223 load data...

M

mattakaspeeedy

Inactive
Hello I have a Howa 223 with a 1 in 12 twist.
I have rem cases, cci small rifle primers, ADI Benchmark 1 powder and Sierra 52 grain hpbt projectiles.

Does anyone have any info for how much grains for min and max ?
Or do you have a load using this powder and projectile that works for you ?

I read somewhere that the min and max is 21 to 23 grains but then on another site said 23.5 to 26.5 grains so I'm not sure.
On the ADI website it has 50grain hornady sp start is 22 and max is 24.5 grains of benchmark.
But then a 53grain sierra hp is 21 and 23 grains max.

I have tried 21.8 to 22.8 grains and best group was 1 1/4 inch at 100 yards which was disappointing :(

Also does anyone have any info for the same load but with 55grain hornady v-max ?

Thanks
 
As you know ADI does not list a 52gr bullet for the 223/5.56. This is fairly common as not every company can test every bullet.

When this happens, use data from the next heaviest bullet. In your case that would be the 53gr Bullet.

Data for the 53gr is as you said, Start = 21gr, , Max = 23gr.

You can use the 55gr Sierra bullet data for your 55gr Hornady bullet, just start low and work up.

Start = 20.5gr, . Max = 22.6gr

Never follow load data posted on an internet forum, always verify with tested data.

http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handloaders/rifle.asp?Calibre=223+Remington+(5.56+x+45mm)
 
The Sierra manual does not list ADI Bench Mark powder for the bolt action .223 with 52 grain/53 grain bullets. But Sierra lists the same load data on the same page for both 52 # 1410 and 53 grain # 1400 Match King bullets.


If you have 53 grain data in another manual for Benchmark, you can use that for the 52 grain too.
Sierra does.
 
Last edited:
Caution! Powder Confusion.

Rimfire5,

He's shooting ADI Bench Mark 1 (two words and a number). What is sold in the U.S. as Benchmark (one word) is actually relabeled ADI Bench Mark 2, a slower powder. So your loads would be too heavy for the faster Bench Mark 1.


Speedy,

Welcome to the forum.

Though nothing is certain until you try it, I expect you'll find the 55 grain V-max is a marginal performer in a 12" twist barrel. At 0.811 inches long, it is long for its weight, and the stability estimators suggest it needs about a 10.5" twist for optimal stability. The reason they may be wrong is the plastic tip on that bullet reduces how far forward the center of gravity is as compared to a normal bullet that long, and the twist and stability calculators don't handle that very well. So if you have them, try them. YMMV.

Another factor regarding that V-max is that it is a secant ogive bullet (Rt/R=0.52). Secant ogive bullets tend to be more finicky about the distance of the ogive off the lands, so rather than conventional seating depth, you may do better with something else. Read the note from Berger in this post on getting their secant ogive VLD seating depths established. You will likely need to do something similar, though I would use more like 0.020" seating depth steps with the narrow bullet.

53 grain and 52 grain bullet weights are not significantly different in and of themselves. You'll find most military ammo has bullet specifications that allow for a 3 grain spread in the .308" calibers. A one grain spread at the .224 bullet weights would be about the same percentage. If the bullets are all seated about the same distance off the lands, that same 53 grain data should be good for both weights assuming similar jacket thicknesses and so on. Nonetheless, work up from a starting load.
 
Good catch, UncleNick

I pulled the references to Benchmark loads to avoid a problem.
But the 52 and 53 data is the same in the Sierra Manual so that part of the response still applies.
 
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