Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles How close to the lands??

Just wondering how far off the lands you guys run the hornady 53 gr. match grade h.p bullet in your 223 rem's??? I'm wanting to work up a good accurate load and want to see what the consensus is on this particular bullet. Thanks

I don't know about that particular bullet, but I generally start off square into the lands and work backwards with varmint rigs. "Square" means that the rifling imprints on the bullet after chambering are similar in length and width, assuming a factory barrel. If it is a wide-land custom, then I look for shorter marks. I also do not jam lands hard enough to affect OAL after extracting a live round. I don't want to stick a bullet in the throat, as I've had to clean up that mess before.....

Bsa1917: I use the wonderful Sinclair Bullet Seating Depth Tool/Gauge, to establish the over-all cartridge length for my Rifles.
I have used this tool for 20 plus years and highly recommend it.
I paid $17.00 for this tool and conssider that to be the best $17.00 I have ever spent on a reloading product!
I am sure the fine folks at Sinclair still make this tool.
Now for the bad news - each Rifle will most often prefer its own particular cartridge over-all length.
And sometimes that Rifles favorite cartridge over-all length will preclude those rounds "fitting" into the Rifles magazine.
I have run into this situation a lot in the last 15 years or so.
Extra long throats by Rifle factories is the culprit here.
I try to start my accuracy search with the bullets just .005" off of the leades of the rifling.
But many of my Rifles give excellent accuracy with handloaded bullets that jump 10 or 20 times that far before engaging the leades of the Rifling.
Again each Rifle is an individual (especially factory Rifles!) and the best cartridge over-all length needs to be determined by trial.
Best of luck in your accuracy search.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Jpro, that's great advice. I'll take that to the bank and run with it. Thanks.

Thanks varmint guy. this is usable info here. I don't really care about all the hoopla of the sinclair bla bla bla bla.... I know how to get to the lands without all the super gadgets and it doesn't cost a thing. It's a ruger m77 so magazine length isn't a concern, have plenty of room there. Thanks....

Load up 5 at 20, 5 at 10, and 5 at 5 thou off the lands, all the same except for depth. One will group better than the other. Than vary a couple thou either way, or take the best seating depth group, and tune the powder charge from there. Works for me.

Swifty

Thanks swifty, that's basically what I did tonight. Just got back from the range and it seems the ones that were kissing the lands show the most promise. Now I just have to work on powder charge. My standby load using BLC-2 powder seems to be a bit more consistent than the H335 I tried today. I'll keep pluggin away at it until I get it right. I may be wrong here but I think a smaller caliber rifle should out shoot the bigger ones but that doesn't seem to be the case, although I can shoot one right after the other and poi doesn't seem to change too much as the barrel heats up. Shot the last 20 rounds into a little over an inch at 100 yards. I'm thinking I may need to try a different powder. Maybe H4895 or 748?????

Benchmark is what I have been using in a 223 with 52 SMK. Been working real well, very consistant results, and meters well.

Swifty

Thanks again swifty. I may have to give that a try. I've had pretty good luck with SMK's too. They seem to be shooting better than the hornady hp match bullet. The hornady was cheaper so I figured I'd give them a try. May have to go back to the sierra's though

My 223's love Benchmark with 50 grain bullets.

Give RL10X a try, I think you'll be pleased.

+1 on the RL10x....

+100

Great words of wisdom for those with reading comprehension.

Hmm...Never heard of it. I don't normally shoot my 223 though so it may be another to consider. Thanks guys.

In my FIL's Rem 700 SPS Varmint rifle, the OCW charges for the 52/53g bullets have been:
25.1g N133
24.3g IMR8208XBR
24.7g ARComp

I also have tried Benchmark, Varget, IMR4198, N530 and H335 with less success.

His Rem shoots much better about 30-40 thous off the lands, 0.2 or 0.3 inches better than at the lands at 100 yards. That is with the 52g Amax, 53g SMK, 52g Hornady BTHP and 52g JLKs.

No need to get insultive. If you like 10X that much well freaking cool.

I gave the recomendation of Benchmark due to the fact that I get consistent .25 or better 5 shot groups @ 100 yrds using it. Best 25 shot agg for groups is .187 @ 100, and .268 @ 200. This is out of a Cooper Montana Varminter thats only supposed to shoot .5 @ 100

So maybe I do have reading comprehension somewhere.

Just trying to help, willing to post groups for 5 shots that will go .1, if he wants to use it fine, if not dont bother me. If he wants to try 10X fine dont bother me a bit either.

Again, Its still not a reason to post a comment like the one above.

Swifty

Swifty, your help is appreciated. Thanks.

Wasnt meant for you BSA, you want info I will give it to you. Gladly. This was meant for the buttheads who are the most educated, super brains in the world. They know it all. Done it all, thats why he isnt responding. All show and no go.

Swifty

Swifty,besides being a lying piece of schit,you certainly are hilarious.

Keep that Imagination firewalled and comment in synch with same!...............

Well its Slickey Stickey Thought you got ate by a Bar trying to play Dannel Boone.

No need to lie, when I actually do shoot. Using one of your infamous quotes.

Swifty