223 quickload hornady 53 vmax

[hundmeister]

Hi. i have a browning xbolt in 223 and trying for a load with 53 grain vmax. hornady says 26 varget is max however at 170 yards groups are around 1.5 inches all over the place till around 26.5 g of varget brings it down to around .45 of a inch at 170 yards. Id be happy with that however I'm concerned with pressure. i haven't noticed anything except a flat primer. cci400 Lapua brass. Thats at around 24 degrees celcius if it matters. at 26.5 varget the case is very full. Am i OK with this load?

 

[DrMike]

Twenty-six point five grains of Varget is projected to be quite a full case, to be sure. It is definitely tickling the dragon's tail.

Cartridge          : .223 Rem. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .224, 53, Hornady V-MAX BT 22265
Useable Case Capaci: 25.594 grain H2O = 1.662 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.260 inch = 57.40 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder             : Hodgdon VARGET

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-20.0   93    21.20   2591     790   29360   5748     79.0    1.200
-18.0   95    21.73   2658     831   31446   5957     80.5    1.168
-16.0   98    22.26   2725     874   33692   6163     82.0    1.137
-14.0  100    22.79   2793     918   36111   6366     83.5    1.106
-12.0  102    23.32   2861     963   38720   6564     84.9    1.073
-10.0  104    23.85   2929    1010   41535   6758     86.3    1.039
-08.0  107    24.38   2999    1058   44581   6946     87.6    1.008
-06.0  109    24.91   3068    1108   47875   7128     88.9    0.976  ! Near Maximum !
-04.0  111    25.44   3138    1159   51448   7303     90.2    0.946  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0  114    25.97   3208    1211   55328   7469     91.3    0.917  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+00.0  116    26.50   3279    1265   59549   7627     92.4    0.889  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0  118    27.03   3350    1321   64151   7775     93.5    0.862  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  121    27.56   3422    1378   69180   7913     94.5    0.836  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+06.0  123    28.09   3494    1437   74685   8038     95.4    0.810  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0  125    28.62   3566    1497   80736   8152     96.2    0.785  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0  128    29.15   3639    1558   87402   8251     97.0    0.761  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    116    26.50   3458    1407   71054   7833     97.7    0.826  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    116    26.50   3059    1101   49114   7112     84.2    0.970  ! Near Maximum !

However, as far as that goes, twenty-six grains is just over the SAAMI pressure limits. This might possibly be a "safe" load depending on burn rate of your particular powder lot.

Cartridge          : .223 Rem. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .224, 53, Hornady V-MAX BT 22265
Useable Case Capaci: 25.594 grain H2O = 1.662 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.260 inch = 57.40 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder             : Hodgdon VARGET

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-20.0   91    20.80   2542     760   27882   5590     77.8    1.224
-18.0   93    21.32   2606     799   29817   5796     79.3    1.193
-16.0   96    21.84   2672     840   31898   6000     80.8    1.161
-14.0   98    22.36   2738     882   34135   6202     82.3    1.131
-12.0  100    22.88   2804     925   36540   6400     83.7    1.101
-10.0  103    23.40   2871     970   39131   6594     85.1    1.068
-08.0  105    23.92   2939    1016   41924   6783     86.5    1.035
-06.0  107    24.44   3006    1064   44940   6967     87.8    1.004
-04.0  109    24.96   3075    1112   48199   7145     89.0    0.974  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0  112    25.48   3143    1163   51728   7315     90.2    0.944  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  114    26.00   3212    1214   55558   7479     91.4    0.916  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0  116    26.52   3282    1267   59715   7633     92.5    0.888  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  118    27.04   3352    1322   64235   7778     93.5    0.862  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+06.0  121    27.56   3422    1378   69180   7913     94.5    0.836  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0  123    28.08   3493    1435   74578   8036     95.4    0.811  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0  125    28.60   3564    1494   80499   8148     96.2    0.786  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    114    26.00   3393    1355   66264   7729     97.0    0.850  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    114    26.00   2993    1054   45881   6933     82.9    0.999

There are factors that could have an impact on this, however. The burn rate of your particular lot of powder, case capacity, chamber dimensions all potentially change things enough to make this a "safe" load. Twenty-four Celsius isn't particularly hot and should not be a major contributor to generating excessive pressure. I do assume you don't set your loads in direct sunlight and give adequate time between loads to cool the barrel. There are other options that might work better for you.

Cartridge          : .223 Rem. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .224, 53, Hornady V-MAX BT 22265
Useable Case Capaci: 25.594 grain H2O = 1.662 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.260 inch = 57.40 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 54000 psi, or 372 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 110 %
These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window.
C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Accurate 2495                      109.9     25.4     1.64    3308    99.3    54000    7840   0.945  ! Near Maximum !
Lovex D073.6                       109.3     26.6     1.72    3268    96.3    54000    7751   0.930  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 2520                      106.8     26.6     1.72    3268    96.3    54000    7751   0.930  ! Near Maximum !
Rottweil R901                      107.1     24.0     1.55    3218    96.9    54000    7475   0.952  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 2460                      101.3     25.7     1.67    3209    95.4    54000    7433   0.944  ! Near Maximum !
Lovex D073.5                       101.6     25.7     1.67    3209    95.4    54000    7433   0.944  ! Near Maximum !
SNPE Vectan SP 7                   105.9     26.8     1.74    3169    89.0    54000    7365   0.939  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H380                       110.0     26.5     1.72    3118    87.6    49190    7458   0.971  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4007 SSC                       110.0     26.3     1.71    3026    82.4    48957    6933   0.985  ! Near Maximum !

 

[hundmeister]

The reason i started using varget is i tried benchmark with no luck i had some varget leftover from previous endeavours loaded berger 50g target at 25.2 and 25.6gr.and had a load for a discontinued bullet first time out. so i decided to try varget with the 53g vmax and the old lot grouped at 26.1 like this new lot powder does at 26.5 so in reality is it good to use is my question. can't really see much pressure sign except a flat primer, varget is supposed to be a stable powder.

 

[hundmeister]

Hodgon data has a max on a 53g sierra HP at 27g varget which is why i pushed it a bit over hornady max.

 

[baltz526]

Brass life will tell you a lot. In A bolt action the 26.5gr Load would not concern me.

 

[Wyo7200]

I pay more attention to how sticky the bolt lift is, if there any shinny flattening on the head, or crescent ejector marks before I look at the primer.

Any chance your chamber is also rated for 5.56?

 

[hundmeister]

not sure on chamber cut other than ill never shoot anything other than 223 out of it. I had a mentor look at a spent primer and he thinks with the edges rolled out and flattend the way they are im as close to max as I want to be. im trying 50g vmax now with benchmark. I can get .75 easy at 100 with this rifle, I'd like to group around a 1'' at 200 to be happy. Dr. Mike, what do you call acceptable for something like my Xbolt.

 

[DrMike]

One inch at 200 could be quite acceptable. The answer really depends upon what you want to do with the firearm. If it is strictly a hunting rifle, you can settle for less accuracy than you would for a benchrest rifle. Few of us can shoot to the potential of the rifle in the field in any case. Still, if I can actually get 0.5 MOA with off-the-shelf rifles, I'm pleased. And that isn't so terribly unusual today.

 

[1100 Remington Man]

I shooting 53 V Max in my Remington 700 26 inch barrel with a Load of VV-133 and at 200 yds I'm averaging .77 inch groups. It's not cheap powder but worth every penny. I am duplicating Hornady's Superformance load at 3465 FPS.

 

[DrMike]

I do like the VhitaVuori powders. All work well for me in the various loads I use.