I think I found my .223 Rem load

[Pharmseller]

After trying to kill myself with 75 gr ELDM and TAC I had to go back to the drawing board. The Varget load that shot so well in other 1-8” Tikkas just didn’t do it for Varmint Kong. I have a big jug of Benchmark so I thought I’d give it a go.

I primed a bunch of twice-fired neck sized R-P cases and primed with CCI400 primers. I chronoed the max book load of 23.5 gr Benchmark at 75 F and got close to what the book said, high 2800 fps range, ES of 18. Brass looked good.

I loaded 4 rounds each starting at just barely off the lands, then shorter by 0.02”, for 6 seating depths, starting at 1.940”. I wanted to try more but the shoulder of the bullet went below the case mouth at 1.823”, so 1.840” was my stopping point.

I hit the range today and started with the shortest loads. If I found precision early I could shorten the longer loads, the opposite not so much.

The longer the cartridges got the better the precision. I was really happy with the next-to-last depth.



until I tried the longest cartridges.




I need to roll a few more to chrono and confirm but I’m pretty pleased.




P

 

[Chuckybmd]

Very nice!

 

[Pharmseller]

I chronod this load today, but just 4 shots. Average was 2915, SD of 12, and ES of 30. Gives me a start, anyway.

When I use my chrono (Magnetospeed Sport) it seems the first shot is almost always faster than the others. Weird.




P

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Dang, now I'm wishing I had stockpiled benchmark not tac. My tac groups so far are pathetic.

 

[Pharmseller]

J

Dang, now I'm wishing I had stockpiled benchmark not tac. My tac groups so far are pathetic.

I got great groups at 26 grains, right until I blew a primer and broke my firing pin assembly.

So don’t do that.




P

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I worked up to 24.5, then backed off to 24.3. It's averaging 1.8 moa 10 shot groups though, which I hate. Only 15.5# left to burn up...