Need 223 help

[Beekeeper]

Have a H&R 223.
1-9 twist
22 inch barrel.
Lyman 225646 and BRP 47 grain boolits
I have tried IMR & H 4895 , Unique , IMR & H4198 , and Red Dot powders and still have not gotten one that will consistantly
work at 100 yards or beyond.

yes I have read all the stickys and licked the pages over on CastPics.
None have given me any help with this rifle.
Have the 30/06 barrel and it is a dream to shoot out to 465 yards.
30/30 barrel shoots great to 250 yards.
Only 223 barrel gives me fits.
Have slugged barrel , reads .224 , size boolits to .225.
Nothing seems to help so need some serious help please.


beekeeper

[Larry Gibson]

What have you done with the 4895? Are you using a dacron filler?

Larry Gibson

[Jailer]

I'm still developing a load for my AR's in 223 but 4895 has shown the most promise out of a bunch of different powders that I've tried.

[Beekeeper]

Sorry it has taken so long to answer but being caregiver for wifew takes first dibs.
225646
I inspect sort and keep about 1 in3.
First started using bens red lube but total PITA and went to 45-45-10 tumble lube.
Use Hornady GC or aluminum homemade with a freechex III

BRP 47 grainer is same but right now using only Hornady GC

Powder
IMR4895
225646 start at 22 grains and went up to 26 grains with a tuft of dacron about the size of a pea
IMR 4198 19 grains to 22 grains with tuft of dacron
4895 and 4198 either flavor comes out about the same
Unique 7 to 9 grains tuft of dacron
Red dot 5 to 6 grains with tuft of dacron
Tested IMR3031 which I thought would be the perfect powder 15-17 grains with a tuft of dacron.
All powder is weighed for each cartridge.

I can not get any of them to shoot with any consistancy so have come top the end of my rope.
I have began to wonder if the problem might be in the rifle fore arm ( tightening of hold on screw) or in the barrel itself.

Hope this gives you some insight.

beekeeper

[Beekeeper]

Forgot to state <
Gun is cleaned squeeky clean after each range trip as I do not know when or if I will be able to shoot anytime soon.
Besides old habits are hard to break and I know an old gunner that would turn over in his grave if i put away a dirty weapon.

beekeeper

[Larry Gibson]

You have a 9" twist barrel and are driving the cast bullets too fast/too high RPM for any consistent accuracy with those components.

Are you using a lubrasizer? if so switch to a 50/50 NRA lube or Lar's 2500+. If not using a lubrasizer then TL in straight LLA as per Lee's instructions. Two light coats is better than 0ne thick heavy coat BTW. Let dry completely between coats.

Use the Hornady crimp on GCs and use the GC seating tool or other means to ensure the GC is fully seated on the shank and square to the base. Drop the charge of 4895 back to 16 gr and work up to 21 gr in 1/2 gr increments. Use a 1/2 gr Dacron filler.

Also drop the starting charge of 4198 back to 14 gr, work up to 18 gr and use the 1/2 gr Dacron filler.

Do not use the filler with Unique and Red Dot loads. Drop back and try 3.5, 4 and 4.5 gr Red Dot loads with no filler.

Larry Gibson

[grampa243]

Beekeeper,

how does this barrel shoot with jacketed bullets?

i do think you need to try working your loads down some..

i use IMR4198 14.4 grains to work a AR-15 and get 2 inch groups @ 100 yards.. this is my 3-Gun less then 100yd ammo.

i'm hoping to work it even tighter as powders become available around my part of the world.

[Beekeeper]

Made up some rounds as per Larry's suggestion and tried them yesterday.
A little better but still like spray and pray.
Beginning to wonder about barrel and scope.
Have been working with this rifle barrel for 2 years and still have not gotten it to shoot with any kind of accuracy so am at witts end as to what to do.
But being old and mean will keep at it until I either go broke or it works.


beekeeper

[Larry Gibson]

Beekeeper

How tight does the nose of your 225646 fit in the Muzzle?

Larry Gibson

[Pinsnscrews]

Just repeating what I have seen in other threads, how far is the boolit from the lands? Is the chamber cut long for an AR type load, or shorter like a hunting load? Could your rounds be having to make too much jump to the lands and getting messed up by the gasses?

If I am off base in my thinking, please let me know. I am working on putting together a triple deuce load so have been trying to scour the .224 loading threads.

[leadman]

I have found that I have to use linotype for any accuracy in the 223 Rem. I have heat treated the linotype and then used 2 coats of Hi-Tek Red copper with the extreme 2 catalyst. baked at 375 degrees. The bhn is 32 when completed. I can drive these to 3,465 fps with ok accuracy of 1.8" at 100 yards.
If I slow them down to around 2,700 fps with LBT Blue Soft I can get them to group moa. I need to test the Hi-Tek lube some more to determine an accurate load with it at slower velocities.
I have tried alloys up to 17 bhn and have not been able to get consistent results if push them much past 2,000 fps.
I also weigh these little boolits to plus or minus .3gr. for most shooting.
You may want to heat treat your present alloy to see what happens.

[Beekeeper]

Larry ,
Dropped one in the chamber yesterday and measured for seating.
It will drop in to the middle drive band on the 225646 boolit leaving only the gas check and 1 1/2 lube groove in the case.
Dropped one in the muzzle and got the same so am thinking of a larger diameter boolit or one with drive bands closer to the nose.
Did not try to use it to slug the barrel so on that can't give any data
Will try the new seating idea next time I can get to the range and see.


beekeeper

[Larry Gibson]

Beekeeper

PM me your address.

Larry Gibson

[OBXPilgrim]

I have a 22 hornet I never could get to shoot cast - tried cast in it before anything else. Ended up trying jacketed and it sucked with that as well. Forearm, forearm, forearm. If it won't shoot with jacketed, it won't shoot with cast, unless you are just real lucky.

Will it shoot jacketed?