TACDAVE Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 Hi Guys Recently started loading for my Tikka T3 TAC in .223 with a 1:8 twist barrel. Anybody got a good load to share? Normally shoot it out to 600 yards but would like to go longer if possible. Any help would be greatly appricated. Thanks Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldie Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 The standard AR15 load that works well is a 77 grain sierra matchking with 24.5 grains of Vhit 140 and a benchrest primer. You can use the same charge weight for reloder 15 and varget too. The 80 grain bergers are also a good bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tackb Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 my 1-8 sako loves 24.5 of varget under a 75amax with a bench rest primer (muntjac aren't so keen on it though!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triggersqueezer Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 24.5 of varget here too in my 1 in 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCetrizine Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 If you want to go the Viht route then 24.5gn of N140 behind a 69gn SMK or 23.5gn of N140 behind a 75gn A-Max, both with CCI 400 primers group nicely from 100 to 800 metres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 What does "shoots out to 800' mean? I have no trouble shooting the lighter bullets(up to 69g) at 600y,in 1/8 twists,at electronic 30x20 inch approx targets,but no real idea of how they group. What has been your experience of (heavier) bullets at 800,and typical group sizes. Gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TACDAVE Posted October 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Cheers Guys plenty to go at there. I`ll give them a try and see how I get on Many thanks Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCetrizine Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I typically get 7-8" groups at 800m in zero to low wind using 75gn A-Max. The rifle can do better as a friend got a pair of 4.5" groups with it but I can't as I'm still quite new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I typically get 7-8" groups at 800m in zero to low wind using 75gn A-Max. The rifle can do better as a friend got a pair of 4.5" groups with it but I can't as I'm still quite new. Thanks,MrC-that is 'shooting nicely'.We don't often/ever get 'no wind' conditions,so I'll buy a slightly bigger gong....there will be room in the middle of it for the good days! Gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tisme Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Thanks,MrC-that is 'shooting nicely'.We don't often/ever get 'no wind' conditions,so I'll buy a slightly bigger gong....there will be room in the middle of it for the good days! Gbal Now why didn't I think of that, I've spent a fortune and hours on tuning rifles and rounds, I could have just bought a bigger gong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 What does "shoots out to 800' mean? I have no trouble shooting the lighter bullets(up to 69g) at 600y,in 1/8 twists,at electronic 30x20 inch approx targets,but no real idea of how they group. What has been your experience of (heavier) bullets at 800,and typical group sizes. Gbal Well if 69's were any good at 600yds, the US NRA Highpower shooters would be using them, but they don't, they mostly use Sierra 80SMK's, coz they were designed to shoot 600yds+ The 69 was superseded by the 77 coz the teams wanted a bullet that would hold 1 MOA in a 10mph cross wind at 300yds. The 69 can't do that. I've spoken at length to the ammo loaders from the All Guard shooting team and they've tried everything. There are reasons why they don't shoot Amax but stick to 80 SMK's, and that is because Sierra make about the best mass produced bullets going. When I mentioned that the USMC had stopped using 80's and were shooting Black Hills 77 across the course, they said that the USMC decision was due to the convenience of having only one type of ammo, but that they did give away a lot of points at 600 through not using 80's. With all that said, they also said that the absolutely best bullet they ever shot at 300yds was the Berger 73. I shot them at 600 a couple of weeks back on a US NRA 600yd target and my first 10 scored 94.1 ex 100 and the second 10 scored 95.3 ex 100. This with an 18" barrel and 25gn RL15, mag rested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Well if 69's were any good at 600yds, the US NRA Highpower shooters would be using them, but they don't, they mostly use Sierra 80SMK's, coz they were designed to shoot 600yds+ The 69 was superseded by the 77 coz the teams wanted a bullet that would hold 1 MOA in a 10mph cross wind at 300yds. The 69 can't do that. I've spoken at length to the ammo loaders from the All Guard shooting team and they've tried everything. There are reasons why they don't shoot Amax but stick to 80 SMK's, and that is because Sierra make about the best mass produced bullets going. When I mentioned that the USMC had stopped using 80's and were shooting Black Hills 77 across the course, they said that the USMC decision was due to the convenience of having only one type of ammo, but that they did give away a lot of points at 600 through not using 80's. With all that said, they also said that the absolutely best bullet they ever shot at 300yds was the Berger 73. I shot them at 600 a couple of weeks back on a US NRA 600yd target and my first 10 scored 94.1 ex 100 and the second 10 scored 95.3 ex 100. This with an 18" barrel and 25gn RL15, mag rested. Thanks,Mark.That seems to set the standard for 600y,and is likely to be even more the standard for 800y. No doubt there will be 55g phenomena reported too,as with all those rifles that outclass bench rest groups. I think I'll go with the sierra 80s and a box of berger 73 as a xmas treat.Been pretty much the story with most bullets/calibres too. Gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5shooter Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 My 1 in 8 likes 27 gr varget behing 60 vmax 26 gr varget behind 70 gr lapua scenar 25 gr varget behind 75 gr hpbt hornady. All loads shoot .25-.3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 You're welcome, If you need any of those or want to try a few let me know as I literally have thousands of each Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryo Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I think my favourite 80gr so far is the Berger VLD 20 thou in to the lands with a stiff load of N140. About 2900fps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 My 1 in 8 likes 27 gr varget behing 60 vmax 26 gr varget behind 70 gr lapua scenar 25 gr varget behind 75 gr hpbt hornady. All loads shoot .25-.3 That is excellent consistency,and precision.presumably not though at 600-800y?Any idea how the heavies shoot at short range? Gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5shooter Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 That is excellent consistency,and precision.presumably not though at 600-800y?Any idea how the heavies shoot at short range? Gbal Those are 100 yard groups George. The shortest didtance the 75 grainers have been shot at was 300 yards and I was hitting inch and a half square steel targets pretty consistently, 500 yards is the max I have shot them so far as the bigger guns just do it better but 4 inch gongs were achievable in light breeze with ease when I was on target. never actually measured the groups at this range. The 60 vmax are a great vermin bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5shooter Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Just measured my small steel targets, they are actually 2 inches square. Still not bad for a 223 in light breeze at 300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I think my favourite 80gr so far is the Berger VLD 20 thou in to the lands with a stiff load of N140. About 2900fps. I used to shoot a similar load with an 80 JLK, those too were jammed .020" The load was 26.5 N540 and clocked 2955 from a 20" barrel. Mind you, that load was so hot it trashed the primer pockets but it did get me 2nd place in the 1000yd snaps in the PR Nationals years ago, and shot 11 V Bulls in a row at 1100yds once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tackb Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 believe it or not I rattled three rounds off once with my 223 (75amax load) as fast as I could sensibly at 900yds for a bit of fun at the end of the detail and they clustered into about 2.5 inches according to the butt marker ! could I do it again/consistently , I very much doubt it ! does the 223 punch above it's weight , certainly ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Those are 100 yard groups George. The shortest didtance the 75 grainers have been shot at was 300 yards and I was hitting inch and a half square steel targets pretty consistently, 500 yards is the max I have shot them so far as the bigger guns just do it better but 4 inch gongs were achievable in light breeze with ease when I was on target. never actually measured the groups at this range. The 60 vmax are a great vermin bullet. Those are 100 yard groups George. The shortest didtance the 75 grainers have been shot at was 300 yards and I was hitting inch and a half square steel targets pretty consistently, 500 yards is the max I have shot them so far as the bigger guns just do it better but 4 inch gongs were achievable in light breeze with ease when I was on target. never actually measured the groups at this range. The 60 vmax are a great vermin bullet. Good stuff,and I agree-bigger calibres do edge out smaller,with a few exception,as range increases..I was not questioning the light bullets for shorter range,just that distance tends to much diminish their effectiveness,especially in any kind of variable breeze!Love the ding dong gongs -small groups are not everything! I don't even mind not getting a coconut.Which would make a good target itself at those sort of ranges-though potatoes are more economical! Gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triggersqueezer Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 good thread this,i have rated the 75 amax very highly so to hear there is better is tempting.the amax over 24.5 was what i first tried tweaked it either way then settled for 24,5.i'm getting about 2'770 out of my 20" border and want to try 1000 at diggle at the weekend.it looks like it will stay supersonic by about 30fps so cutting it a tad close.i don't expect anything at that range its more doing it for the experience having never shot at 1000.my drop is 377" and a 10 mph full value wind will push it 110.5" so i think the score wont be good but i'll be grinning giving it a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 good thread this,i have rated the 75 amax very highly so to hear there is better is tempting.the amax over 24.5 was what i first tried tweaked it either way then settled for 24,5.i'm getting about 2'770 out of my 20" border and want to try 1000 at diggle at the weekend.it looks like it will stay supersonic by about 30fps so cutting it a tad close.i don't expect anything at that range its more doing it for the experience having never shot at 1000.my drop is 377" and a 10 mph full value wind will push it 110.5" so i think the score wont be good but i'll be grinning giving it a go. Optimistically realistic! I know you are not intending to compete with the standard 1000y cartridges,like 6.5 x 284(142g@2950),because to do so you need: 224 90g @ 3270 and that is errr....unrealistic! But that is no reason not to enjoy the experience,just taking part,and it will be interesting to see how it goes.Hope the wind is as mild as 10 mph! Gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Could anybody give me a good load recipe for .223, using 75 Amax and Hodgdon's BLC 2? With overall length to tip or ogive/ Thanks Jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCetrizine Posted October 31, 2013 Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 75gn A-Max are properly pointy, OAL for my rifle to the tip is 2.425" to put it 0.020" off the lands. The throat in my rifle is not overly long so expect similarly long OAL but make sure you measure it for your rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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