reloaders

[picksbigwagon]

any reloaders here? I have a question about a load and I am not having a lot of success getting it answered.

[psegriz]

I reload. Wouldn't want to call myself an expert but what ya want to know.

[picksbigwagon]

I am trying to figure out a load for 55 gr. Vmax in my .223 I am using varget and according to my LEE book, I can load up to 27.5 grains of varget. I looked at my buddies hornady book and they claim 26.4 is the max load. I have already shot developmental loads from 25.6-27.2 figuring I would be okay. I had the best groupings with 26.0 and 27.0, with the 27 gr. hitting about 3050fps.

I am using a 20" bull barrel ar-15, hornady was using a 26" barrel and wsr primers, I use cci's

Just look at your book and see what the max load is for varget and 55 gr. VMAX bullets. That would help immensly, since I have 100 rounds ready for powder and bullet right now

[HunterLee]

I will try to check it out for you, but maybe you looked at the wrong data, as in the pistol data, and or the imr data, i did that one time by not knowing, i'll check my book.

[fisherking01]

Picks, I commonly do not max the powder for a better grouping. Grouping will count for more than 50 fps. All rifles will perform differently with different loads. You need to spend time fitting your load to your rifle for maximum performance.

Not necessary for most, as most don't shoot enough to know the difference. If your looking for .5 inch groups at 200, you need to find the magic mix for yourself. Brent

[picksbigwagon]

Fisher, I drink too much coffee to shoot .5 at two hundred. the factory 55 gr. hornady vmax will do 1" at 200, and now that I am reloading, I want to duplicate that, over and over and over. According to lee, max is 27.5, my best two groups was 26 gr. and 27 grains, so it is not a max load but approaching it. 200 fps between the two as well. My AR will shoot tight groups with the correct load, I was just blown away with the difference between the two books.....must be time for a new book....

when is the next nice weekend day? I need to head to the range

[Bandit]

From what I have seen in the reloading books is that the newer the book the mellower the loads. Lots to do with liability I think. You can load pretty hot as long as you work up to it slow and pay attention to what your cases look like, cracked necks, shiny spots on the bases or blown out primers and you need to back up some. My 308, and 243 like loads under max, but both my 22-250's and 270 like them HOT. I have yet to load for my AR, but someday.

[JEV]

You might want to do yourself a favor and back off from the max loads. When I started loading the 55gr Vmax for my Rem 700 with Varget I started at the max also. Problem is, at the max your compressing the loads. For me it was to time consuming trying not to spill powder out of the cases. I found that my 700 didn't like the max loads anyways. When I backed off, my groups started to tighten up. For my AR, I went to Benchmark powder. For me, it meters better then Varget, and I don't have to use as much so no compressed loads.

JEV

[HunterLee]

I checked and for a 55gr softpoint the max is 27.5 that is a compressed load though, mine didn't have for a v-max, just work up to max as you probly could go higher if you can get the powder in the case, but be careful and work up slow. I think the best load is the fastest one you can get that is as accurate as you want. It takes time to get a good one, primer's, brass, powder and how far you are off the lands all make a difference when going for accuracy. Good luck finding the magic spot.