Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 22 Hornet LOADS IN 223Rem

Occasionally hunt small game in more closely settled farm lands. Hunter friendly land owners rather I use a 22RF Mag or a 22Hornet.Basically noise levels and relatively frangible projectiles. I have shot 45gr Hotnet type projectiles at 2240fps.
Accuracy and sound pressure levels are suitable for all concerned. Secondly, I trailed bulk 40grHPSP Win 22RF Winchester projectiles at 2190fps. Poor accuracy and high SD on the chronograph.
The Stvens 200 Rifle handles 59grRN Lyman GC at 2030fps. Problem, the projectile being the equivalent to Lyman No 2 does a full penetration and zings off into the distance.
Thus, I assume that there 40 & 45gr projectiles that will do the job.
Any suggestions?
I use filler over Unique for the Lyman GC. Is filler recommendes with the quicker burning rifle powders? A parting comment; over the past 20 years the Stevens is the only.224 rifle of this era that shot cast GC well. Earlier dated rifles with cut rifling all shot at least reasonable groups.

12g of blue dot with a 40g Blitz king is 3000 fps and very accurate in my rifle.

Trail Boss is the answer.

12gr Blue Dot and 35 grain VMaxs. The vaporize what they hit, shoot accurately, are not too noisy and they come completely undone when they about anything. Both the Nosler BT-lead free and the Barnes varmint grenade penetrate a lot more and are dangerous for a ways down range.

Seafire has done a lot of work on this topic. Shoot him a PM.

+1

I shot a couple of his light 223 loads and they were just what you are looking for.

I agree with the last two posts. Send Seafire a PM. he sent me a bunch of different loads and his data, but I haven't had a chance to try any of them out yet.

Just get some good jacketed 40s, some Blue Dot, and prepare to be stunned.
I run 13.8 of Blue Dot under both 35 and 40 VMs in my 1-8 .223 and it's been just a wonderful option. Only caveat is Blue Dot is sensitive and you need to pay attention working up your loads. Don't go over about 3100-3200.
Seafire will be along with some fine loads for you any minute.

Dave, i was under the impression that Blue Dot loads probably would not cycle an AR 15. Does yours cycle reliably? Apologies for hijack!

Thanks

Sorry, Leon, I have a second barrel on my 10 FP bolter.

I DID however try "gopher loads" in my AR to see if they would shoot...nope, it doesn't cycle. I am thinking about getting and extra bolt carrier to try lightening it along with a lightweight buffer and possibly a softer main recoil spring.
I remember reading somewhere that BD comes up to full rifle pressures and falls off very quickly so by the time you are at the gas port there's little poop left.
Which is a good thing for these loads, they are considerably quieter and cooler-shooting than regular 223 loads.

My experience is that 12 grains of Blue Dot is just shy of cycling the action. I'd bet on 13/13.5 being reliable though.

I used 13.8grs of SR4759 with Speer 50gr TNT's and get 2550FPS and very good accuracy at 100yds.

Thanks.

13.5 is the max I'd recommend with 53 to 53 grain bullets, especially in an AR... and would be more comfortable with recommending 13 grains with those weights..

for a 50 grain, I'd go with 13.5...

but I'd still work up and I wonder if they will cycle an AR Action...

If I had to go economic, and wanted to use a load like that in an AR, I'd be looking at SR 4759 instead..

It just so happens that I ran some BD loads through my .223 today, 15 gr Blue Dot & 30 gr VMax. Sub 1" and dead on at 100 with out changing my 40 gr zero. Danged Hornady 55 gr test loads were making little bitty clusters too - it was a very good day at the range.

(wasn't an AR though)

Please note, 15 grains of Blue Dot is the max load I recommend with a 30 grain bullet and 14.5 grains is MAX with a 40 grain bullet.. in a 223 case

Yeah, I got it from one of your previous posts.

that's Coool.. I just worry about those who are less knowledgable thinking that more powder has to be a good thing...

I've always tested loads hotter than I post... but stop at the place where there is no increase really in velocity... that tells me we are at about the most we can productively expect out of Blue Dot... and any more starts popping primers or worse..

And btw, thank you for all the work you have done with the BD reduced loads and all the crap you have endured from posting them.

What really is nice for this particular rifle is that I'll be able to leave it zeroed for the 40gr TAC loads and use the 30gr BD loads for short range practice. That is a win for sure.

You can go 600 rounds + without cleaning with the Blue dot loads