MV I can't help with much. But a 20 inch barrel with N540 would get 2900 plus with 69s.
Pressure. Rim lifts are often simply to large of a gas port. That can also produce a bit of an ejector smear.
A light ejector mark with no rim lift doesn't bother me but I won't go higher and likely to go a bit less powder. A big bright ejector mark you need to back off.
Bottom line is 100 fps in the end makes about zero difference for most applications.
I would think you should be at least 2650 from a 16 and I'm not exactly sure how fast you might get. But I would think 2700 should not be out of the realm.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
I just don’t see a reason to exceed book data in a gas gun. Then who knows what the accuracy will be? You have a 5.56 chamber, Wylde? This matters.
Accuracy is often best at max loads fwiw. I"ve found that more than a few times.
of course I chase accuracy and not speed but have a need for a certain speed in shooting matches.
All we ever shot in matches since 94 is the AR in 223. For the most part about half its life lives with max end or over max loads because they are accurate and because we did things a bit different than the books which affects pressure and speed.
Its not all as black and white as it seems sometimes.
AR are awful strong guns. Anytime you can drive a 30 cal. bullet down a .224 bore by accident and walk away with almost no damage it speaks to the strength.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
I just don’t see a reason to exceed book data in a gas gun. Then who knows what the accuracy will be? You have a 5.56 chamber, Wylde? This matters.
5.56 chamber
Not really looking to exceed book data, However,
It’s rare (for me) when charge weight and velocity match the books,
So, stop at 23.2 grains, and not hit stated velocity, In this case I’m about 250/300 fps short,
Or increase charge weight until you get close to recommended max velocity.
So regarding your question about exceeding book data, which of the two criteria are you stopping at?
MV to max loads is more important than the grains. BUT it has to be everything exactly the same including the barrel length.
Once upon a time I was quite a bit over N540 book. A friend was concerned and had a way to test. He told me where I was which IIRC was around 62 KPSI or the equal of that. While its over pressure according to some data its not nearly hot enough to matter and I kept shooting it.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
I just looked at 223 reloading data on the Hodgdon reloading data site, why not 26 grains of varget or 24 grains of TAC? And this is 223 data, I would not be afraid to go a grain or two more with a 5.56 chamber.
I just looked at 223 reloading data on the Hodgdon reloading data site, why not 26 grains of varget or 24 grains of TAC? And this is 223 data, I would not be afraid to go a grain or two more with a 5.56 chamber.
Can’t find what I’m looking for with Varget or CFE223, accuracy wise.
AR are awful strong guns. Anytime you can drive a 30 cal. bullet down a .224 bore by accident and walk away with almost no damage it speaks to the strength.
Once upon a time I was quite a bit over N540 book. A friend was concerned and had a way to test. He told me where I was which IIRC was around 62 KPSI or the equal of that. While its over pressure according to some data its not nearly hot enough to matter and I kept shooting it.
Just going from memory (dangerous thing), I recall that 62k PSI is right around NATO standard pressure for 5.56.....................
Maybe someone has a more exact number as I don't feel like looking it up.
With 69 & 77 gr. bullets, for pure velocity, VV-540 & 2000-MR get me higher than anything else I've tried in 18" barrels. Really haven't chrono'ed them in 16".
StaBall Match is also showing good accuracy at high velocities too, but not done with testing yet & it, like 540, is pretty available, so far.
Bennchmark will never get to the velocity of those powders with those bullets, as it's just a little too fast, but it usually gives good accuracy; as far as pure accuracy goes, Varget is almost always hard to beat, but that comes at a lower velocity as well.
Once upon a time I was quite a bit over N540 book. A friend was concerned and had a way to test. He told me where I was which IIRC was around 62 KPSI or the equal of that. While its over pressure according to some data its not nearly hot enough to matter and I kept shooting it.
Lol! That would be me! Jeff was chasing his theory that a 52 kicked out at some high velocity would minimize the effect of his offhand wobble. The charge he mentioned made my eyes pop out and I told him to stop shooting that load until I could run pressures on it. We had been working up loads for the then new JLK 90gr VLD's and I had an upper equipped with the same barrel and chamber as Jeff had (Pac-Nor 6.5 twist, with a Wylde chamber) and a strain gauge rig. I loaded up to replicate Jeff's load and it was a bit under 60kpsi IIRC...but man what a fireball it put out! I got the attention of a few people at the range that day. Those were the days! Almost as much fun as LouisL and his matchheads and nitrided cotton loads!
Once upon a time I was quite a bit over N540 book. A friend was concerned and had a way to test. He told me where I was which IIRC was around 62 KPSI or the equal of that. While its over pressure according to some data its not nearly hot enough to matter and I kept shooting it.
Lol! That would be me! Jeff was chasing his theory that a 52 kicked out at some high velocity would minimize the effect of his offhand wobble. The charge he mentioned made my eyes pop out and I told him to stop shooting that load until I could run pressures on it. We had been working up loads for the then new JLK 90gr VLD's and I had an upper equipped with the same barrel and chamber as Jeff had (Pac-Nor 6.5 twist, with a Wylde chamber) and a strain gauge rig. I loaded up to replicate Jeff's load and it was a bit under 60kpsi IIRC...but man what a fireball it put out! I got the attention of a few people at the range that day. Those were the days! Almost as much fun as LouisL and his matchheads and nitrided cotton loads!
Thats the right story! Grins. It was over 223 pressure but under 5.56 IIRC.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
AR are awful strong guns. Anytime you can drive a 30 cal. bullet down a .224 bore by accident and walk away with almost no damage it speaks to the strength.
Jeff, I’ve got time for a story if you do……
Oh boy, do tell.
Its not me. BUT I've read of at least 3 folks that got a 300/221 (blackout I guess is the right name these days but I hate new hype) round in the chamber of a 223 and it fired. The first one as I recall was 240 Sierra match king on top of it. BUllet was some stupid length like 6 inches long when they drove it out of the barrel. IE it did not exit barrel. One barrel had a big bulge. One of them blew the bottom off the mag. One they shot again fairly quickly and it was not a danger but I do believe it was not accurate.
What I wished I'd have snapped a picture of. And I think I didn't. But I will have to go look.. not that I have any clue how to post pics... here anymore.... is the opposite ends... running 300/221 with non suggested powders trying for the quietest suppressed load in a bolt gun..... Lets just say the load of red dot wasn't enough to push the bullet free. But dang close. IT was sticking out the end of the barrel after the bang. I did not hear the bullet hit the target, and you always can with slow 200 ish grain bullets suppressed. Chrono said 400-500 fps maybe.. I looked down the barrel. Dark. Dang. Unscrewed the suppressor and there it was out the end about 3/4 of the length of the bullet max. LOL. Easy tap with a rod and it fell out. 208 amax.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
You’ve mentioned that VV-540 several times, I rarely see any Vit powders around here, otherwise I’d be glad to grab a lb or 2,
Midways sale price on Benchmark was too good to pass up,
More BM headed this way.
.223. 5.56 and the 22-250, I do like Benchmark for several reasons.
I originally got clued in on 540 from listening to Jeff Rost (rost495) on here a few years ago............he has a very long history with AR's is always worth a listen.
Then I came across this series of tests trying to duplicate MK262 ammo with reloads, the the episode on VV-540 put the last nail in the coffin for me. I ordered it, & it's been great in every gun I've tried it in with 69 & 77 gr bullets.
Benchmark is very good powder & usually gives good accuracy, but IMHO, it's really best suited to lighter weight bullets..........I don't use it much anymore because I came into a lot of VV-133 from a former BR shooter friend, so I use that almost exclusively with 60 gr & below, bullets, right now.
8208 is a good powder across all bullet weights.................not quite the velocity of 540 on heavies, & not quite the pure accuracy (in AR's or bolt guns) of VV-133, but still, very good in everything, for me. And I have a lot of it too.
Its not me. BUT I've read of at least 3 folks that got a 300/221 (blackout I guess is the right name these days but I hate new hype) round in the chamber of a 223 and it fired. The first one as I recall was 240 Sierra match king on top of it. BUllet was some stupid length like 6 inches long when they drove it out of the barrel. IE it did not exit barrel. One barrel had a big bulge. One of them blew the bottom off the mag. One they shot again fairly quickly and it was not a danger but I do believe it was not accurate.
What I wished I'd have snapped a picture of
Precision Shooting ran a letter from a barrel maker in Oregon named John Benjamin. One of his customers accidentally shot a 300 Whisper (before the 300 Blackout, JD Jones came up with the Whisper and they are virtual twins) accidentally in a 223 barrel. I don't recall if it was an AR or a bolt action. Benjamin removed the bullet which was maybe 2 inches long (the letter included a picture of the removed bullet) and pronounced the barrel undamaged and fit to return to service.
Them Texans Service Rifle shooters love N540! I know a couple of 'em that pooh pooh Mk262...but I'm sworn to not repeat the velocities they're getting.
N540 too is one of the hottest powders you can use at 4,100 KJ/Kg. Even hotter than Varget (4040 Kj/Kg). So, it top velocity isn't a concern, I'd use a cooler powder like AR Comp for the better barrel life it gives. AR Comp shoots great too.
N540 too is one of the hottest powders you can use at 4,100 KJ/Kg. Even hotter than Varget (4040 Kj/Kg). So, it top velocity isn't a concern, I'd use a cooler powder like AR Comp for the better barrel life it gives. AR Comp shoots great too.
Interesting on barrel life. I never really noticed much difference in powders from Varget up to N540. RL 15. H380. I forget what others at the moment. I noticed a lot more difference between barrel manufacturers and if the barrel was cut or buttoned.
Pressure wise I'm 99% sure that I"m right that odd lands and grooves offer less pressure than even and you could get a bit more speed that way safely. It sure seemed that way and from then on every barrel I attempt to get I hope for the availability of odd grooves rather than even.
Then again I"m kind of odd so maybe it fits.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
