help with a .223 vmax load

[upstate88]

I have a SPR/hunting AR and I need some help with a load. I am shooting hornady 55 grain HP match as my practice target load and would like to work up a coyote load. Has anyone worked up a good load for the 55 grain vmax round? I have brass just need powder and primer info.

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[Twodogs]

27 gr of W-748. you should try 60gr V-max with 26.5 grs of Varget never found a rifle that didn't shoot this load well.

 

[2ndtimer]

My favorite powder for .223/5.56 loads is Ramshot TAC. For a 55 gr V-Max, start around 24 gr and work up to 25 gr for .223 pressures, and 26.0+ for 5.56 NATO level loads. I prefer CCI-450 or Remington 7 1/2 primers for warm loads. For under 25.0 gr of TAC, CCI-400's work fine.

 

[JO JO]

I have had good luck with tac and benchmark but the good thing is 223/556 is not powder picky you should find a good load with
the powders mentioned
To find what charge of grains that you will need to develop with your rifle for best results ,

 

[erslll]

26 gr of W-748 is my go to .223 load. Maybe not the fastest but reliable and safe in lots of rifles.

 

[Member 5605]

22.7gr of IMR 3031, CCI primer, 2.265 COAL.

Cloverleaf at 100y,

YMMV.

 

[aklaunch]

The below loads are for NATO chambers only with 1:9 twist barreled rifles.

I use 26.7 grains of W748, WSR primers and Federal brass in my 24 inch barrel varmint rifle. This is a winter/spring time temperature load.
It shoots around 3100 fps +/- on a 50°F day. Much faster on a hotter day. (1/2 MOA load day in, day out)

I use 26.1 grains of H4895, CCI #41 primers and LC NATO brass in my 16 inch carbine. This load shoots fine year round but is hot. It shoots around 2965-3003 fps average through out the year in varying temps. (.65 MOA load day in, day out)

There are many other good combo's. These are my favorite though.

If you have a carbine rifle buy H4895. You will get the best velocity. Make sure you use CCI #41's or you won't make it to 3000fps.

WSR primers will give you the lowest velocity spread with many ball powders. Some times the highest velocity also.

 

[upstate88]

Thanks everyone, this is really great!

 

[gmerkt]

A word of caution. One of the 748 loads quoted above is over maximum recommended by Hodgdon.

Another word of caution, always first refer to manufacturer data before using internet recommended loads. Don't start on the high end; work your way up and see what performs best in your individual rifle. You will often find that loads less than maximum are the most accurate. Your target likely will not know the difference between 3,000 fps and 3,100.

Hodgdon load data is free online. Hornady wants to sell you a book; but if you're gonna be reloading, having that book is worthwhile.

Once you become experienced at reloading, you will sometimes see a number and know right away that it's not right. Without even looking at the book.

 

[aklaunch]

This AR15 loading business is different from other rifles. You will notice that Hornady data is very watered down. So are many other loading books. I have them all. I use each manufactures book as a base line.

The problem is: their numbers are for a min spec .223 REM test barrel. When you get out there in the real world with your NATO chamber you will be way under .223 REM pressure because of your larger chamber. One needs to add powder just to get back to .223 REM pressures. NATO pressures are another story. Definitely more. There is very little data out there for NATO pressures. Western has it. Hornady flirts with it a little.

Basically you are on your own. It takes some research to understand what pressure signs look like.

I am a very experienced reloader. I will take a powder up to pressure to see where it is. Then i back way off, at least 1/2 grain in .223 REM. The only reason i would not do that is if group size is clearly deteriorating, or chronograph velocity seems abnormally high. If thats the case, then i pull the bullets with an RCBS bullet puller, or shoot them in my largest chamber rifle. It is very rare to get to extremes where one needs to pull bullets.

One needs a way of measuring velocity if you are going to play on the higher end of the load data. Sometimes rifles and good hard brass like Lake City NATO will not show pressure until a primer falls out or you get primer piercing. That of course means you need to back off 1 full grain in 223 REM. If you got primer piercing... Check your bolt face and replace your firing pin.

Then try to never do that again.

Youtube's Pan Handle precision's precision load development series has good documentation on pressure sings.. As does Johnysreloading bench. MK262 clone series.

Wylde chambers are smaller than NATO and will hit pressure before a NATO chamber does.

All NATO chambers are different. I have multiple, and measure and keep track of them all. They can very by 50 thousandths from largest to smallest.

Max loads are very subjective. Components have endless variables too. To not dip your feet in the water could be leaving much left on the table. To carelessly not work up in .2 or less increments at the top is foolish as well.

To say that "normally you will find loads shoot better below max" i politely disagree with. I would say maybe its 50/50. Velocity is not your enemy. As long as you are inside your pressure envelope. Where is the end of the envelope using .223REM min spec data in a 5.56?

You have to find it. Then back off!!!!!!

No matter which way you shake it. If you have a bullet that won't shoot good with a couple of the popular recommendations, change bullet brands! Powder is not magic. All it does is give you your accuracy window in a different location. (assuming the powder is suitable for your bullet weight, caliber and twist rate etc)

As stated above. One powder might give you best accuracy at low velocities. The next might give the best accuracy "loaded up"

For day to day target shooting go with the softer shooting one. For hunting Coyotes, you want max velocity at safe pressures.

H4895 will give you that. So will Benchmark, N135 and W748. (W748 will be way, way, way slower though)

 

[upstate88]

My barrel is a 16" mid length match SMOS shilen chambered for .223 wylde

 

[John Gault]

I've had pretty good luck with Benchmark and with 50 and 55 grain V or Z max..

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

im all about BLC2, H335 and imr4320 in .223! good luck!

 

[Spitpatch]

I use my AR15 for ONE purpose only. Coyotes.

With a 55 grain bullet (I prefer Ballistic Tips) and a benchrest primer, 25.0 grains of "Good Ole" H335 works in every gun every time. It is not a "maximum load", but it is a very powerful and reliable load. "Every gun" means bolt jobs and anything .223. This load works.

Certainly refinement would be indicated from this starting point.

 

[gmerkt]

This AR15 loading business is different from other rifles. You will notice that Hornady data is very watered down. So are many other loading books. I have them all. I use each manufactures book as a base line.

Your comments are noted; your experience and knowledge are appreciated. Your 748 load was not the charge that I was referring to as being over book max. People present a wide range of experience in their work with this hobby. It worries me some to see people pose the question, "Say, what's a good load for such and such..." then somebody on a forum throws out maximum load data at them. I just don't think that's a good practice; the soft book data is probably there for a good reason. Especially for people like the OP who are trying to establish a new load for their own rifle. Many of whom likely have less experience than yourself, for example. So probably better to begin with something less that max loads in the first place. Just my opinion.

 

[upstate88]

Is the primer pocket really larger in the 5.56? do I need to to be consistent with the brass?

 

[Twodogs]

Primer pockets are the same just have to watch for crimped primer pockets on mil brass.
I feel having consistent brass as in all one make is a plus.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

TBH for 223/556 i dont pay attention to headstamps. i load them for bulk. i tend to stay in the middle of the charge weight and just load'm up 1000 or so at a time. im not chasing MOA accuracy for this caliber for what i use it for which is plinking and SHTF preps.

 

[osprey]

I have a SPR/hunting AR and I need some help with a load. I am shooting hornady 55 grain HP match as my practice target load and would like to work up a coyote load. Has anyone worked up a good load for the 55 grain vmax round? I have brass just need powder and primer info.

What is the twist of your rifle? I am guessing it is 1-8. My 1-8 barrels shot 50-55gr bullets ok but really shine with the 60gr and above bullets. I have two heavy varminters with 1-8 barrels and they love 60gr ballistic tips driven by ar comp powder.

 

[upstate88]

I have settled on obviously the VMAX 55 grain, TAC powder, and a CCI #41 primer. Today we shot three groups of each powder load and compared that to the factory VMAX Hornady rounds. We did 24, 24.5, 25, and 25.5. Best accuracy was with the 25.5 grains of powder with five shot groups all under an inch.

We had some issues with the brass which was a Lake City 5.56. There was a few that were really tight on the front of the shoulder, with one failing to seat and the rest just very tight. My thought was that this was all range brass and it is very possible someone with a big/over spec chamber was shooting there and the brass was expanding.

Good news is that I have Hornady 55 grain FMJ frontier, Hornady 55 grain match, factory VMAX, and my reloads all shooting same POI (or SUPER close) and all around 1" or better.

Really appreciate the input.