Remington 700 .223 Remington.

[JeffreyDeGraff]

I’ve got a Remington 700 ADL sporter in .223 Remington. It has a 1-12” twist, which was popular when I bought this rifle. Over the summer I picked up 1000 hornady 55gr btsp with cannelure from Wes, on a smoking deal. My quest was to find a super cheap plinking load for my kids and I, with a bullet that would still be good to dispose of an occasional critter. So I dug out an 8lb can of accurate 2200 data powder that had been given to me years ago. So I took twice fired neck sized PMC brass, only ever fired in this gun, Winchester small rifle primers, and seated the bullets .010” off the lands. I started my powder charges at minimum and worked up in .3gr increments to max powder charge. 20.4gr to 23.4gr. These are my results.


JTD

[JeffreyDeGraff]

I’ve loaded up 5 each of 20.4gr .445”, 20.7gr .638”, and 23.1gr .727”, to test for accuracy again and chronograph. I am looking for a load over 2800fps with as much accuracy as possible. I will post my final results here when it warms and dries up.


JTD

[JeffreyDeGraff]

Interesting results today. 20.4gr (which was initially the most accurate) turned in a 5shot group of 1.822” 2769.6fps, too slow and not accurate enough. 20.7gr (2nd most accurate on first outing) had a 5 shot group at 1.331” 2795.0fps, too slow accuracy sucks. 23.1gr was .466” 3120.6fps, perfect. Even though this last one was the least accurate of the 3 on initial testing, it has turned in sub MOA groups on both occasions.


JTD

[72Camaro]

I know you are trying to find a load for the 55 grain btsp's, but I've found that those never group the way the Vmax do, and I have a lot of them too and spfb as I could not pass up the good deals and same here as I did want something inexpensive to shoot with less worry about costs. But with the 1:12 twist I think you will find some 40 grain vmax with a load of the proper H355 could possibly be grouping in the .25's if everything is right. I also did some 35 grainiers, I think Noslers with no lead, and I had a 3/16" group with N133 and the velocity was crazy fast but it has been so long I don't remember what it was. And the worse group on the ladder with those was 1/2". But, they are too expensive to load so it was a one time deal.

But man, that last load you did looks like I may have to go back to the drawing board.

[JeffreyDeGraff]

This is just an old sporter barreled 700 adl. It’s never been an extremely accurate rifle, but fun. The original load I settled on back in the 90’s was a 55 gr Sierra hpbt with imr4198. It was about a 3/4” load. Took me forever to find a load that shot well out of it. I killed so many prairie dogs, coons, coyotes, and jack rabbits with that load. The rifle has sat dormant for several years now. So last year I dusted the old gal off after getting that smoking deal on those bullets from Wes, I have an 8lb jug of AA2200 data powder that was given to me years ago, and decided to work up a load for my 8 and 11 year olds to plink with when they go to the range with me. So my end goal is to have a super cheap plinking load for the kids, while at the same time having a round that could dispatch a coyote at 200 yards if I wanted to.


JTD

[72Camaro]

Looks like you are killing two birds with one stone with your 23.1 grain load. Accurate and shooting at a great price. Nicely done.

[JeffreyDeGraff]

Looks like you are killing two birds with one stone with your 23.1 grain load. Accurate and shooting at a great price. Nicely done.

I was hoping for “good”. This load has exceeded my hopes so far.


JTD

[Benny]

"Outstanding" is my interpretation!
If you want to duplicate these groups using Nosler's 55gr #39526, I got the data!!
2014-04-13 08.36.45.jpg

[JeffreyDeGraff]

"Outstanding" is my interpretation!
If you want to duplicate these groups using Nosler's 55gr #39526, I got the data!!
2014-04-13 08.36.45.jpg

What load gave you all of that awesomeness?


JTD

[Benny]

That was 4.0gr of Trail Boss @ 1165fps from a 22" 1:12" twist barrel.
The Remington 55gr PSP did just fine at that velocity.
The 55gr Noslers straightened out and did fine when driven at usual .223 velocities.