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Posted: 9/21/2011 11:38:05 AM EDT
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Hey all,
Just ordered a Lee Deluxe Turret Press Kit, and a set of Lee .223 Pacesetter dies. I have been reading through a few reloading manuals that I am borrowing from a friend, and I have some very limited experience with reloading with that friend. I plan to start with reloading for my LaRue Stealth 16" mainly. Right now a Nightforce NXS 1-4x sits on top of it, and I am getting approx 1-1.5" groups (100 yards) with factory match ammo (BH 69-69g and Hornady 75g stuff). My hope is to close those groups up some by trying other loads. Also, I will be putting a different scope on the rifle with a little more magnification sometime late fall/early winter which I think will help as well. I have looked through the Rifle Load Spreadsheet, but aside from a few that say 'very accurate' next to them, I don't know where to start to look for accurate loads. I understand that this is subject to the rifle at hand, but generally some loads are inherently more accurate than others. Anyone have specific loads that their Stealth's seem to like? <––- I guess that's the real point of this post.. |
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Quoted: Try Varget, and TAC for powders. 69 gr SMK, LC brass. With reloading YMMV, with anything. This would probably be a good starting point, but you may want to look to some 75 grain offerings too and see what your gun likes. I would try to sample a few bullets before you buy a lot of anything. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Try Varget, and TAC for powders. 69 gr SMK, LC brass. With reloading YMMV, with anything. This would probably be a good starting point, but you may want to look to some 75 grain offerings too and see what your gun likes. I would try to sample a few bullets before you buy a lot of anything. Great advice. Same goes for powder. |
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Read the tacked threads at the top of the page to start.
You will want match bullets for accurate loads, Start with the 69 and 77 gr Sierra Match Kings. Cases, Winchester, primers Rem 7 1/2, powder IMR-8208 XBR or Re-15. Many here will recommend Varget powder, but it measures poorly and I don't use it. Everyone has their favorites, so expect varied answers. Good luck |
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Quoted:
i have found that MY spike's seems to like 75gr hornady otm with 22gr of RE-15. which does seem a little light compared to what other people been saying, but it gives me the tightest groups everytime I try it. +1 all that matters is the smile on your face when youve won bragging rights for that weekend for your tight patterns...aint it great? |
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Thanks for the replies. Basically where I was going to start anyways, with the heavier SMKs. My buddy has a load that is a 55g sp over 27.5 grains of target that he likes, but doesn't shoot as nicely out of my rifle.
It is a 1:8 twist barrel. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Quoted:
Read the tacked threads at the top of the page to start. You will want match bullets for accurate loads, Start with the 69 and 77 gr Sierra Match Kings. Cases, Winchester, primers Rem 7 1/2, powder IMR-8208 XBR or Re-15. Many here will recommend Varget powder, but it measures poorly and I don't use it. Everyone has their favorites, so expect varied answers. Good luck This is all good advice. One thing that I would recommend is getting the load data for the bullet brand that you are using. For example, my Lyman book has load data for 55gr Sierra SP, but I am loading 55gr Sierra HPBT. The grains for each are very close, but Sierra has specific recommendations for all their bullets with multiple powders. Another thing to check is how well your powder measure works. Some people avoid Varget because their powder measures do not like extruded stick powders, but my Dillon measure has been very accurate with Varget. For example, 25.0gr individual throws should be close to 250.0 grains for ten throws, and I am within 0.2 grains. This is exceptional in my book, and I would be ok with about 1.0 grain across the ten rounds for shooting high power. This brings up a safety point though. Some types of powder have a larger spread from minimum to maximum charge weights. If you use Varget for 77gr Sierra HPBT, you have between 22.6 and 23.9 grains. If you use RE-15, you have 22.3 to 24.1 which gives a little more safe zone (vs. H335 which is a smaller safe zone 21.6-22.6) Check your powder measure for how accurate it is with different types of powder, and start with a powder that has a larger safe zone for the bullet type that you are using. You definitely don't want to think that you are metering our 23.0 grains of Varget and getting 22.0 or 24.0. |
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Before you use anything I am about to mention. Be sure to cross reference any loads you read about.....
Several of the Service Rifle loads listed by the highpower clubs are shown on the internet. Just keep in mind that we use chambers and 20" bbls meant for our game. Your results may vary. You would find it interesting how many rifles shoot well with the identical load recipe. Rem 7 1/2, Win or LC brass, 24.0gr RE-15, 77 SMK at magazine length, as an example. Try and see if you can sample some Black Hills match ammo and see how it performs, If you like it, you can probably match the loading. |
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Alright, everyone has pretty fudged on the actual charge weights they are using. That's good, but comments about working the load up to at minimum look at pressure has been neglected (I think, I may have missed the comment). That's sort of okay as it gets old, although it's necessary.
Anyway, you will probably find a good load with 69 grain MK's and 24.8 to 25.2 grains of Reloder 15 and Winchester or Lapua cases. This is not a low pressure load, so don't pile in without shooting a few loads with lower charge weights first. One poster mentioned great accuracy with a 22 grain charge of RE-15. This is common and there's a good chance there is another load at maximum charge. Starting with a charge weight 5% to 10% down from maximum is a good rule to follow. 10% for noobs and for everyone loading a new cartridge in a class they haven't explored before. 5% should be used when switching a major component in an existing load, especially primers and powder lot number. I especially check Alliant gunpowders due to their lot to lot variability. Also, the first place to start when seeking accuracy is a good bullet shot through a good barrel. Don't expect much from pulled or bagged bullets. The match bullets made by Sierra, Hornady, and Berger are all good, the kicker is figuring out which non match (hunting) bullets turn in good accuracy, too. Speer often gets overlooked, but they also make some very good bullets. The 55 grain FMJ made by Hornady is a bullet that is accurate and a good buy, but it might not shoot as well as a MatchKing. |
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