Think I found my node...

[J0HN_R1]

New-to-me rifle, bought 100 rounds of factory Hornady 40gr Vmax (3800fps) to sight in the scope and see how it did.

Prepped some brass last night & loaded 20rds this morning based off "intuition" from Hodgdon & Lee data for 69gr Sierra BTHP, as they have none for this (68gr BTHP .224) bullet.

- Savage 16 FLHSS .223 Rem converted to factory DBM (by me)
- Sightron 6-24x50mm LRMD/CM
- Vortex Med Standard rings
- flat Weaver rail

Hornady .224" 68gr BTHP Match
Hornady fire-formed brass @ 1.750"
CCI #450 Sm Mag Rifle primers
Hodgdon Varget @ 24.0 / 24.5 / 25.0 / 25.5 grains
COAL @ 2.300" +/- 0.001"

All 5-shot groups @ 50m (5000ft elevation, ~ 10deg C) shot off a Herters folding bench (no bipod), I didn't want to move all my stuff back to 100m after I confirmed I was on paper.

Velocities were approx. 2870/2930/2990/3030 FPS, respectively. I had issues recording data from the chronograph to my phone, but I had pen/paper though.

No signs of pressure at any powder charge...

Going to load another 20 rounds @ 24.5 / 24.75 / 25.0 grains and see how it goes. Or should I just go with 24.5 grains ?

The top 2 groups on that target are 5 shots each... Bottom left group is 25.5 grains.

I'm pretty

[Maxwell78]

I'd try
24.3
24.5
24.7

Looks great so far. good job. Looks like you could knock a flea off a coyote.
Man i miss that season already.

[H380]

Looks like the 24,5 gr load is a great place to work from .. Nice gun , even has the bolt on the correct side .

[Dick284]

Try your test at 200 and 300 meters, 50 meters is for testing rimfires.

[duceman]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Try your test at 200 and 300 meters, 50 meters is for testing rimfires.

like

[densa44]

What was the poi for the 5 round group in the large circle.

I'd go with the smallest group and back up to long range and see what you have.

[buschy03]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Try your test at 200 and 300 meters, 50 meters is for testing rimfires.

Exactly!... 50 yards? sure, to get you on paper, How about throwing up a brag target you shot at 300, I would be more impressed, just saying......

[gitrdun]

Hey JOHN_R1, your 50 yard group with 24.5 gr. looks like you're in the 2's. In theory, that should put your 100 yard groups in the 4's. And again theoretically, that should put a 300 yard group in the 1.2's which would be respectable. However, wind will mess with you and likely drive that up a bit. And of course as bullet speed slows, so does it's spin RPM which all adds up to it going a bit sideways. I was lucky enough to recently have a wicked calm day (Alberta standards) and shot a 100 meter group in the 4's and stretched to 300 meters and yielded exactly as theory would have it....1.2's. Sometimes when the stars are aligned, it works as it should. But then again.... So, yeah you ought to shoot that load further out and see how it goes.

[J0HN_R1]

Thanks for the comments, fellas.

Like I said, I had set up @ 50m to ensure I was on paper & to adjust the scope for this load.

I had burned quite a bit of daylight getting set-up/finding a spot, and couldn't push the target back any further.

So I just kept shooting, knowing damn well the the groups would look impressive but would still need longer-range testing.


I coulda lied to everyone & said it was at 100m... Or more !

[J0HN_R1]

Originally Posted by densa44

What was the poi for the 5 round group in the large circle ?

Do you mean POA ? It was the center, then I adjusted the scope and shot that very tight group with a different load.

Also, that initial group was shot using an ammo box as my rear rest with my hand doing "minor adjustments".

So in hindsight, it coulda been better. But probably not as good as the 24.5gr load...

[buschy03]

Your doing all the right things, but you need to do your testing at the least 100 yard, 200 is even better. At 50 yards that bullet just got out of the barrel, hasnt had time to do its thing yet.... your doing just fine.....but stretch it out....

[J0HN_R1]

Found my "node" with another load, for a different rifle.

.243 Win
105 gr Hornady BTHP Match
Hornady brass @ 2.035"
CCI # 200 LR primer
IMR 4350 @ XX.x grains
COAL @ 2.775" (+/- 0.002", touches lands @ 2.795")

All 5 shot groups @ 60m... It was pretty windy, so I didn't do an actual 91m/100yd test.

I pulled that flyer in the 39gr group, it coulda been a clover-leaf or atleast closer to the rest.

The last target looks like 3 holes, but it's 5 shots...