Work loads from 50 or 100 yards?

[armyguy209]

Alright guys. I am really trying to dial in a good load so I can start cranking these things out on the 1050. I am loading .223 and am using mostly V-max 55gr and Z-max 55gr. I just ordered a 6000 round box of the Hornady 55gr FMJBT, which I over paid a little but it only made a difference of about 1.5 cents per round so no biggie. I missed the Wideners deal of $540 shipped so I ended up getting them at PSA for $640 shipped.

Anyways I loaded up a bunch of the Vmax and took them to the range a few weeks ago. I made 5 of each load. I was shooting from the 100 yard line since that is all my range has for rifles. I have a LWRC SPR 14.7" 1in7 twist upper. I also have a very good spotting scope. I have an EOtech EXPS3-0 with the EOtech 3x magnifier. It works good but it sure isnt a scope. I can see at 100 yards alot better with it, but when trying to hit the little diamonds to see my groups, it was pretty hard to get a consistent point of aim. This is the target I was using. I was shooting at the diamonds so that I had more times that I could use the target. I hung two of them up which gave me enough diamonds to shoot all of my loads.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190761461642?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I am thinking at 50 yards, it would be alot easier to see and I could get a more consistent aim. I am using a bench rest when I am shooting to take out some of the shooter error.

It is weird because I started some loads at like 22 grains and they cycled my rifle just fine. I worked all the way up to 25.3. I only use H335 powder. I did have one casing completely spilt in half. I had a jam, and when I went to clear it, the last fired cartridge must have blown in half because the front half stayed in the chamber while the next one tried to load. The round that tried to load went into the half case and obviously jammed the rifle. There was no different noises made, and the rifle functioned normally when it happened other than the jam. I inspect all of my cases one by one so I am curious why it did that. All of the other rounds in that load fired flawlessly.

I have decided that to be 100% safe, I am going to buy a chrono to see exactly what is coming out of the barrel. That way I can compare to the manual and see how far off they are. I am ordering the MagnetoSpeed V2 tomorrow.

So what do you guys think about this, and I am also curious if shooting at the 50 yard line would be better. I found another range nearby that has a 50/100/200 yard rifle range.

Oh I also ended up buying a set of these because my other calipers were pissing me off...lol

http://www.amazon.com/Starrett-798A-6-150-Resolution-Specifications/dp/B003YL3A4A/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

[Fjold]

25.3 grains of H355 is a maximum load for a 55 grain bullet. When you worked up to that load did you inspect the fired cases of the previous loads?

[armyguy209]

Yeah I checked them for any signs of pressure after each group and they looked fine. The primers all looked normal and nothing on the brass seemed out of place. My plan is to knock it back down to 23.0 grains and probably work up to 24.5 as a max. I will do this at the 50 yard line so I can check the groups, pick the best 2-3 groups, and then try them at the 100 with a full size circle target that I can see good. If I can get 1-2" groups at 100 yards with an eotech and magnifier, I am plenty happy with that.

[shooterbill]

Case head separation is very common in 223. 25.3 gr is a max load in the manual, but your max might be lower.

[Enfield47]

50 yards is a good good starting point. You can still see the target well enough to get your point of aim down without any magnification. Once you can verify at 50, move it out to 100 and see how you do.

[A and O]

Might add that the .223 55gr fmj is at stable at just about the 50yd mark as well. YMMV a few yards, but very close.

Re: the case issue, my guess is that one got by you in the inspection process. I've never had that happen but it could happen to the best of us.

For my own satisfaction I only load either familiar brass or if I buy once fired it will still have the crimp in it proving itself to be OFB.

You are working a 1050 so the crimp is not an issue. As for the load of powder I don't see that as an issue here as long as the brass is proper.