223 target help?

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blackswamp

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I picked up a new Savage model 12 in 223 that I want to use for some local benchrest/varmint shoots. The gun is a 26 inch barrel with a 1/9 twist rate. Most of the ranges that I shoot at are 100-300 yards maybe out to 500 sometimes. I just started reloading recently & I would like to work up the loads for this gun myself. I'm just looking for suggestions on what bullets, powder, brass & primers I should try to find locally. Any suggestions that you have would be helpful.

If you have a scope recommendations that would be great maybe around $500.00.

Thanks!
Jeff
 
1:9 should stabilize anything up to 70gr, and probably a bit higher, though it seems people have mixed results beyond that.

I have been using mostly 55gr in my AR, but i recently picked up a .223 bolt gun, also with a 1:9 twist, and will be playing with some heavier bullets soon.

As for powder, i have had great results with accurate 2460, and it is one of the cheapest powders around if you can find it. I hear benchmark is great for match loads, though i have yet to have the occasion to pick some up to test.
 
Model 12? FVSS?.

60 gn Hornady A Max
25.5 gns Varget
CCI- BR4 Primers
Set AOL to 2.29.
This load will shoot primers out of 9MM cases at 100 yards out of said rifle above.

As for scope- I have a Mueller 8-32 x 44 on mine. Scope is great,tracks perfect.
Not a fan of 44 mm Obj, but getting used to it.
 
I'm currently shooting a 1/8 twist, 5R barrel,
A little over 3,000 FPS,
26 Grain Benchmark,
55 grain Hornady V-Max,
Winchester Small Rifle primed.

Shooting well under 1 MOA before the first 100 break in rounds were through the barrel at 100 yards.

The same load in 1/7 twist 6 groove is shooting 10 round groups you can cover with a dime. 2.260" SAAMI COAL.

Bolt rifles you can usually not crimp and load long, let the chamber throat set the free bore to zero.
Some of these small bore rifles really respond to closing up the free bore.

With your twist you should be able to push those thin jacket varmint rounds harder without blowing the jackets off,
The 1/7 barrel will blow them apart about 3,250 and 3,300 FPS,
I don't know what the 1/8 barrel is going to do yet, just got it broke in and haven't had a chance to load up for it and shoot it to see.
 
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For scope recommendations i would say the SWFA Super Sniper 10x42mm hands down. At that price you wont be able to get high quality variable zoom. If you go fixed you can get much better glass. The SS is around 300 bucks too.

If you really like variable ive heard that the Vortex line is great too.
 
Savage 12FV .223, 26" barrel, Durramax stock, Mueller 4-16x 50AO scope.



10 shots at 100 yards. Squares are 1", so pretty much 10 shots in 1/4" at 100 yards.


This is 3 shots at 100 yards, pretty much in the same hole. Bullets were Hornady 75gr BTHP with 22.0gr of H335.
 
Steve-Nice set up. I have same rifle in a FVSS. If you want for the heck of it-Try my recipie posted above once. You might be pleasantly supprised.
 
For a do all target/hunting loading I really like 25gr of h335 behind a 65gr sierra game king. I can squeeze a little more accuracy out with match kings but the gameking ain't far off and performs great on everything from varmints to hogs.
 
Just thought I'd update a bit. I swung by the LGS to see what heavy weight .224 bullets they had and came home with some 70gr bergers. I decided to try them with some 8208XBR, loaded up 40 rnds and headed to the range. I was not expecting miracles since I was loading for a savage Stevens 200, but I was pleasantly surpised. Most of the charge weights were a hair over 1 MOA, but in the midst of that I got this little gem.

743d65417f2727551837339ab4a1572a.jpg


I need to load some more to see if the load is solid, but all in all, it seemed to stabilize all loads fairly well.
 
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