Reloading for the Savage 10 LE 223

[ckr]

Hey everybody. I just picked up a new savage 10 LE in 223 and I am looking to see if anyone else here has reloaded for that gun. I will be trying W748 and Blc-2 for powders because that's all I have.
For bullet selection I will be trying out 55fmj and 40vmax, again it's all I have.
Because of the current climate and availability of the components, I am just wondering if someone had a good starting point. Thanks for any help. It's appreciated

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[DizzyJ]

What's the twist rate on that? My savages are 1:9 and they are tack drivers with 77gr Noslers and tipped SMKs.

 

[2ndtimer]

Hey everybody. I just picked up a new savage 10 LE in 223 and I am looking to see if anyone else here has reloaded for that gun. I will be trying W748 and Blc-2 for powders because that's all I have.
For bullet selection I will be trying out 55fmj and 40vmax, again it's all I have.
Because of the current climate and availability of the components, I am just wondering if someone had a good starting point. Thanks for any help. It's appreciated

Bad news: neither of your powders would be optimal for the bullets you have on hand. Good news, they will work, probably better with the 55 gr than the 40 gr V-Max. Might try to locate a quicker burning powder if you want the best velocity from those lightweight V-Maxes, I like Accurate 2015, Reloder 10x and Benchmark for those guys, but have loaded a lot of Ramshot TAC as well. (If you want a single powder for 40 gr thru 77 gr bullets, you could do a lot worse than Ramshot TAC, if you can find some.)
Of course, if you just want to shoot your new rifle, go ahead and load up with either powder. Your loads might not be the cleanest, most accurate, or highest velocity, but they will go bang and help get that new rifle broken in.

Lyman No. 49 data:
40 gr V-Max BL-C2 start 27.3 gr max 30.3 gr

55 gr SPT BL-C2 start 23.0 gr max 26.5 gr
Win 748 start 25.0 gr max 27.8 gr

 

[ckr]

Thanks for the info guys. Looks like I have 1/9 twist rate. I am going to continue looking for some better powders. This info is great

 

[DizzyJ]

Try to find some Varget, imr8208xbr, TAC or 2230.

I'd also try to find some 77gr pills and push them to 2,700fps or a little faster. I've got two savage .223s that will group under 1/4 moa with IMR and the 77gr Nosler pills.

 

[Member 66129]

Thanks for the info guys. Looks like I have 1/9 twist rate. I am going to continue looking for some better powders. This info is great

My old LE came with a 1:8 and absolutely loved anything over 69gr. Not much help for what you've got now, but if you can I'd definitely look for some heavier rounds. That being said, if you decide you want to keep trying stuff on the lighter end I have 4 boxes of 40g varmint grenades available.

 

[ckr]

Thanks for the offer. I think I will try for the heavier bullets

 

[Member 66129]

@Going Tits Up , still have any bullets available?

 

[Going Tits Up]

No sorry.

Wrong information here, W748 shoots light bullets great. 5 shots 100 yards with 40 V-Max, 5 shots 100 yards in the rain 34 dogtowns.

 

[Going Tits Up]

To the Op, since you're new shoot me (not with lead) a PM and I will send you some bullets more suited for your rifle and it's twist.
We take care of each other here, not my first election shortage either.
I have some 70's, 69's, 68's for that 9 twist .

Since you aare new, click on Rambo, choose start conversation. Give me your address and Phone done deal.

 

[2ndtimer]

No sorry.

Wrong information here, W748 shoots light bullets great. 5 shots 100 yards with 40 V-Max, 5 shots 100 yards in the rain 34 dogtowns.

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Nice groups, but I wouldn't go so far as to say information provided was wrong. There is a reason why Lyman and Hornady don't list W-748 for 40 gr projectiles. You give up 200 FPS or more to better suited propellants per the Nosler manual, which, to be fair, did list W-748 as their most accurate powder tested for their 40 gr bullet. Most of us prefer higher velocity when it comes to Varmint bullets, especially when the real lightweights lose their velocity so quickly. For a new handloader, W-748 might be a good choice. I am not sure you could get enough of it into a case with a 40 gr bullet to risk unsafe pressures.

 

[Going Tits Up]

Unless you have personal knowledge Quoting book loads isn't the same. I agree with you Nosler is a great reference. You are also right 28 grains of Tac gives me 3850+ FPS with 34's but 2230/Exterm burns cleaner.
Tac
Aa2230/Exterminator
W748
All load and shoot very accurately with light bullets. The case volume is safe for me up to 28 grain in all three of these powders with small bullets.

 

[DizzyJ]

No sorry.

Wrong information here, W748 shoots light bullets great. 5 shots 100 yards with 40 V-Max, 5 shots 100 yards in the rain 34 dogtowns.

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What rifle and twist rate is that?
I've got a few of those 34gr pills but I was flinging them out of a Thompson with a 1:12 twist.

 

[Going Tits Up]

Most of my Savages are 1-9 twist and my AR-15'$ are 1-8 twist. They all shoot great and I full length size so they chamber in all rifles. I have shot 34's since they came out. Good out to 200 yards but not in the winds. They have the BC of a 2x4.
I have custom target 223, and Model 10 like the OP.
They will shoot even better in you 12 twist theoretically.

 

[DizzyJ]

Most of my Savages are 1-9 twist and my AR-15'$ are 1-8 twist. They all shoot great and I full length size so they chamber in all rifles. I have shot 34's since they came out. Good out to 200 yards but not in the winds. They have the BC of a 2x4.
I have custom target 223, and Model 10 like the OP.
They will shoot even better in you 12 twist theoretically.

I've been struggling to get them all touching with the Thompson and 2200.

I'm trying for a load @ 4,000 FPS or more but I can tell I'm really pushing them.

Sorry to the OP.

 

[Going Tits Up]

In my experience with pushing hot loads you'll pierce the primers before achieving Warp 9 speed. You need the CCI 450's thicker cup but it sometimes increases your pressure so back off 1 grain. Most I got was 3850 to 3900 on my chrono before bad things happened.
28 grains of Tac or AA2230 or Exterminator was fastest safe load in my rifles. I load on a Dillon 650 so ball powders work great.

 

[DizzyJ]

In my experience with pushing hot loads you'll pierce the primers before achieving Warp 9 speed. You need the CCI 450's thicker cup but it sometimes increases your pressure so back off 1 grain. Most I got was 3850 to 3900 on my chrono before bad things happened.
28 grains of Tac or AA2230 or Exterminator was fastest safe load in my rifles. I load on a Dillon 650 so ball powders work great.

I'll have to go back and check but I'm using thicker primers for sure. Bench-rest, 41s, or match IIRC.

 

[Going Tits Up]

To the OP get a 3 ring binder, keep your targets including bad ones. I times like these you have a reference point to not waste powder during a shortage. Most of my loads transfer to other rifles I own so I'm not wasting components like wiping your a$$ with a hoopla hoop. Lol

 

[2ndtimer]

Unless you have personal knowledge Quoting book loads isn't the same. I agree with you Nosler is a great reference. You are also right 28 grains of Tac gives me 3850+ FPS with 34's but 2230/Exterm burns cleaner.
Tac
Aa2230/Exterminator
W748
All load and shoot very accurately with light bullets. The case volume is safe for me up to 28 grain in all three of these powders with small bullets.

I do have a bit of personal experience, being old. I am kind of curious about your experience with the 34 gr Dogtown (Nosler) bullets in 1 in 9" and 1 in 8" twist barrels. I bought 1,000 of the 55 gr .243 Nosler SHOTS bullets years ago, planning on shooting them in my Stevens 200 .243 with a 1 in 9.25" twist barrel. They keyholed, if they reached the target at 100 yards. Waste of powder, primers and case prep, as it turned out. Still have about 900 left, keeping them on the off chance that my son might someday build an AR in 6x45 with a 1 in 14" twist (just to be on the safe side). So, I was surprised to hear that the ultra short, lightweight 34 gr Noslers were capable of that level of accuracy, particularly in a faster twist barrel. I have had no problem with the 40 gr V-Max, Nosler Ballistic Tip or Tipped Varmageddon shooting accurately out of fast twist barrels, even my lone 1 in 7" twist AR, and they shoot lights out in the 1 in 12", 1 in 9" and the 1 in 8" .223's I have.

 

[Going Tits Up]

2ndTimer,
You were pushing them too fast, in my 6br 12 twist I used:
Benchmark, R-10, R-7, R-15, Exterminator, Varget, LT-32, CFE all with CCI 450 and Norma brass.
All shot 1 moa but Benchmark shot best. I've shot thousands in my rifles.
Keyhole is an indication of over spin or over speed.