Help with AR varmint load

[thisismyboomstick]

I'm just beginning with the whole reloading thing and I'm not having very good luck. I am trying to develop a good varmint load for my AR. The rifle has just a standard 1/9" twist chrome lined heavy Bushmaster barrel. Bushmaster says the lightest bullet that will cycle the AR reliably is a 50gr so that is what I started with. I'm using 50gr moly V-max's, LC01/02 brass, CCI primers, and surplus 4895. I loaded three batches of ten with 24.0, 24.5, and 25.0 grains of powder that I weighed individually.

My problem is that the reloads fly all over the place when they are loaded 3 at a time in the mag and fired in succession. If I load them individually they group well. About 1" @ 100yds. This led me to believe the problem was with the bullets being disturbed in the magazine by the rifle's recoil. Or maybe the cycling of the action. I didn't crimp them at all after seating the bullet for the first go around. I then put a crimp with a Lee factory crimp die on the next group of three I tried which didn't help at all. This rifle groups just fine if I fill the mag full of M193 so I know it's not the rifle. I'm using Lee equipment.

Any recommendations?

If anyone has a good varmint load they'd like to share I'd appreciate that as well.

Thanks

[Fjold]

I'm loading the 50 grain VMax with 25.5 grains of H4895 (not surplus) in my 9" twist barrel and it will group 5 into less than 3/4" at 100 yards.

[Matt-man]

Are your bullets getting damaged on the way into the chamber? I've seen A-maxes with damaged tips fly off into the next county when fired.

[Fjold]

Are your bullets getting damaged on the way into the chamber? I've seen A-maxes with damaged tips fly off into the next county when fired.

I've never seen them do that and I'm not getting any unexplained flyers. Initially I had to readjust the seating stem on my dies because with the polymer tip they are longer than most similar weight bullets, to get them to the correct OAL.

[uglygun]

Bushmaster likely has no idea what they are talking about seeming how I own 2 Bushmaster AR15s, one 14.5in with a Hbuffer and one 20in A3, both will cycle my 40grn Vmax loads JUST fine.


And as far as accuracy in a 1:9, this is what a 40grn Vmax load with a modest charge of H322 or AA2015 will do from my JP Enterprises 24in accurized upper(both powders are awesome in my experience turning in similar groups, I buy whatever is cheaper). Both powders meter VERY well being very short cut cylindrical cut powder.

Using mixed brass I have turned in multiple groups like this 10 shot group at 100 yards, Wes can even testify to my varmint gun turning in such groups.





If you want to go light and fast, the Bushy should handle it JUST fine.


I've also tested for setback by repeatedly chambering the same round over and over, after 5 rechamberings I gave up. Most dies will give you enough neck tension that you don't have to worry about crimping. I've also seen very little tip damage done to the polymer tipped varmint rounds.



However, your gun might be doing something to the bullets that is causing a problem. Load your rounds into the mag, fire a shot or two, then eject the round that is in the chamber to see if it's got any substantial tip damage. Might be that they are being mangled as they come out of the magazine and travel up the barrel extension feed ramps, though none of my 3 AR15s have done it to me yet. Only feeding problems I have had with AR15s came when using exposed lead tip spire points that would jam on the corner of the barrel extension, same went for a Speer 52grn open tip hollow point with a very BROAD opening that caused it to catch on the barrel extension.

[Cypriss32]

Try TAC, Rl15 and 60gr V-max i hear they are devistating!

[thisismyboomstick]

Bushmaster likely has no idea what they are talking about seeming how I own 2 Bushmaster AR15s, one 14.5in with a Hbuffer and one 20in A3, both will cycle my 40grn Vmax loads JUST fine.

If you want to go light and fast, the Bushy should handle it JUST fine.

That is good to know since the 40gr is what I really wanted to use before hearing from the Bushmaster rep.

I think I'll try loading up 5 to 10 rounds into the mag and fire off all but one and see what it looks like. I've since torn my upper apart to install a free float tube so I'll have to wait a while to try it out.

[bu-bye]

+1 to the 40gr V-max's. That used to be my fav load and it shot just fine in my AR (around 3/4-1/2 inch groups). I used 26grs of H335 which is nice and hot. I was clocking almost 4,000 FPS in my 26 inch bolt action rifle. I should also tell you that the moly 50gr V-max bullets group the worst of any bullet I tested to this day. The non moly 50gr bullets were ok but there was something about the moly coated 50gr bullets that grouped around 1.5 inches out of an AR that could shoot 1/4 inch groups.

Oh and the thing about moly is you are supposed to shot moly only to get the full effect of it. You kinda have to season the barrel. Switching between moly and copper will not improve the moly performance. Thats what I have heard anyway from the other bench shooter.

[thisismyboomstick]

Yeah, I didn't really want the moly either but that was all my local dealer had in stock.

What the hell is it supposed to do anyway?