Load development 75gr Amax

[sean223]

There was a little wind from the 9 o clock yesterday. Getting more 75gr and am going to try 77gr TMKs to see how they go as people seem to have good results with them. As primers go are the cci 400 alright or would there be any gains from changing to another brand?

[gbal]

OK- looked like a hint of horizontal wind effect....doesn't help when testing loads-a half inch wind induced really just makes the data unuseable...wait for calm when testing (shoot 50 y if you must).

 

75 and 77 TMK to try-fine-some report more consistency with the Sierras currently.

 

Any small rifle standadrd primer should be ok (eg CCI 400,Fed 205,rem 71/2 etc).There is some discussion of thicker primer for a AR15s,but only when the standard gets pierced-I assume your primers are not showing pressure signs etc.Stay with what you have.

g

[stephentri]

Hi sean I use cci br4 primers in my .223 when shooting the heavy bullets as they are less prone to cratering around the firing pin .

[sean223]

No pressure signs at all. Everything looks good to me so I'll stick with them for now. Cheers.

[gunner]

I have a sneaky feeling your hornady bullets dont like the barrel that much . The next step i would try is the sierra TMKs like someone else suggested . Then again if the hornady are different lenth / bad batch / not consistent / crap quality like they has been in the past ? I had built a 223Ai throated for the 75 Amaxs , gave up with them and used the 77SMK - now bettered by TMKs

[sean223]

I have a sneaky feeling your hornady bullets dont like the barrel that much . The next step i would try is the sierra TMKs like someone else suggested . Then again if the hornady are different lenth / bad batch / not consistent / good quality like has been in the past ? I built a 223Ai throated for the 75 Amaxs , gave up with them and used the 77SMK - now bettered by TMKs

 

you could be right. I've got a box ordered to try. Am sort off thinking things will get better as I get better at reloading as this is all new to me. I do a lot of shooting on my own so I've got nothing to compare my groups to which dos the help. What powder are you using for the 77gr TMKs. Cheers.

[gbal]

Sean,for a factory rifle,I'd think 1 moa is just soso,3/4 moa not unusual if it's not been load developed a bit.

!/2 moa might beexpected often with a bit odf development(accepting that now and then a bullet (batch) might not suit that rifle,and anything under 1/2 moa is a bonus-if it's reliable (one of three shot 'groups' don't count)...what does the rifle shoot regularly is the criterion.

You will see better targets here,but these are not necessarily typical of that model rifle-and many are semi customised (barrel especially).You can hope/save-but sub 1/2 inch is more realistic (and don't expect your 1/2 inch 100 yard rifle to shoot 2 inches at 400y).

Good news,1/2 moa is usually good enough-plenty other factors are more likely to cause a miss.

 

gbal

[gbal]

Sean,for a factory rifle,I'd think 1 moa is just soso,3/4 moa not unusual if it's not been load developed a bit.

!/2 moa might beexpected often with a bit odf development(accepting that now and then a bullet (batch) might not suit that rifle,and anything under 1/2 moa is a bonus-if it's reliable (one of three shot 'groups' don't count)...what does the rifle shoot regularly is the criterion.

You will see better targets here,but these are not necessarily typical of that model rifle-and many are semi customised (barrel especially).You can hope/save-but sub 1/2 inch is more realistic (and don't expect your 1/2 inch 100 yard rifle to shoot 2 inches at 400y).

Good news,1/2 moa is usually good enough-plenty other factors are more likely to cause a miss.

 

gbal

[gunner]

I was using H4895 , N140 should be the other choice for me . Easier to get , what bullets did you order 77s or 69s ? I love the fact sierra have or nearly have overtaken the main competition with these new vlds in .224 are you going to do a seating depth test or anything ?

[sean223]

I have ordered 77gr TMKs as the other fella was shooting the 77gr SMKs to 600 yards with good results. So hopefully they will suprise me. Am going to try seating depth and powder charge so hopefully something sorts it's self out. Cheers for all your help.

[sean223]

Got out for a few hours today to see how the 77gr TMKs went compared to the Amax. These two bullets are totally different in looks and to reload.

Things are looking good if I can repeat this the next day.

[Big Al]

Looking good Sean, as you say, load some more at 24.4gr and see what they do at 200yds now. Centre to centre thats a 1/4" group

 

Hopefully thats your load development done and you can then work on your drops and get the info into your ballistic calculator and get out there after those varmints

[searlock]

I'm really not a fan of amax bullets or any secant ogive bullet. I would give the berger 73 grain bthp a try and seat them at about a 15 thousands jump with varget powder and a wolf small rifle primer

[Murph]

Got out for a few hours today to see how the 77gr TMKs went compared to the Amax. These two bullets are totally different in looks and to reload.

Things are looking good if I can repeat this the next day.

That's more like it!. I found the sierras to be very easy to reload with good results. I tried the 75 gr amax in my rifle and couldn't get them to stabilise at all. My gun is a 1-9 twist and they would not work at all. About 2 foot groups at 600!. I now use the 69 gr tmks and have found them to be excellent in my rifle. On foxes and rabbit they hit very hard indeed. I also use cci 400s aswell and find them very good with the heavier bullets. I tried br4s and found them to be slightly less consistent than the 400s.