Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Mid range trajectory for the .223 .

I purchased a Rem. VS SF in .223. I Love it! I have two loads that have been successful. One is a 40gr. Nosler with 28.0gr of H335 that yields approx 3770-3800fps.(I also tried the 40gr.V-Max with the same load but I seem to get an occasional flier and by the books the nosler has a better ballistic coefficient) and produces 3/8-1/2 inch groups @ 100yds. The other load is a 55gr. nosler with 23.5gr. of AA2015 for 3/8 inch groups @ 100yds. and a velocity of 3230-3250 fps. I figure that I'd like to use the 40 grainers for small varmints and the 55 grainers for small to medium size critters. Can anyone give me a good zero point for maxium effictive range and a holdover for both loads @ 100yds? Seeing that the longest distance at my gunclub is only 100yds. I want to compare my ballistic computer programs for rise and drop with hands-on experience of you people that "BEEN THEIR,DONE THAT!" Your expertise and experince will be appreciated.

For your small varmint load I would zero no more than one inch high at 100 yds. Otherwise you will have a hard time making head shots when they poke their little heads up to take a look around. This means you'll have to hold high at 300 yds but thats the way it goes.
GWN

Thankyou for responding. But can you tell me with what grain to hold an inch high at 100yds.? The 40gr. @ 3700fps.,or the 55gr.@ 3200fps.?

I have a Rem 788 in 223. I love the 55gr Hornady SX's in bullets in.

Haven't clocked them lately but I zero at 1.5 to 2 inches High at 100 yards.

I went to colorado to shoot some Prarie Dogs with this load and was holding dead on out to 300 yards and still hitting em hard. Don't know where the drop was but I aimed right at the nose of a standing dog and POP. Dead dog!

The 45 grainers I was shooting just didn't seem to be as leathal out that far away. Had a lot more misses than hits. Wind, mirage, velocity, etc.... shall I continue with the excuses! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

The 40 grainers I loaded I could only hit things about 125 yards away with regularity. After that they just lost their oomph and droped like rocks in a pond thrown by a 3 yr old.

I never changed the setting on my scope for either load.

Zeroed at 1.5 to 2 inches high at 100 with the 55rs and shot the other weights to see where they would land, made notes and doped from there.

Hope this helps.

Pep, I think GWN said "small varmint" as in 40 grainer load.
Do they both shoot to the same place on paper without messing with the scope? If so, you are a lucky guy.
Good luck with the rifle. Sounds like it shoots. Be aware that field conditions are nothing like at the range. You'll learn a LOT.

I'm not good at this computer stuff,but I have the target and will try to send it. My 40 grainers shoot approx. 2" high with the max of about 28 gr. for a vel. 2780 w/H335 and about 1cilck off to the left. With the same scope setting the 55 grainers with 23.5 gr. of AA2015 shoots approx 1 1/2" high and about 1click to the right.

If you are more than an inch high at 100 yds with either load you will have to try to remember to hold LOW at the close ones or you will shoot over the top and MISS. Its very frustrating to miss the close shots. After awhile it gets frustrating to miss the long shots too! But there isn't much you can do about that if the wind is gusting to 40 mph.
Have fun! When they are crouched down and peeking out to see if its safe thats about as challenging as it gets.
GWN

Thanks for your input! Thats what I needed to know. Is my target typical of the accuracy from the Rem. rifles. The VS SF is lighter than my 40X 22Br. Much easier to carry from hill to hill. The 40X got HEAVY by the end of the day. Although the accuracy from my Br. is outstanding with 52 gr. Barts or Bibs And 28.5gr.of AA2015. Do you think that I'm pushing the little 40 Nosler (out of my 223)too fast @ 3770 to 3800 fps? Iove H335! It seems to give me the accuracy and the velocity. Is there anything equal or better?

TOOO FAST says you!

The ONLY reason that you need to slow the velocity down is that the bullets are exploding before they reach the target.

Too fast? ..................sheesh Rookie's <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I had my 12 year old son at the range today, it was windy between 20-30 mph. He was shooting my Remington Varmint Synthetic off sandbags. He was shooting some Speer 50 gr TNT with Accurate Arms 2495. He fired three shots and I measured the group it was 1/2 inch at 100 yds. I guess we haven't burned the barrel out just yet! We will try again next week. I'm trying a new load in my Winchester Heavy Varmint.
H-335 and a 50 gr Sierra. So far every group has been around 5/8" which is good enough for a prairie dog load. I forget who was talking up the H335 awhile back but I'm glad I tried it. Thanks to whoever it was!
GWN

Thanks! Your input is appreciated. I love H-335! I use it with my 40gr.Noslers that give me about 1/2" or less @ 100yds. I also find that 23.5gr. of AA-2015 works well with my 55gr. Noslers for a spread of 3/8'' or less @ 100yds and 28.5gr. in my .22BR. with a 52gr. Bibs or Barts,that gives me approx 1/4" five shot groups @ 100yds. if I do my part. I shot my first woodchuck with my .22BR. at 250yds. last month and hit him just where I aimed. I just could not believe what I saw when I got to that chuck! Everything that was inside of him was completely out side with the 52gr. Bibs. He was just about turned inside-out! I also bought up some Fed. 205Ms,they work in everything! I'm Hooked! Can't stop thinking about varmint hunting. I just love long distance,next best thing to being there! When I was a youngster, my first long distance shot was with a Rem. chambered for the 218 Bee at about 165yds at a pigeon. I think I was hooked then.

Given the velocity and the targets I sent, what do you think the max effective range would be for the 40s and the 55s? And I gather that you would sight-in no more than 1" high for both 40s and 55s at 100yds? where does that leave the rise and drop for the both loads out to 300yds - 350yds?

Pep,
My personal opinion is that when you get out to 300 yds and farther the biggest factor is wind direction and wind speed and your ability to judge it and make corrections as needed.
You need the ability to judge distance to allow for both windage and elevation. If you are off even fifty yards on your range estimation what are the chances of making a hit beyond 350 yds? Especially when the crosswind can be gusting to over 30 mph. I like accurate rifles and high velocity as much as anyone but these other factors are what separate the men from the boys when it comes to shooting past 300 yds because velocity falls off so rapidly after that. I just got back from a three day "safari" and my son and I were frustrated by the strong winds. He can hold 1/2" with his VS 700 in 223 but was very discouraged trying to make 400-500 yd. shots. (So was his dad) Since the winds usually blow I would say if you are hitting consistently beyond 300 yds you are either darn good or darn lucky!
GWN

As I stated,I just started varmint hunting and I'm hooked! I had my first official varmint hunt about one month ago and took my first chuck at 250yds with a Rem 40x in 22Br. I use a Leica LRF1200 to judge the distance. I don't know why but,when you look at 100yds at the range it seems far away even though I shoot Dime to pea size groups. But when you look at distances 250yds to 350yds,when your out there hunting,its almost impossible to judge without a range finder. 250yds seemed like it was right in front of my nose until I had to walk it. And not to mention,luckily there was no wind. I have no problem punching one hole five shot groups @ 100yds but that has nothing to do with being able to judge the distance without a range finder or judge the wind and or mirage! Thats when the real test will come. I guess the first step in learning to hunt is to realize that other conditions exist. I can't wait! P.S.- I don't know if you were able to view the attachment of my target I sent, but if you did,which load with the 223 would you use. The 40gr. @ 3780 fps. or the 55gr. @ 3250? According to my Sierra ballistic program,it seems that the 40gr. wins.