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60gr V-Max vermin control Loads


VarmLR

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I use the .224 60gr V-max for most of my vermin control duties now, event though I much prefer the 55/50grn SGK for small deer. The V-max isn't suitable for deer due to its rapid expansion which tends to leave big holes and an even bigger mess.  It is however an inexpensive bullet at £24/100 and readily available, and being the flat-base version, is remarkably consistent in manufacture.

However, it can be awkward to load develop (at least in my humble experience) and it has taken many iterations of powder, bullet and seating depth to come to a consistent load.

I have tried traditional ladder testing, OCW and Satterly.    The latter doesn't work for every calibre or bullet that I've tried but does tally remarkably well with OCW, but not with more traditional (and costly) ladder group testing, because getting repeatability of those groups is a little hit and miss (literally).

For anyone with a similar set-up, my final recipe which gives very consistent and remarkably zippy loads which remain safe and show no signs of (over) pressure are based on the following:

Bullet:  60grn Hornady V-Max flat base in .224

Powder:  Vhit N133

Barrel:  26" 1/8 twist

Cases:  Sako  (which equate well in internal volume with both PPU and Lapua cases based on measured once fired brass):

Primer:  Murom KVB-223 Magnum (do NOT use standard SR primers as they may blow with this load)

COAL:   2.248" which equates to 0.020" off the lands to ogive for my chamber

Results:

5 shot OCW groups, recent average:

 

60Vmax23.8N133load.jpg

 

23.8VMax.JPG

 

Whilst the ES is nothing to write home about, I have managed to achieve consistent results with single figure SD values many times over with this load.  On this ocassion, I have not payed a lot of attention to brass prep.  Had I batched the brass and taken much more care, I have no doubt that ES could be brought down but quite frankly, this has still proved to be a very accurate load over 300 yards which is about as far as I use it.

3165fps doesn't sound that extraordinary until you realise that these are 60gr bullets and not the more usually used 40 to 50gr varieties used with .223.  The 40 grainers are close on 3500fps which puts the combo (N133) up there with factory .204 velocities!  223 is just such a versatile little calibre.

This makes for a devastating load for fox, crow and squirrels caught on the ground. It would be OK for deer ONLY if neck shot as the mess left otherwise rules them out for anything other than CNS area shots (just to the front of the shoulder).  If you are close enough, CNS shots work well and will floor Munty, although I much prefer using the less messy and more accurate Gameking in either 55 or 60 grains.

60gr_223_vmax_23_8gr_n133_31March2019.pdf

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Hi varm , its a pain in the rraass sometimes try to find a load and it takes ages . Glad you found a good un , did you ever try the Nosler 60 grain B-tip bullets ? They have / had a small boat tail . Im sure there still available for anyone who is looking for a decent bullet along with the v-max.

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Hi Gunner. I haven't tried those yet but once I've used up all remaining Vmax bullets I think I might just stick with one bullet for vermin control and target...the 69gr TMK but I still need to refine my loads for that bullet as the last batch of powder, and a change of cases resulted in my groups going to pot along with ES opening up.  I'll stick with the gameking for Munty but may switch to the (#1395) 65gr one and see if it shoots well with the same load as the 69TMK.  I must admit, the 223 for some reason has proved harder than either my .308 or 6.5 to get a consistently good load with (except for the 55gr gameking which remains a spot on load).  I've messed around with brass and primers a lot and have settled on Sako brass and Murom KVB-223M primers.

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