I looking to load 77gr smk's over varget in Hornady 223 cases. I'm not really finding anything but ar-15 loads which are pretty slow. Any info would be appreciated as far as starting and Max loads. Thanks Brent
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25.6g of Varget is real nice out of my 26 inch bolt gun. 2970 FPS and shoot .3-.4 with 77 TMK or 75 ELD.. it's on the warm side so work up.
Uh 25.6g is a very hot load with a 75 ELDM. I've done 75 ELDM/ Varget load development testing foe a 26" .223 barrel review with 4 barrels. Started see pressure at 25g with all the barrels and was over 3070...All 26" barrels from Criterion, Shilen, MW.
73 ELD with 23.6 8208 at 2.260” is a very nice load. .5 moa and 2900 FPS from my 24” Tikka and single digit SD. And they run in an AR. I think overall it is THE load for the 223 given the cost vs benefit.
Then you have 75 ELD and 80 SMK and Varget and H4895. Of those the SMK and H4895 is the best combo. I’m getting 2900 FPS .010” Off the lands with 24.1grs and single digit SD.
The 75 ELD is a pain in the ass. The nose is too skinny and the seater stem mangles it during seating unless I make the necks super soft. I get 30 more FPS out of them but it’s not worth it. They’re too long for the 1-8” twist anyway so in the end they don’t have any advantage other than in price.
There is nothing wrong with the 75 ELD. You simply don't have the proper seating stem for them. They also will stabilize fine in a 1:8" twist. They shoot great, have an awesome B.C., expand well on varmints, and are cheap.
I do have a proper seating stem. It works for every other bullet properly. The ELD is too long for 1-8” twist. If you try Berger’s Bullet Stability Calculator you’ll see that it’s awesome BC is not so awesome when fired out of a 1-8”. While I get excellent accuracy from them, the benefit is not worth the effort.
Your assessment is over the top. The BC is reduced from .460 to .420 in a 1-8” barrel.
Your assessment is over the top. The BC is reduced from .460 to .420 in a 1-8” barrel.
I shoot these bullets out of standard length barrels at reasonable pressures and velocities at sea level. I get 2800-2900 FPS not 3100 out of some 32” space gun. If you call Hornady they will confirm that their listed BC is based on optimum twist. But you know better.
I shoot these bullets out of standard length barrels at reasonable pressures and velocities at sea level. I get 2800-2900 FPS not 3100 out of some 32” space gun. If you call Hornady they will confirm that their listed BC is based on optimum twist. But you know better.
We arent talking about 32" space guns, were talking about 26" 1:8 "Standard length" barrels. I also dont care what numbers you come up with or who told who what. Real world data trumps all.
I'm at 2900 with a 75 HBTHP and 24 grs of H4895, mag length in 24" Tikka Varmint 1n8. If I could get flour to ignite and put a rock in front of it, the tikka would group it.
I did load development with the 75eld and working up as you plan on doing and found 24.4gr of varget was my most accurate node at 100 yards. Even though it was a node and grouped the best at 100 yards it still grouped like shit at 100 yards. I was about to abandon the 75gr ELD until I took it out to 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000 yards. It was dependable and amazingly consistent at the long ranges.I had been shooting 24.4gr of Varget with the HDY 75gr HPBT-Match without having done any load development during a time crunch prior to the Berger LR Nationals last February,
While accurate enough for 9's and 10's at 600yd in F T/R, I finally got a chance to accuracy test the load., and found it to be less than ideal (>1MOA at 100yd). The load was being used as a generic load for both the Stag Model 6 Super Varminter (24" 1:8"), and the Savage 11VT (24" 1:9", hence the HBPT-M instead of the A-Max). I am set up to do load development testing with 6 increments ranging from 24.0gr to 25.0gr of Varget and the 75gr HPBT-M on my next range session, in the Stag Model 6. Once a preference is found it will be further accuracy tested in the other Stag Model 6 and the Savage 11VT, with reportable results expected soon thereafter.
The 24.4gr load showed no undue pressure signs.
Greg
Any thoughts or experience on the 75 eld out of a factory 700 1-9 20"?
I was having nasty SD and ES issues with 24 Varget and 77 SMKs. I tried today with 24.3, 24.6. And 25 grains (all above max).25.6g of Varget is real nice out of my 26 inch bolt gun. 2970 FPS and shoot .3-.4 with 77 TMK or 75 ELD.. it's on the warm side so work up.