Help me work up a .223 load with 65gr Sierra Gamekings, please!!!

[yeahbuck36]

I'm an avid groundhog hunter who recently stumbled into permission to hunt property where my average shots are between 400 and 600 yards. My go to rig for hunting whistlepigs for the past few years has been a Ruger in .17 Hornet, but I don't get great performance with it past about 350 yards.

I have an AR with a 20" WOA barrel that I'm looking to use. Right now I have a huge pile of 65gr Sierra Gamekings that I'm working up loads for. The problem I'm running into is that published load data for that bullet is very limited. Sierra recommends using their 63 gr SMK data for the 65 Gameking.

Currently the best load I have put together is 26.0 gr of BL-C 2, a CCI small rifle primer, Hornady brass, with a COAL of 2.255. With that load I consistantly get 5 shot groups of right around 1 MOA, with the occasional group coming in around 1/2 to 3/4 MOA.

I have tried also tried various different loads using IMR4198 and 8208XBR. Results with both those powders have resulted in groups of about 1 1/2 to 2 MOA.

From what I've read online this bullet should be capable of better accuracy. Has anyone had any success using this bullet, and if so what loads are you using?

[DucatiRon]

Please do not take this the wrong way.

That being said. While the bullet may be capable of better accuracy, the combination of you, the gun, and the bullet may not.

1 moa is not that bad. Sub moa is respectable your doing ok.

You may have to change bullets to get a better group. You gun just may not like that bullet (weight, shape, B.C.)

Are you shooting a 2lb trigger or better ? What is the barrel twist ? Are you shooting in a lead sled when shooting for groups ?

There are to many variables to force one particular bullet to be the best for your gun.

Or if you can shoot one group sub moa and not another its might be just you. Maybe you need more practice.

[frankski]

Here’s a source you might find helpful

https://www.accurateshooter.com/cart...guides/223rem/

Personally I found the 60g vmax to shoot consistently well under 1 moa (okay, 1/2 to 3/4) out of both a RRA coyote carbine and a Tikka t3. So I just load those for precision shooting and haven’t looked back.

[yeahbuck36]

Please do not take this the wrong way.

That being said. While the bullet may be capable of better accuracy, the combination of you, the gun, and the bullet may not.

1 moa is not that bad. Sub moa is respectable your doing ok.

You may have to change bullets to get a better group. You gun just may not like that bullet (weight, shape, B.C.)

Are you shooting a 2lb trigger or better ? What is the barrel twist ? Are you shooting in a lead sled when shooting for groups ?

There are to many variables to force one particular bullet to be the best for your gun.

Or if you can shoot one group sub moa and not another its might be just you. Maybe you need more practice.

Short answer, gun has a 20" White Oak Heavy Varmint barrel, with a 1 in 8 twist. Trigger is a Rock River 2 stage varmint trigger. Most groups are shot off sandbags, or prone with a bipod and rear bag.

With other bullets I have gotten 1/4 to 3/8 MOA groups, I've only tried heavy stuff, like the 69 Gr Matchking and one of the fancy Hornady ELD's (I think it was 70 or 73 gr).

I know the gun is capable, and from what I've read, the 65gr Gameking should be. I actually did some more looking today, and found some published data for it. Gonna work up a few loads with TAC and see how that does.

[DucatiRon]

Again it may not be capable in that gun. I tell people this all the time. Guns are picky little bitches. My bench AR likes 68gr Hornadys. It get the best groups with that bullet. Just about every other bullet prefroms worse. So when I load for groups I use those. I accept that a hunting bullet will never be as accurate as a match grade target bullet. Well save for some Berger bullets. But that shit is crazy expensive

[Bang]

Figure out why some are half inch groups and do it again. May be lucking into the right stuff. Might try weighing each assembled cartridge and see if a group of same weights do it. Are all cartridge cases the same brand and lot? Are all necks the same thickness? Weigh the bullets and sort them to match weights. Measure bullet lengths and match them. Try various gaps to rifling (bullet jump). If what works is too long for magazine, feed singely.

Re-read your posts. You obviously know what you are doing. Hang in there. The magic will happen.

[yeahbuck36]

Did some more experimenting today with Varget, from 25.5 to 26.4 gr, and a OAL of 2.260. First three rounds fired went through the same hole, shots 4 and 5 were off just a tad, and the group came in just under 3/8's. Every other group I shot came in right around 1 MOA again, besides one that came in at right about 2 inches, but I'll blame that one of me.

I also tried some factory Fiocchi, 77gr Sierra Matchking advertised at 2750. Every group with that came in under 1/2 MOA.

And for giggles I ran a few varieties of 50gr V-max loads that I had worked up for an old bolt gun, they sucked and wouldn't reliably cycle.

I'm still hell bent on finding a recipe that will group better. I've got 390 of these bullets left, so If I can't figure it out with that many, I'll call it quits and stick to the 69gr Matchkings.

Also, can't find any TAC.

[yeahbuck36]

Figure out why some are half inch groups and do it again. May be lucking into the right stuff. Might try weighing each assembled cartridge and see if a group of same weights do it. Are all cartridge cases the same brand and lot? Are all necks the same thickness? Weigh the bullets and sort them to match weights. Measure bullet lengths and match them. Try various gaps to rifling (bullet jump). If what works is too long for magazine, feed singely.

Re-read your posts. You obviously know what you are doing. Hang in there. The magic will happen.

I'm using all Hornady brass from the same lot. I have not weighed individual bullets yet, but I can give that a shot.

I initially worked up a ladder load from 2.200 to 2.260, there was not a noticable change in groups when varying OAL. I have not checked the distance to the lands with this bullet yet, but it would for sure be longer than magazine length. I'll check that at some point and try single loading.

[yeahbuck36]

Figure out why some are half inch groups and do it again. May be lucking into the right stuff. Might try weighing each assembled cartridge and see if a group of same weights do it. Are all cartridge cases the same brand and lot? Are all necks the same thickness? Weigh the bullets and sort them to match weights. Measure bullet lengths and match them. Try various gaps to rifling (bullet jump). If what works is too long for magazine, feed singely.

Re-read your posts. You obviously know what you are doing. Hang in there. The magic will happen.

Just checked the distance to rifling. Max OAL comes in at 2.280. These barrels are apparently throated to work with magazine length ammo.

[West Chester]

What powders do you have? Post up some pictures of your ladder tests.