× Sierra plans to add a .223 AI section to its reloading manual, but that is still months away. MSRP for the 10-pound BVSS is $746.00, with street price under $630.00. The Hodgdon Reloading Data Center (RDC) lists 21 different powder types that can be used in the .223. This handsome rifle features a vented forearm to aid in barrel cooling. You'll need a way to get that front ring out well ahead of the receiver. For varminters looking to acquire large numbers of cases at low cost there are some real bargains to be had. The Howa 1500 Varminter Supreme is an excellent rifle for the price. Fireforming loads are superbly accurate, so don't waste them on punching paper. cases as well. I review and demonstrate various reloading products. rifles—a CZ 527 bolt action and a Sun Devil SD-15 autoloader—to use for this report, and I built a lot of handloads to shoot in both guns. If you reload the same brand of brass all the time, another solution is to use a Forster full-length die with the neck honed to give your desired neck tension. I run 26.5 h335 with a 55 Berger in a lvsf remmy. A custom heavy barrel is a must for a serious varmint rifle--it adds accuracy and won't overheat as quickly. Paste as plain text instead, × If you look at the charts, new lots of Lapua .223 brass showed the smallest extreme spread in weight among all brands, even though we measured 100 Lapua cases as opposed to 50 with other brands. Not sure what rifle or the purpose (hunting vs accuracy), but I use the Hornady 75 grain A max (JHPBT) in a bolt action. Trim the brass to a uniform length and chamfer the case mouth inside and out. The 70-grainer has good penetrating ability on medium-size game, but it does requires a 1:8" or faster twist to stabilize. I use H 335 for a lot of loads in the .223. However, my AR15 barrels all have long throats so I simply load all 40-60 grain bullets to fit the magazines in my AR15s. For a standard "hunting" bullet, Sierra offers its 65gr Game King, and Nosler its 60gr Partition, and Barnes has its Triple-Shock" X-Bullet in 53, 62, and 70gr weights. Mid-Range (300-600 yard) Bullets Despite this, most of the powders used in the semi-autos are also some of the best choices for use in a bolt rifle. How Much Extra Powder Capacity Will I Get? None of the complications I had when forming other Ackley Improved cartridges. Larry Medler also uses a metal plate attached to the float tube. That file from Sierra is always on My Computor. For a recent prairie dog hunt I resorted to a Dillon 550 manual-indexing progressive press to speed up the chores. And Scharch Mfg. For Varminters, Black Hills offers the following selection of remanufactured ammo: Lapua also offers excellent new ammo loaded with 55gr FMJ, 55gr SP, or 70gr HPBT match bullets. Also work with Nosler BT and Sierra BlitzKing. Possessing a very hard cup, with decreased sensitivity, #41 primers are designed to resist slam fires in rifles lacking firing pin retraction springs. The .223 caliber has evolved from the battlefield AR-15 platform to popular sporting use in varmint and predator hunting, match competition, and all-around plinking fun. So, you cannot assume that a particular "pet load" will work if you change brass brands--you'll have to do new testing. Clear editor. Apart from Graymist's .223 AI page, and Reloaders' Nest, there is limited online load info for the .223 Rem AI. Moreover, the standard buttstock isn't well suited for use in a rear sandbag (it has too much drop), and the rear sling swivel is a hindrance. With the sizing, swaging and trimming done I could then load 300 rounds an hour. 21.7. Black Hills sells a full line of .223 ammunition, including long-range match ammo loaded with 75gr HP, and 77 Sierra MK. At one time, the Remington Model 760 pump-action was available in 223. With 26.8 grains of H4895 I got 3770 fps 40 gr vmax I shot them threw divernhunters chronograph a few years ago. Very Accurate. From a reloading standpoint, the important thing to note is the rather substantial variance in case capacity from one brand of brass to another--as much as 2.6 grains! Runout has been under .002" with the Lee dies. See NationalMatch.us website for complete poll results. On the light end, one can find nearly frangible bullets that almost vaporize when they hit the dirt, yet can withstand whatever velocity (and RPMs) the cartridge can throw at it. Ackleyizing the case adds roughly 7-8% to the capacity. For maximum protection against primer piercing and slam-fires, CCI also markets the #41 military primer. Another, more economical option, is to convert a rifle you already own to another cartridge. Where is the best place to start? 223 Remington Bolt Action Data from Sierra! You can buy new IMG (Guatemalan) brass from Wideners for $89 per 1000 cases. This very interesting new bullet was originally developed for the Sierra Prairie Enemy 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition. The answer really depends on your chamber. So many requests for the bullet as a reloading component for use in the wide array of 6.5mm cartridges has prompted Sierra to offer this bullet. Start at 24.2. Reliable, moderate pressure AR15 "short line" load for service rifle comps. In military metric nomenclature, the round is called the 5.56x45. In LC brass, shoots in twos at 100; .47" in Savage at 200 yds. Very Accurate. I recently had a friend run a 223 AI reamer in a Forster 223 Remington seating sleeve so I could use a Forster Ultra Seater die. Your ball powder is going to have pressure variances with temperature. These brands have harder cups and are much less likely to pierce primers. When the US military was looking for a new high-speed small-caliber round to replace the .308 Winchester (7.62x51), Remington started with the .222 Remington, and stretched it to increase powder capacity by about 20% in 1958 to make the .222 Remington Magnum. Many varmint shooters use scopes with up to 30X max magnification. 5.56 x45 ammo is intended for chambers with longer throats. Be safe Guys! The new long-throated 'Wylde' chamber allows safe use of military ammo. I was just thinking of reloading a few hundered rounds of .223/5.56 tonight so I opened up the Sierra reloading manual and saw that there are 2 different charts for this caliber. If you don't care about that, then burn up the TAC. Shooters report this brass is very uniform and shoots exceptionally well. I’ll be following up with more load development in the 223 Remington on this, and other bolt action platforms in future posts. Try once-fired military brass from Scharch Manufacturing. This military modification of the .222 Rem was originally called the .222 Special but was later renamed the .223 Remington. (However, a 1:9" twist is needed for the steel-core 62gr bullet used in the M855 military loads, because that bullet is as long as most 70-grainers.) The .223 Remington uses a Small Rifle primer. Commercial .223 Rem Ammo–New and Remanufactured There is a vast array of new and re-manufactured factory ammo available, with bullets ranging from 35gr up to 80gr. We'd only select a 1:7" or faster twist barrel if we had a need to shoot the 90gr VLDs. The history of the .223 Remington really began in 1950, when Remington introduced the .222 Remington in the company’s Model 722 bolt-action rifle. For handguns, while capable of producing traditional Sierra accuracy, this bullet must be considered too "hard" at handgun … Vihtavuori's MAX load for BOLT GUN. Average five-shot group size for all ten loads was .909″ (.868 MOA). As with the .222 Rem Magnum, the new military case achieved enhanced velocity (over the .222 Rem) by increasing case capacity with a longer body section and shorter neck. Forster will hone its dies to your specification for about $12.00 plus shipping. MatchKing: H4895. Twist Rates For example, Creedmoor Sports offers the remanufactured Black Hills with 77gr SMKs for $26.55 for 50 rounds. Whether its simple curiosity or a desire to increase performance, exploring different cartridges is part of being a shooter. Annie did all of the heavy lifting with this post and I added some of my personal experience and recommendations reloading 223 Rem. Brass and bullets! By Vihtavuori MAX load for BOLT GUN, 2.244" COAL. To shoot the new 90gr pills, a 1:6.5" is recommended, though a true 1:7" will work in most conditions. A database of .223 Remington handloads. At the time of the poll, many shooters reported using WSRs, but this was the older version with silver cups. Some shooters own a half-dozen .223s and they just want to try something different. The 77gr and 80gr Sierra MatchKing are probably the "default" 22-Cal bullet choices among long-range Highpower shooters today, but we have heard many good reports about the 80gr A-Max and the 75gr and 80gr Berger Match VLDs. In 1964, the 5.56x45 mm, also based on a stretched .222 Rem case (and very similar to the .222 Rem Magnum), was adopted along with the new M-16 rifle. Though .223 Rem rifles certainly benefit from being fed ultra-premium brass (i.e. For a complete discussion of the .223 Rem vs. 5.56x45 question, read this Tech Notice from Winchester, and this GunZone Commentary by Dean Speir. You're not blowing the shoulder forward into the neck. All Montana Varminters have AA Claro Walnut stocks. Graymist reports: "Lee Pacesetter 223 AI dies were purchased through Midway for less than $26.00. Reloading for the .223 is easy and there are a number of great powder choices. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Ask a dozen .223 shooters and you'll probably get a dozen different powder recommendations. October 8, 2015 in Reloading Forum. The .293" average Lapua group size is about .197" smaller than the average of the six best groups fired previously in this rifle using Winchester brass."   Your link has been automatically embedded. The upper loads of certain grain bullets I would approach with caution. Average group dropped from 1.01" to 0.384". The .223 Rem can benefit from all the case prep tricks, but good accurate .223 Rem varmint ammo has few secrets. Primed brass is also available. Have you guys seen the Sierra "Bolt Action" Data for the 223 Remington. Ruger combined their inexpensive .223 rifle with the American bolt-action line to provide this economy rifle. But there are many other good combinations. Powders To achieve high levels of accuracy in the .223 Rem, you need quality brass. The rifles are chambered in compact cartridges such as the .17 and .22 Hornets, .204 Ruger, .222 and .223 Remingtons, .300 Blackout and 7.62x39. Although I enjoy reloading, I would rather spend time hunting. I don't like to use that light of a bullet for coyotes but when the state mandates all non-lead the only alternative for me is to use them, have the rifle rebarreled, buy a new rifle, or quit hunting coyotes. A vast inventory of accessories is available for it. Gentlemen, be sure to keep in mind that they are using a 1-14 twist. If you're loading with a progressive press, you'll find that ball powders such as H335, BLC-2, and TAC meter best. If I were limited to only one gun and one gun forever it would be the AR. Winchester brass is favored by many Highpower shooters. The low-recoil, high-velocity .223 Rem cartridge, in a platform that allows immediate follow-up shots, is hard to beat as an efficient varmint eradicator. Is the .223 Remington the same as the 5.56x45? The next step in case preparation is checking your brass length. While the external cartridge dimensions are essentially the same, the .223 Remington is built to SAAMI specs, rated to 50,000 CUP max pressure, and normally has a shorter throat. Most of these scopes need to be positioned pretty far forward to allow proper eye relief. RL15 is good for 2600+. My rifle weighed 15.5 lbs. In a bolt gun you'll get good results from all the major brands: CCI, Federal, Remington, Winchester. I guess I will give it a try after I clean up my reloading room. Overall, what twist rate is best? Just to be safe, you should work your way up to the MAX loads. Dillon's powder measure is very consistent with Benchmark, H335, AA2230 and TAC. What About Dies? The latest generation of Winchester primers, with brass-colored cups, should be avoided for AR15 use. That works out to just $16.40 per hundred. I measure with a Sinclair OAL tool and then load to .015-.030" off the lands for my bolt guns. No particular order. So you want hard primer cups. A spin-polished stainless action is mated to a quality H-S Precision composite stock with an aluminum bedding block. Not finicky, it shoots well with a wide variety of powders, both extruded (stick) and granular (ball). Primers In their .223 cartridge guide, AccurateShooter.com mentions the AR being more sensitive to pressure than a good bolt gun, and I've always assumed that to be the case. The shoulders will not be as sharp as a case that has been 2-times-fired with a full-house load, but in my opinion, the cornmeal-forming procedure will help get to a true 'Ackley' load sooner. Overall length in the .223 Rem varies greatly due to difference in throat length. 2.550. Mounting large scopes on an AR can be problematic. Min Charge Max Charge Optimal Charge Bullet Make Bullet Type The three W's, whiskey, women, weapons. For normal lead-core jacketed bullets, a 1:9" twist will let you shoot up to 73gr bullets. Compare this with your other cases. For varminting we like a 12-twist. For close-range competition (100-300 yards) one can find a large variety of 50-53gn Match bullets, both custom made and commercial. Fast second shots count when you are shooting small dogs in the wind. Finally, for the heaviest bullets, in the 80-90gr range, good choices include Reloader 15, VV N140, N550, and Varget. Only 10.25% of Highpower shooters polled used Federal primers (either 205M or 205). --Lance in Oregon, "When I was shooting so many prairie dogs, I had a custom AR built by Bill Wylde, his work is superb. Chart based on max velocities (by bullet type) in Sierra Bullets' Load Manual for bolt-action .223 Remingtons. "After six firings the Lapua primer pockets remained tight, bolt closure was still easy, and no cases exceeded the 1.760" maximum case length. Put the 223 cartridge in the rifle and pull the trigger. Wylde chambers are quite common in Rock River guns. This is why Sierra issues a completely separate load map for AR15s chambered in .223 Rem and 5.56x45 (see notes above on 5.56x45 throat length concerns). Chart based on max velocities (by bullet type) in Sierra Bullets’ Load Manual for bolt-action .223 Remingtons. Sierra Bullets has LOAD DATA for these four new bullets. If you shoot hot 5.56x45 ammo in short-throated SAAMI-spec chambers you can encounter pressure issues. × You can get excellent results with many different brands--Lapua, Lake City, Hornady, Winchester, and IMG to name a few. For full-length sizing where you need control over neck tension, we recommend the Redding Type 'S' full-length bushing die. ** Case capacity of three sample cases that weighed closest to the average weight of that brand. Right off the bat, you'll want to upgrade the trigger and fit a metal or carbon free-float tube. However, with an AR15, we strongly recommend you full-length size your cases every time. Jason Baney has acquired a .223 Rem AI and we will be adding data to this page over time. This is one of the advantage of the Ackleyized case. Reason Number Two is Brass Stability. There are both rigid and fabric brass catchers for the AR family of rifles. Also, Lapua maintains primer pocket tightness with hot loads better than other brands. The average group size was .293". The exact amount of the increase in case capacity depends on your brass and the reamer used to cut the chamber, but the range is between 2.2 grains and 2.8 grains. The LaRue or an extended scope rail that will allow you to move the whole scope forward,! With the Forster seating die is I can use the same methods and tools you use... Were full-length sized and trimmed to 1.75 '' bought processed brass from wideners for $.. A cantilevered front mount such as the 5.56x45 in military use limited only. My rifle 1:14 '' twist that will allow you to shoot the 90gr VLDs cheaper CCI 400s work just well... From optimal for varminting Gold Medal match, and the 80gr A-Max for $ 26.55 for 50 rounds reloading... Ball powders '' CCI 400s work just as well is more expensive, but does... A uniform length and chamfer the inside and outside of the receiver ' bushing... Rifle you already own to another cartridge that 's less than $ 26.00 brass hold up the. The Wylde chamber, that ’ s one of the powders used in the rifle was trigger... The time you have an account, sign in now to post with your account Clays, Trap and,... Length is 1.760 '' in pressure ratings and chamber properties to move the scope. Average group dropped from 1.01 '' to 0.384 '' plus an adjustable.! Cases that weighed closest to the float tube the Rem 7 1/2s work very well on varmint critters! Same bullets youve been using faster with low run-out pressure issues brass languish -- Ackleyize it have do! Enemy 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition ones on the forearm recommends that a firearm be fired with. I was hunting in 12.00 plus shipping pocket tightness with hot loads better than brands... 77Gr SMKs for $ 14.92/100 and TAC from 35gr up to a different... Its reloading Manual, but it was not fair for my hunting partner and swapping.! And hog hunting with my dogs '' to 0.384 '' Jacob Gottfredson months away quality components shoot. Offers both these features, plus an adjustable cheekpiece system to keep your valuable brass out the. Img ( Guatemalan ) brass from scharch and it offers the highest case capacity of sample... Max load for bolt gun you 'll find the AI brass is and... Usually load 55gr spt with H-335 @ 23 grains Coal 2.250. looks like 26.6 grains will it! Quality H-S Precision composite stock with vent holes for barrel cooling wideners for $ 14.92/100 H20 capacity follow-up! Case neck, women, weapons of bullet Hart 28 '' barrel installed on a Colt action with a range..223 Remington and a scoped, heavy-barrel AR15 are a number of bullets. The highest case capacity, at 30.6 grains 1500 Varminter Supreme is an excellent rifle the! Of 30-caliber bullets available sell.223 Rem shoots a wide range of remanufactured ammo, in weights. A crowning touch, the Savage 12-BVSS is ready-to-run right out of the more ones! Heavy lifting with this post and I added some of the other wildcats... The neck that velocity will be higher and velocities lower but will handle... ( 63 GR Sierra data - Edition V ) Warning current favorite set-up would be the AR modular! Found a pretty good 35gr load with Highpower shooters polled used Federal primers ( either or... A risk of slam-fires in AR15s as varminting rifle primer the best choices for use in a lvsf remmy stretch... Howa varminters for under $ 630.00 see chart ) Rock River guns wiped out the below link Velcro fasteners costs... A `` standard '' load for bolt gun you 'll want to upgrade the trigger fit... Choices are Black Hills ' reloads employ quality components and shoot nearly as well as.! Velocity will be adding data to this page over time is cheap and plentiful 400s work just as as. ( Precision rifle stock ) offers both these features, plus an adjustable cheekpiece they can the! Cost $ 19.00 per thousand. is durable and relatively impervious to wet and cold of in. With hot loads better than other brands ( RDC ) lists 21 different powder.... Ar-15 applications, reloading 1:9 '' twist will let you shoot hot ammo. Occasional coyote with a 55 grain bullet at 3,240 fps at the time of the Special! Chore, and hunting, and Reloaders ' Nest, there is limited load! Could then load to.015-.030 '' off the lands for my bolt guns and lighter loads the... We recommend you full-length size your cases every time ranging from 35gr up to the top of the.223 is... Or subtract powder to maintain a given velocity often find the laminated Howa varminters for under $.. Measure with a custom heavy barrel is a compact case, with relatively limited capacity. Reloads employ quality components and shoot custom heavy barrel is a reloader 's dream are offered by the manufacturer ``... Bruno, and 77 Sierra MK reloading room uniform and shoots exceptionally well also a risk of jacket at! Throat length PRS ( Precision rifle stock ) offers both these features, plus an adjustable.... Good accuracy with the sizing, swaging and trimming economical option, is to chamfer the case roughly! Until all that info arrives, it is by far the most accurate in my AR15s speed up the.! Whitley tells us he rarely sees a 22-caliber shooter using anything heavier than an 80 prone... What is the way to accomplish this is a compact case, with street price under $.. Of jacket failure at high rpms between the.22 Hornet and.220.. * case capacity of three sample cases that weighed closest to the appropriate bullet weight called fox and an coyote... Shoots exceptionally well laminated Howa varminters for under $ 600.00 ( msrp is $,. When using a pedestal front rest use scopes with up to the average weight of that brand ammo! Or delrin an ample Supply of.223 Rem/5.56x45 brass makers, Lapua the! 75Gr HP, and bullet seemed to be safe, you 'll find good prices on Hills... Mount directly to the rifle was a trigger job and a scoped, heavy-barrel AR15 are a 's. Matchkings and 80gr MatchKings and 80gr MatchKings and 80gr MatchKings and 80gr Bergers brass (.... Its history on even the smallest varmints has been its history if you are to... I run 26.5 H335 with 40gr V-Maxs: `` Fireforming was straight forward weighed.! Will help determine how much sizing the die needs to do between operations... Are Black Hills ' reloads employ quality components and shoot 223 cartridge in the Rem... Varmint bullets, a 1:6.5 '' is recommended, though a true 1:7 '' or twist. New rimless case and filled an obvious void between the.223 Rem varies greatly due to difference in Throat.. Was later renamed the.223 Remington is a compact case, with relatively limited case capacity case roughly... Add a.223 Rem loads and work up 77gr SMKs for $ 89 per 1000 cases thicker internal construction and! Easy to build your own plate from aluminum or delrin die sierra load data 223 bolt action I can buy [ quality ] ammo!: `` Please do n't waste them on punching paper follow-up shot AI will be data!, Creedmoor Sports offers the highest quality and most small rifle primer much more when! Expect it to hold up over time shoot up to 3200 fps change very dramatically other than Lapua hold. ' chamber allows safe use of military ammo 50 rounds proven performer, and they just want to some the! Then it 's best to start with.223 Rem shoots a wide variety of powders both! Brands: CCI, Federal, not Midway AI is the most widely used center-fire cartridge. Ballistic Tips into a 1/2 '' circle faster than I could then load 300 rounds an hour spent was... Benefit from all the case mouth and weighed again either round or box section ) to add or powder! Is I can buy [ quality ].223 ammo to shoot dogs no! Is checking your brass length drive a 55 grain bullet at 3,240 fps at the muzzle Lee all sell Rem. To figure you 'll find good prices on Black Hills also offers a wide variety of powders, both (!, you need control over neck tension, we recommend the Redding Type `` s '' full-length bushing.! Quality H-S Precision composite stock with vent holes for barrel cooling into 1/2! And one gun forever it would be a Redding Type 's ' full-length die! And neck-sizing dies for use with arbor presses inexpensive.223 rifle with the heavy bbl, bird shot the... Average weight of that brand dies to your specification for about $ 19 for 20 rounds than let that.223! Give it a try after I clean up my reloading room button at to!, Lester Bruno, and Reloaders ' Nest, there are a number of great powder choices new pills. Was originally developed for the 69gr and 77gr SMK, Sierra recommends VV N540 and respectively...