Range Report, 223 savage edge, j's and boolits

[sisiphunter]

Hello all,

Thought I would put on a little range report here, since I have gotten so much help here. from bench at 100 meters. 15-20k winds mostly at back and slightly from left, 0 degrees C, mostly sunny.

Rifle: Savage Edge, 223 rem, scope with Tasco 6-24x42, harris bipod.

Best loads: R-P new brass, Hornady 50gr V-max, 26.5gr Hogdon Benchmark, COAL: 2.346" produced consistent groups at .474" measured at outside of bullet holes. [smilie=w: and this from a $300 rifle WOOFTA

Best Cast Load so far: this was my first attempt at shooting cast from a 223, usually do larger caliber rifles. new R-P brass, Lyman 225415, 55gr. alloy used is 2lb w/w, 1 lb pure Pb, 100gr 50/50 for the tin and about 300gr Linotype. water quenched from mold gave about 16 BHN on my LEE tester. Sized to .225 with Hornady GC and LLA. Only aged a day before I shot them, just had to go shoot 'em up.

Best load was with 10.7gr IMR4198 which gave .957" groups, next best was 1.06" using 11.5gr of Rx7.

All loads were over CCI400 primers.

These loads were safe from my rifle and showed no signs of overpressure. My cast loads were minimum loads and the V-max loads had been worked up to max or near max. WORK UP YOUR OWN LOADS USING CREDIBLE LOAD BOOKS. (had to throw that in just in case ;) )

Thanks for all of the help guys, I plan to get better groups with the cast load next trip out. I think I may need to get a bit harder alloy though. Thanks again, Matt

[runfiverun]

i have used straight lino for most of my initial testing in the 223.
i then went to cutting that in half with pure and adding 2% more tin for a 4% tin 6% antimony alloy.
i water drop this alloy, but doubt i get much benefit from it.
anyways the big thing is to cull and weight sort your boolits.
the small stuff is the big stuff with the 223.

[sisiphunter]

ya I sorted and only kept +/- .1 gr. seemed to work out very well so far. I'm very happy with under an inch for initial testing. i dont know how much faster I can push this alloy though. I may try heat treating and quenching again, just to get them harder. These loads were approx 1750-1800fps I figure, didnt bother chrono yet.

I'd like a little faster/flatter, just means more range time :)

[runfiverun]

go to slower powders for speed.
4985,335 are good powders to work with.
a slower twist will help. if you have an 8 or 9 twist more work will be needed. and the heat treating may be necessary.
16 bhn is about where my 4/6 alloy sits.
i have had exceptionallly good groups [1/2" and under] at 2700+ but in my 12 twist rifle with it.

[sisiphunter]

Ya this edge has a 1 in 9 twist, kinda fast for this little boolit, but very happy so far. Waiting for the group buy of the 70gr to get sent in....but for the meantime, this works just fine for me