2, I hunt with the Sierra 69's and you have to work them up to max or pretty close to get them consistent. I've got three tested loads in my "bible" for use in 20" AR's using a COL of 2.250 and 24 grains of Varget, 23.5 grains of AA #2230 and 23 grains of H335.

The Varget and H335 average just over 2800 fps and the AA #2230 load averages 30 fps slower than the other two but groups the best of the three.

 

[SSGSAD]

Times 2, I hunt with the Sierra 69's and you have to work them up to max or pretty close to get them consistent. I've got three tested loads in my "bible" for use in 20" AR's using a COL of 2.250 and 24 grains of Varget, 23.5 grains of AA #2230 and 23 grains of H335.

The Varget and H335 average just over 2800 fps and the AA #2230 load averages 30 fps slower than the other two but groups the best of the three.

I use the AA 2230, and it works great for me ..... Load, test, check, and load again.....

Over 30 years ago, you COULD go just by weight of bullet, but now with so many different shapes, start LOW, and work up .....


SAFETY FIRST ..... do NOT risk Life, limb, or your weapon .....

 

[ginger]

Thank you guys! Working on loading 23.5 to 24.5 grains of Varget right now. I'll try H335 too since I have more of it than anything else.

 

[trophyhunter]

Thank you guys! Working on loading 23.5 to 24.5 grains of Varget right now. I'll try H335 too since I have more of it than anything else.

What's the barrel length and COL you're using? I'll run some QL data for you on those loads.

 

[NyleRN]

Times 2, I hunt with the Sierra 69's and you have to work them up to max or pretty close to get them consistent. I've got three tested loads in my "bible" for use in 20" AR's using a COL of 2.250 and 24 grains of Varget, 23.5 grains of AA #2230 and 23 grains of H335. Varget and H335 average just over 2800 fps and the AA #2230 load averages 30 fps slower than the other two but groups the best of the three.

24gr of Varget with 69gr SMK's is not hot nor is it near max load. It's actually the starting charge. I ran three rounds of SMK's with 25.3gr of Varget, which sierra claims as their accuracy load. Well, that group opened up to almost 1 moa whereas the 25gr grouped 0.6 moa. Just shows that every barrel is different

 

[sgreen3]

When working up a load your best to stick with a certain powder till you know that's going to be the powder for you or not. Jumping back n forth between powders as well as charge weights really tells you nothing for a certain load. Pick a powder and a bullet you like and load according across the powder charges. I normally start in .05gr increments then load three rounds each of each powder weights, then find the two or three groups that print well then fine tune those loads for OAL and charge weight. Fully work up a load until a powder is deemed not able to be used then move on to something else. Running a ladder test on a given powder and projectile combination will end up yielding the best overall results.

 

[ginger]

What's the barrel length and COL you're using? I'll run some QL data for you on those loads.

Barrel length is 20'. COL is 2.26

The TMK is longer than the SMK, which is why I'm using the starting loads for SMK. I've loaded 23.5-24.5 in .1 increments and will do the same type of ladder for H335. If results with H335 are close, I'll probably use it because it's cheaper and my LGS doesn't limit it.

 

[trophyhunter]

Barrel length is 20'. COL is 2.26

The TMK is longer than the SMK, which is why I'm using the starting loads for SMK. I've loaded 23.5-24.5 in .1 increments and will do the same type of ladder for H335. If results with H335 are close, I'll probably use it because it's cheaper and my LGS doesn't limit it.

What is the length on that bullet? I can plug that into the QL software for you with the rest of the variables, that always makes a difference in pressure with a longer bullet.

 

[ginger]

What is the length on that bullet? I can plug that into the QL software for you with the rest of the variables, that always makes a difference in pressure with a longer bullet.

I've got .982"

 

[trophyhunter]

I've got .982"

Wow, my notes show the regular SMK at .898 that is quite a difference. I'll run some spreadsheets for you on the TMK and post them in just a few mins.

 

[trophyhunter]

Here's the numbers starting with H335, that longer TMK builds pressure fast to the 55K psi Sammi ceiling I corrected the bullet length to .982" to run calculations for these:

Cartridge          : .223 Rem. (SAAMI)Bullet             : .224, 69, Sierra HPBT MatchK 1380
Useable Case Capaci: 24.281 grain H2O = 1.577 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.260 inch = 57.40 mm
Barrel Length      : 20.0 inch = 508.0 mm
Powder             : Hodgdon H335


Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !


Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms


-20.0   75    18.40   2289     803   28703   6540     89.9    1.285
-18.0   77    18.86   2344     842   30612   6744     91.1    1.251
-16.0   79    19.32   2400     882   32652   6942     92.3    1.216
-14.0   81    19.78   2455     924   34832   7132     93.3    1.184
-12.0   83    20.24   2511     966   37161   7315     94.3    1.152
-10.0   85    20.70   2566    1009   39653   7489     95.3    1.118
-08.0   87    21.16   2622    1053   42320   7655     96.1    1.086
-06.0   88    21.62   2677    1098   45177   7810     96.9    1.055
-04.0   90    22.08   2732    1143   48241   7955     97.6    1.025  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0   92    22.54   2787    1190   51510   8089     98.2    0.996  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0   94    23.00   2842    1237   54990   8210     98.7    0.968

Cartridge          : .223 Rem. (SAAMI)Bullet             : .224, 69, Sierra HPBT MatchK 1380
Useable Case Capaci: 24.281 grain H2O = 1.577 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.260 inch = 57.40 mm
Barrel Length      : 20.0 inch = 508.0 mm
Powder             : Hodgdon VARGET


Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !


Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms


-20.0   87    18.88   2232     763   28386   6211     81.8    1.293
-18.0   89    19.35   2287     802   30276   6431     83.2    1.258
-16.0   92    19.82   2343     841   32295   6649     84.6    1.224
-14.0   94    20.30   2400     882   34456   6864     85.9    1.191
-12.0   96    20.77   2456     924   36767   7074     87.2    1.159
-10.0   98    21.24   2513     968   39241   7280     88.4    1.124
-08.0  100    21.71   2570    1012   41895   7481     89.6    1.091
-06.0  102    22.18   2627    1058   44741   7675     90.7    1.059
-04.0  105    22.66   2685    1104   47796   7863     91.8    1.028  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0  107    23.13   2743    1152   51083   8044     92.8    0.999  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  109    23.60   2801    1202   54621   8216     93.7    0.970

Cartridge          : .223 Rem. (SAAMI)Bullet             : .224, 69, Sierra HPBT MatchK 1380
Useable Case Capaci: 24.281 grain H2O = 1.577 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.260 inch = 57.40 mm
Barrel Length      : 20.0 inch = 508.0 mm
Powder             : Hodgdon CFE223


Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !


Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms


-20.0   81    20.16   2258     781   27527   6638     82.1    1.297
-18.0   83    20.66   2318     823   29433   6885     83.7    1.261
-16.0   85    21.17   2378     866   31481   7129     85.2    1.226
-14.0   87    21.67   2439     911   33681   7367     86.7    1.192
-12.0   89    22.18   2500     957   36050   7598     88.1    1.159
-10.0   91    22.68   2561    1005   38601   7823     89.5    1.124
-08.0   93    23.18   2623    1054   41354   8039     90.8    1.089
-06.0   95    23.69   2685    1105   44327   8246     92.0    1.055
-04.0   97    24.19   2748    1157   47540   8442     93.2    1.022  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0   99    24.70   2811    1210   51018   8627     94.3    0.990  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  101    25.20   2874    1265   54795   8799     95.2    0.960