.224 52gr Hornady BTHP Match

[BigBlack]

Okay not a huge selection at my local supplier so I picked up a box of these to develop some loads for my Remington 700 ADL .223. Initial load development was at 100 yards and yielded a .6” group at 24.5grs of powder. So I set up for group 2 and worked in 1 grain increments forward and back from 24.5 and shot a .6 group again with 24.5 and a .3” group at 24.6. I did a confirm loading and went back and shot a .5” again with the 24.6. So now that I have worked this up it dawned on me that I was using a match bullet and not a game bullet. I will use this rifle for varminting and paper punching. Will this bullet be sufficient for game or do I need to start over with a game type bullet. My varmints include wild dogs, armadillos, possums, coyotes etc..., with coyotes and wild dogs being my biggest varmint.

[Heavy lead]

Should work fine on those varmints listed, probably more. What powder are you using, and primer?

[BigBlack]

H335 and CCI BR-4
Remington Brass set .020" off lands. I may try a little closer to the lands and see what happens

[BigBlack]

oops typo did .1 grain not 1 grain increments

[.45Cole]

didn't see what you were getting for velocity, but I love v-maxs out of my 22-250 (about 3600fps) I usually use 50gr but have been trying to load 55grns for longer shots.

[BigBlack]

in the 3100's if I remember correctly. I have the fps recorded at home.

[Larry Gibson]

BigBlack

Since the mid '70s my standard varmint load for a .223 M700V with 12" twist has been the 55 Hornady SX over 26.5 gr H335 in LC cases using CCI 550s or WSR primers. That is a maximum load in 5.56 NATO chambers which my M700V came with. In .223 Remington chambers reduce that load to 26 gr H335. I recently tested for pressure (using an Oehler M43) the 26.5 gr H335 load in a 21" barreled TC Contender carbine that had a very tight .223 Remington chamber. SAAMI MAP is 55,000 psi for the .223 Remington and CIP MAP is 62 for the 5.56 NATO. The 26.5 gr load gave 58,200 psi (M43) which is still within CIP pressure limitations. 26 gr loads give right at 55, 000 psi (M43) in the tight chambered TC Carbine with a velocity of 3183 for the 21" barrel. Velocity has been 3200-3250 fps with excellent accuracy (.5 - .6 moa) in 24-26" barrels.

I'd suggest at least working up to 26 gr H335 with a 50-55 gr varmint bullet in your M700 if a 12" twist.

I have killed many varmints with that load up through large coyotes out to 500 yards. I've also used it on permit doe hunts (head shots) and finished off a couple elk with it as a LEO. Many 9" twist barrels won't handle that load as the SX bullets spin apart from the increased RPM. Barrels with 12 and 14" twist are very good shooters with that load.

Larry Gibson

[Shiloh]

That bullet has performed well for me for years with many different powders both surplus and commercial. My 700 BDL used to shoot sub 3/4" groups or better all the time. My best groups were just under .4". A heated barrel opens things up but I was quite pleased. I am now "chasing the throat" and haven't been able to seat the bullets out far enough to get those groups any more. My velocities were around 3200 or less for best accuracy.

Time for a new barrel. I haven't fired that rifle in several years. I've been shooting .30 cal cast boolits and cast handgun boolits for a long time now.

Shiloh