.223 Range Testing

**Spikito** · 04-16-2010, 05:50 PM

Ok im not gonna go through the whole story unless you want me too....but heres the basic run down

100 yards, .223/5.56. AR-15

I loaded up some 60 gr V-maxes and 55 gr noslers with 26.5 gr of varget. I also have some BVAC stuff i bought, and its a 52 gr match HP.

The Vmaxes and the noslers are both in Rem .223 brass, and LC 5.56 brass....the i got from shooting the 52 gr BVAC

The noslers seemed to do the best out of the Rem brass (bottom left)
The V-maxes seemed to the best out of the LC brass (top right.
The BVAC is in the middle, 10 rounds, wasnt really trying to hard, i know its not accurate enough, just burning through it so i can have the brass.

THe other groups were all 5 shots, and tried to be pretty careful, I used sandbags to remove the human factor, since the purpose of todays shooting was to test out the accuracy and consistency of the ammo, not my skills. Once I find the best ammo combination, ill work on my skills.

ONe thing you may notice, is that the BVAC is pretty centered, the noslers are low, and the V-maxes are to the right. Thats because my gun is sighted with the BVAC, the other two are different powders and different grain weights. Thats getting precise enough for barrel harmonics to come into play....what were looking for is consistency in the groups...once I get the best group...Ill sight in the rifle to center that particular load. But right now, I'm mostly shooting the BVAC, so thats where I'm staying centered

**Spikito** · 04-16-2010, 11:40 PM

oh come on guys....

**rbob93** · 04-17-2010, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by Spikito

oh come on guys....

Okay.....nice kill??

**dpinson** · 04-17-2010, 07:04 AM

not bad man,I love the nosler 55gr. ballistic tips in my .223 or the nosler custom competition 52gr. hollow points

what kind of gun?
are you neck sizing only or full length?
how far do you have them off the lands?

front and rear bag?are you holding the gun still or completely on bags?

not trying to dog on you but you have alot of vertical dispersion(spelling)which tells me you need to work on breaking the trigger at the same point in your breathing cycle

try to break the trigger at the bottom of your breath or when the last bit of air leaves your lungs(dont hold your breath)just practice doing that and i bet them groups tighten up

**Spikito** · 04-17-2010, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by dpinson

not bad man,I love the nosler 55gr. ballistic tips in my .223 or the nosler custom competition 52gr. hollow points

what kind of gun?
are you neck sizing only or full length?
how far do you have them off the lands?

front and rear bag?are you holding the gun still or completely on bags?

not trying to dog on you but you have alot of vertical dispersion(spelling)which tells me you need to work on breaking the trigger at the same point in your breathing cycle

try to break the trigger at the bottom of your breath or when the last bit of air leaves your lungs(dont hold your breath)just practice doing that and i bet them groups tighten up

Rock River Predator Pursuit, 20" Match, 1 in 9" twist. 5.56 Wylde chamber
Full lenth sizing. 2.26 is the longest that will fit in a standard clip, so mine are all 2.257 or 2.258. I did size the cases though, but just to make sure they were under 1.17, most were right at that, but the Rem brass was pretty short, 1.14 or so.

I dont know exactly how far off the lands, I just know its close, when full lengthening like that, a bullet over 65 grains wont fit...the shoulders sit up too high...we need the taper of the smaller grains.

I was using a prop up front...because it was adjustable for height...so i could set it at the right height, then leave it, and a bagged on the rear. I just adjusted the rear to get it where I wanted. When I go back, It'll be full bagged.

And yeah, I know I need to work on breathing, I always pull at the bottom of my cycle. I think part of my problem is that this gun is still fairly new, and it still has a really sharp hammer release, and im twitching a little. I had most of the human factor taken out, but not all of it.

**Spikito** · 04-17-2010, 02:42 PM

So I'm back out at the range today....this guy is set up next to me...hes got a bolt action something, all decked out, looks like its shooting .223, his other gun is a AR, but its made by smith and wesson, and shoots 22LR....not just an upper, thats all the gun can do....theyre shooting little target at 50 yards, practice for a prairie dog hunt.....anyway...he looks like a douche...someone who just wants to look cool by having a few guns.

Well as I'm leaving the range....he lets down his tailgate...and low and behold....50BMG....FML.....guys cool meter just went up....started chatting with him, apparently hes pretty into guns, still a bit of a dick though....paid him $10 to buy a round of ammo off of him, he was shooting some expensive shit, 750 gr, the type that is lathed out of a brass rod...put it down range....it was damn fun.

**dpinson** · 04-17-2010, 02:58 PM

shit yeah,where are u in texas?

**Spikito** · 04-17-2010, 11:51 PM

Tyler....little ways from you

**Spikito** · 04-17-2010, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Spikito

Ok im not gonna go through the whole story unless you want me too....but heres the basic run down

100 yards, .223/5.56. AR-15

I loaded up some 60 gr V-maxes and 55 gr noslers with 26.5 gr of varget. I also have some BVAC stuff i bought, and its a 52 gr match HP.

The Vmaxes and the noslers are both in Rem .223 brass, and LC 5.56 brass....the i got from shooting the 52 gr BVAC

The noslers seemed to do the best out of the Rem brass (bottom left)
The V-maxes seemed to the best out of the LC brass (top right.
The BVAC is in the middle, 10 rounds, wasnt really trying to hard, i know its not accurate enough, just burning through it so i can have the brass.

THe other groups were all 5 shots, and tried to be pretty careful, I used sandbags to remove the human factor, since the purpose of todays shooting was to test out the accuracy and consistency of the ammo, not my skills. Once I find the best ammo combination, ill work on my skills.

ONe thing you may notice, is that the BVAC is pretty centered, the noslers are low, and the V-maxes are to the right. Thats because my gun is sighted with the BVAC, the other two are different powders and different grain weights. Thats getting precise enough for barrel harmonics to come into play....what were looking for is consistency in the groups...once I get the best group...Ill sight in the rifle to center that particular load. But right now, I'm mostly shooting the BVAC, so thats where I'm staying centered

OK so heres how it worked out at 200 yards....The BVAC must be humpin some serious fps....we only have half an inch of drop at 200 yards.....things fall at a constant rate...related to time...the faster it moves forward, the longer it will make it before dropping a given amount....but whatever. It also grouped up pretty good. 8 of my ten rounds were in a 2 inch group, with two outlyers....this was just using a bipod

the other rounds all grouped about the same, id have to shoot some more to really get a feel for them...all of them had 1.25 inch 4 round groups, with 1 outlyer. Barrel harmonics were about the same....and today had a considerable amount of wind.

Also...A fox squirrel litterally came out from under the backstop, and stood up in front of my reticle....i had to do it...sent a 60 gr v-max his way.....tried to compensate for elevation, went a little high...prob lost some hairs...he took off....the next shot tagged him right under eyeball....good times.

**ztrouble** · 04-18-2010, 01:28 AM

what twist rate and barrel length is your rifle? I've always had good luck with 69gr SMK and 68 gr hornady match from my 1:8 twist barrel, but I don't hand load

**Daniel P.** · 04-18-2010, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Spikito

Also...A fox squirrel litterally came out from under the backstop, and stood up in front of my reticle....i had to do it...sent a 60 gr v-max his way.....tried to compensate for elevation, went a little high...prob lost some hairs...he took off....the next shot tagged him right under eyeball....good times.

Sarge would be proud

**Spikito** · 04-18-2010, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by ztrouble

what twist rate and barrel length is your rifle? I've always had good luck with 69gr SMK and 68 gr hornady match from my 1:8 twist barrel, but I don't hand load

mines also 1 in 8.....Wilson 20" stainless....ill look into those if i can find some

**Willfully Armed** · 04-18-2010, 12:15 PM

What trigger is in it? standard RRA LPK?

**Spikito** · 04-18-2010, 01:22 PM

what does LPK stand for?

its the match 2 stage that came with the gun

**Willfully Armed** · 04-18-2010, 03:45 PM

lower parts kit. the 2 stage is better than the standard lpk trigger. If your main objective with this gun is to print perfect, tight groups, you may want to research Geissle triggers.

**Spikito** · 04-18-2010, 06:19 PM

Will do...thanks....

smoking that squirrel at almost 200 made me pretty happy with the gun and the loads....I'm thinking fuck, my groups are 1.5 inches at 200 yards....well shit...thats good enough to tag a moving in the head, lol.

RRA guarantees 3/4 MOA at 100 yards...and with my last set, i was hitting 2/3 MOA at 200 yards....So I guess my loads are about as good as I can expect, Now i just have to work on my skills.

**Willfully Armed** · 04-18-2010, 08:47 PM

Ive gotten 3/8MOA @ 100 in my RR. It was with of all things, Wolf 62gr, But its not a RRA barrel.

**Spikito** · 04-18-2010, 11:20 PM

nice...yeah my uncle has the same gun...and with some handloads hes punched the same hole at 100...i havent quite gotten there

my bottom left group is about 1/2 MOA

**ztrouble** · 04-19-2010, 07:35 AM

ahhh almost forgot privi makes a 69gr match bthp too. good quality they just don't seem to be as consistant as SMK's as far as factory loads go. Might be able to find the Privi projo a little easier and less $$

**Spikito** · 04-19-2010, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by ztrouble

ahhh almost forgot privi makes a 69gr match bthp too. good quality they just don't seem to be as consistant as SMK's as far as factory loads go. Might be able to find the Privi projo a little easier and less $$

yeah ive heard of people using Privi, Ive never heard of SMK.

Just found some bulk "varmit nightmare" projectiles, $40 for 500, 55gr cannalured soft points...supposed to be hell on small game, ill give them a shot.

I've been told that the high twist rate barrels dont like lighter projectiles....but ive noticed that the bigger the gun, the lower the rate...and some of the results ive seen also contradicted that...so i may try some 50's, and just back off the powder a little bit.