help with a .223 vmax load

[aklaunch]

What happened was you did not size your cases back far enough.

Each chamber is different. You need to measure the fired brass out of your chamber. Then set up your sizing die to bump the shoulder back .003-.004 thousandths.

You will notice when your die is set up to set the should back say... .003, then you fire the brass a couple more times it will only size it back maybe .002 or less. That is because as brass work hardens it "springs back"

There are many nice ways to measure fired brass shoulder length. Also base to ogive on a loaded bullet. But....

For starters i recommend the RCBS precision mic.

RCBS PRECISION MIC CARTRIDGE HEADSPACE TOOL | Brownells

These micrometer cartridge headspace tools will enable you to set up full length sizing dies for the precise amount of shoulder bump you wish. Precision Mic gages are initially calibrated on a once-fired case, and the micrometer will read shoulder...

www.brownells.com

Later you can get digital calipers and bullet comparators and bump inserts. Basically you buy the bullet comparator body and then buy a bump insert for shoulder bump and a bullet comparator for base to ogive.

If you do not at least,...... get the precision mic, you will be oversizing or undersizing your brass. In some rifles, undersizing is very dangerous. Luckily not so much in the AR15 platform.

Oversizing means you are pushing the shoulder back way to far and wearing out your brass
Undersizing means when your bolt closes, your chamber is finishing the FL sizing job you should have done.

Don't "cam over" your press. RCBS presses can handle a bit of that. Other won't. (a bit is designed in)

There is difference between the linkage/shell holder contact being tight and flexing a bit, and cam over. All that happens when cam over is a bunch of cast iron stress.

If groups got tighter as you went higher keep going!!! Go up in 2 tenth increments. Go at least to 26!!

You want to see pressure on the brass, or groups clearly deteriorating. Then you will have learned everything about TAC at the temperature you shot it at, CCI #41's, your chamber and LC NATO brass.

 

[Unka-Boo]

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.

my run and gun load is 25g of H335 with 55gr hornady FMJ, my 10.5 shoots it well
Come bunny and yote time I swap out for vmax, same results

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Good thread. That reminds me, I need to go and prime some range brass I cleaned up the other day...

Its all commercial brass (PMC and FC), no military crimp to deal with. Probably somewhere close to 1000 pieces I picked up in one outing... The nice thing about 223, is I never have to buy brass... I've noticed guys giving load data for the 50 and 55gr v-max, as well as other bullets like fmj etc. so I'll throw in my 2 cents. I've actually had better luck with the 53 gr. V-max and H335 powder. I generally run CCI 400's or BR4 primers. Depending on what I'm doing with the ammo. Here's my contribution to the thread, regarding load data for the 53gr v-max:






25 gr H335
.020" off the lands
CCI 400

 

[DizzyJ]

Now you guys are going to make me go try 25.0 GR of H335 lol

 

[upstate88]

So i have tried the 55 and 53 grain boat tail. The 53 grain boat tail with 24.5 grains of TAC were giving me 1.5", but the groups were not super consistent in any regard. Sometimes vertical spread, sometimes horizontal, once and awhile a really bad groups... I would like to try another bullet and see if I can get something closer to an inch and a little more consistent. Can anyone recommend another bullet to try? I am considering the Sierra Game king, as I could use it for deer as well. I am working on playing with a Barnes TSX load for deer, but can not imagine that would be very good for coyotes?

 

[DizzyJ]

So i have tried the 55 and 53 grain boat tail. The 53 grain boat tail with 24.5 grains of TAC were giving me 1.5", but the groups were not super consistent in any regard. Sometimes vertical spread, sometimes horizontal, once and awhile a really bad ground... I would like to try another bullet and see if I can get something closer to an inch and a little more consistent. Can anyone recommend another bullet to try? I am considering the Sierra Game king, as I could use it for deer as well. I am working on playing with a Barnes TSX load for deer, but can not imagine that would be very good for coyotes?

How does the rifle perform with factory ammo?

 

[upstate88]

I am getting sub MOA or close to it with Hornady Frontier 55 grain match

 

[DizzyJ]

So i have tried the 55 and 53 grain boat tail. The 53 grain boat tail with 24.5 grains of TAC were giving me 1.5", but the groups were not super consistent in any regard. Sometimes vertical spread, sometimes horizontal, once and awhile a really bad groups... I would like to try another bullet and see if I can get something closer to an inch and a little more consistent. Can anyone recommend another bullet to try? I am considering the Sierra Game king, as I could use it for deer as well. I am working on playing with a Barnes TSX load for deer, but can not imagine that would be very good for coyotes?

Do you use just one powder charge weight or did you work up a load with multiple charge weights?

 

[upstate88]

I tried from 24-26.5. I got the best with 24.5 of TAC.

 

[Twodogs]

I have also had good luck with Hornady 60 gr sp with 26.5 grs of Varget. can swap out 60 gr v-max with same load.

 

[bbbass]

Just about any bullet will kill a coyote... Do you want to make a mess of them, or do you want a nice neat hole so you can keep the pelt? We used to use FMJ and keep the pelt.

 

[Spitpatch]

Ol' bsa1917hunter had it right and solid: 25g of H335 behind the (55gr) Bullet of Your Choice

I like the Ballistic Tip. It's long for its weight and flies good at long range and will break down a dog if you ask it to.

This is Grandma's recipe for peach cobbler.

 

[aklaunch]

Hey 88,

Go to Bi-Mart and get some Sierra 55gr HPBT's. That is Sierra #1390.

You need to buy a Hornady OAL gauge (get the curved one for AR15)

Wylde chambers can be a bit short. Sierra says load them at 2.240. That works great for a NATO chamber. You may be jamming into the lands big time with a Wylde? Make sure you check and know where your lands are.

I gave you loads on the first page of this thread. Start a grain lower and work up to those target loads in .2 increments with the components i mentioned.

You will have no problem shooting Sub MOA with #1390's.

55gr Nosler BT's are even more amazing. But the 1390's will shoot good in any rifle, guaranteed due to the jump friendly design.

There are so many variables in reloading technique. You can screw up your brass very easily and shoot bad groups no matter what you do.

Start reading Glen Zedikers books. There are many.

I shoot a lot of Coyotes. That 1390 is the way to go with shorter barrels.

I use the Nosler BT's for my 24 inch barrels.

 

[upstate88]

I will give the Sierra 55s a try. I got a couple boxes of Speer TNT from a member the other day for a great deal, so I am going to play with them a bit.

 

[Zingger]

My go-to for any 55 grain in 223/556 is 23.5 grains of AR-Comp. I use my homemade case gauge (bolt guns) or crimp at back of cannulure so the bullet still feeds. Shoots lights out.