Richiew

Forest lodge were limiting to 500 of each make last time I was there. So I got 500 federal lrp , 500 cci srp ,500 cci srp mag , 500 br2 . Stocked up for a while .

Any good from previous post

Last bit of info , if you don’t already try shooting off either a tripod or primos sticks this keeps you firing in a downward angle into the ground. Be very sure of backstops etc . Warren s on hillsides are great when you can get to the other side of a small valley and shoot into the hillside. Bunnies roll to the bottom to be picked up later. Happy shooting cheers Richard

Hi Jim glad to help mate as I had lots of fun finding the right rifle and then going with a local dealer to order it from GMK . Lots available at sportsman gun but mostly to order and some were a years wait . A tikka super varmint was nearly a year wait so got the standard varmint and added a tikka picatinny mount myself , so it’s nearly a super varmint but without the adjustable cheek piece. Standard tikkas have 3 shot mags whereas the varmint ones have a six shot one . Plenty of ammo choice at Glasgow fishing megastore including some cheap stuff to get the ball rolling. They have a green super varmint 223 1:8” in stock with 2 stage trigger( bonus ). Best advice is make sure it’s got 1:8” stamped on the barrel . Good luck

Hi again just checking with StrelokPro and it comes up with , 52 grain Amax/Eldm hornady at 200 yards with a 100 yard zero, 3144 feet per second speed gives a 3” drop . 73grain Berger at same distance and zero doing 2674fps speed gives 5” of drop . Wind drift for a 10 mph wind at 90 degrees is 6” drift for the light hornady and 5” drift for the heavy Berger. This is actual data from my loads . So looking at how the reticle is I’ll aim dead on for 100 and put crosshairs on top of the line of fox’s back for the longer shots . I know you’re doing rabbits so might be best dialling up . Zero 0.5” high at 100 yards gives a point blank range for a 0.5” kill zone of between 56 to 138 yards .

https://www.thecountryman.com/tikka-t3x-varmint-stainless-223-1-8-fast-twist-rifle-81125d-8 finding your rifle in actual stock can be hard work. You might have to buy and then RFD transfer it to a local dealer. Thoroughly recommend wildcat moderators and they do ask what rifle it’s to fit so they can drill the bush at the back to match the diameter of the barrel. Top marks . Glad you got 150 rounds, I only have 100 but homeloading helps . cheers and good luck

Tikka t3x varmint 20” barrel is 1::8” . So 1:8 is better than 1:10 . It’s also synthetic stock so very durable.

Try BH Firearms think they’re Durham way info@bhfirearms.co.uk

Ggg 55 grain fmj at firing solutions are £31 for a box of 50 so not a bad price really. 62 pence a bang

GGG 223 round from the NRA uses the Sierra 69 grain match king bullet which is an excellent choice for the faster twist barrels. Reloading is still the best option for accuracy. cheers

You might find a standard CZ for instance is 1 in 12 twist which would be more suitable for lighter bullets travelling fast rather than slower heavy rounds. As in the tortoise and the hare slower and heavier wins the race for less wind drift over a fixed distance compared to lighter and faster bullets . I’ve learned this the hard way.

Hi there if your buying ammo then GGG stuff is very good and not stupid prices and uses a quality Sierra bullet . Geco is good and also sako 55 grain soft points , last batch £22 for a box of twenty . Rifles wise I use a tikka stainless varmint with 1:8” twist ie one full turn in 8” of barrel which suit the target type heavier bullets and also the 55 grain standard factory ammo . A slower twist is better for the lighter bullets but that may mean more meat damage . Been watching capercaillie and ptarmigan hunting in Norway with lapua target bullets, good shot placement means a clean kill with a pass through and minimal meat damage. Good backstops needed though. Happy hunting

Still think this forum’s layout is so much better than the others , but would like the selling /sales to be separated from the useful informative posts. Often get a bit exited to see a large number of new posts only to be disappointed when they are all adverts . Just my opinion though. let’s keep sharing our reloading experiences it’s all to help us in the long run and help us not to waste valuable time and efforts on loads that don’t work .

Hi there can confirm this was a good load and have read your articles on the mouse cartridge etc . Tikka 223 shoots 53 Amax , 55,60 ,70vld ,73 Berger and 77 lapua bullets very well with n135 , n140/540 . It’s just a matter of finding suppliers with actual stock. Thanks for the articles on powders .

Hi there I would apply for .22lr , .17 hmr and .223 . Start off controlling the bunnies with the quiet 22 with subsonic ammo up to 100 yards , then when they become more wary move onto the hmr for upto 150 yards, they don’t usually run away even with a big bang . 223 takes over from the others at further distance and is good for fox . Each with its own moderator. If only one gun then the 223 will do it all in a fast twist barrel for 53 upto 77 grain bullets. If for the pot then head shots with a target bullet will do the job without expanding too much and knackering the meat . All above from personal experience. If just wiping bunnies out then body shots with expanding ammo does the job . cheers

What make are the good batch ??

Them Russian ones are working great and at £40 for a thousand not too bad , last box from my local chap .

Lapua or Applied ballistics are very similar, it’s just a faff on putting all the data back in .

What’s your favourite 223 fox bullet . try this thread on this forum lots of good info

Richiew Posted June 5, 2022 Latest info loaded some 73g bergers to 2.26” and 25 grain of n540, this was a good load earlier this year with no pressure signs .

On left 73 gr eldm , on right 75 gr eldm , both at 1.894” case base to ogive . Case overall length is 2.3315” and 2.4295” respectively

What about N540 24 grain with the 75 eldms this is another of my favourite loads .

From viht web go down to N135 and use less powder for similar high 2800s speed . N 135 works fine with a Berger 73 bthp sub half moa .

I’ve gone all the way to 25 grain and that’s a full case in a tikka t3 varmint 20” barrel. 2.3” case overall length. Worked it up from 23 grain and using magnum primers.