223 Remington R5 Mil-Spec Varget load.

longrangehunter · Nov 12, 2013

Well after looking over every reloading manual I have I picked a powder that hasn't worked for me in the past yet I thought I try it out in the 223 Remington R5 Mil-Spec Rifle. I picked out 23.5 grs. of Varget for the load using a WSR primer in Lapua Match Brass behind a Burger 73 gr. BT Target bullet .020" off the lands.

First fouling shot went left (barrel was completely cleaned of copper prior), next five went into the one bug hole, last rushed round went low..... I thought that sucks!

Now this gun seems to shoot everything quite well, which is nice since I'm not burning up brass, bullets and powder trying to find a good load. Just so happens this was another easy task, but since I only had seven WSR primers left I had to quite there! But I'll be out loading more after I get some more WSR primers.

DrMike · Nov 12, 2013

Yes, I'd say there is some potential there. It sucks when we are forced to call a shot, but it does happen.

Hegland · Nov 12, 2013

Yep, I'd say you're there. Nice work!

longrangehunter · Nov 23, 2013

So I ran the previous load of 23.5 grains of Varget over the P35.... needless to say it was slow. It seems either everything I own has a slow barrel and/or the powder(s) I'm using are on the slow side or the books are always off! I use a Pact digital scale and calibrate it sometimes 3 different times depending on the pace of things, and leave it on to warm up before using it at least an hour. But now that I've moved out of the Cabin into the Barn, so the Cabin is cold and requires three hours + to get heated up by the wood stove. Not too bad for a 667 sq. ft. cabin but it does take time away from getting the work done. Anyway, being able to load ammo in one room, move across another room and into another for shooting off a bench indoors is still better then driving to a range to do this type of work! Which is why I bought this place. :grin:

I always set up my chronograph 20 feet from the muzzle to avoid muzzle blast effecting the screens, something I learned decades ago and stuck to it. Anyway, 2550 fps was slow for a 73 gr. bullet using 23.5 of Varget, and Burger listed 23.3 grains in there book as max @ 2840 fps. w/ a 24" BBL.

Ok, so I moved up .7 grains at a time which equaled 100 fps and came up to the 24.9-25.1 mark. From there I moved the seating depth around (out towards the lands) and the magic number was roughly .010" off the lands and around 2780 fps. The gun didn't like .005" off and I rarely seat a bullet into the lands unless I reduce the powder charge... a lot.

So here's a 6 shot group at a slow pace at the 100 meter mark. Works for me considering it only took 10 rounds to figure out. 8)

longrangehunter · Nov 23, 2013

I thought I'd measure the main five shot group.... .2660". The sixth shot out of place makes it .4745". Not one hole and not even my best which was .147 with a 300 Jarrett in front of Kenny himself tuning one of his guns back in 2005...... needless to say he ask that I go re-shoot that customers rifle for another target since he didn't want that person to think he could duplicate that group.

I used to strive for groups in the teens, now, I don't care to work that hard I guess? If it will pass the mustard and do it consistently long range I'm happy with that. I'll now need to see whether or not that combination will deliver the goods long range? But I think it will turn a coyote or maybe even a wolf into pelt skin if I can put a bead on one?