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77 Grain Match King Loads
- Thread starter RImike
- Start date
I believe it was you pat that turned me onto RE 15. Still have not found any in quantity yet but did try a lb . Works well and meters nice. I shot a 486/500 @ local 200 yard match with it. Above average score for me.
Was it the load? Most likely not just shot a good round. Although right from the mid range to upper load POI did not shift much and groups where right at MOA.
So good for me. I don't have much time to test loads and when I shoot I shoot a match.
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Starting at 77 gr I think you are better with powders like RE15, Varget, & n140. 24.5 grains of n140 behind a 77 gr SMK do well for my 20" White Oak SDM.
TAC is better at the lighter bullets. My Sierra manual doesn't even have load data for TAC on the 80 & 90 gr. Iuse TAC for plinking loads with Hornady bulk FMJBT. The accuracy of my 55 gr plinking loads is 1-2 MOA and they only cost $0.15 a round so I'm happy with that.
Heres my first match with RE 15 23.5 grains dropped from a measure 77 grain nosler out of my RRA standard A2 for modern military match.
for my light loads I use hornady 55 grain bulk and surplus W844( much like H335) and its a fun cheap load and I get just a touch over 1moa also with a average of 1.5-2 moa from my regular ARs. I rhink out of my match barrel and a scope I could touch moa and a bit less if im shooting well.
My average is upper 80s and lower 90s off hand anything in the 90s is a very good day for me
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Heres my first match with RE 15 23.5 grains dropped from a measure 77 grain nosler out of my RRA standard A2 for modern military match.
for my light loads I use hornady 55 grain bulk and surplus W844( much like H335) and its a fun cheap load and I get just a touch over 1moa also with a average of 1.5-2 moa from my regular ARs. I rhink out of my match barrel and a scope I could touch moa and a bit less if im shooting well.
My average is upper 80s and lower 90s off hand anything in the 90s is a very good day for me
24.1 gr (thrown from a Hornady measure on a progressive press) of RE-15 under a Sierra or Nosler 77, lake city brass and wolf SRM 223 primers got me to distinguished
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I will never have the time to get there....I might shoot a few scores here and there but I will never leg out or shoot enough scores to get the official status.
I'm,happy to shoot as well as I do with out any serious practice.
Planning on being out your way on Sept 3 for the 600 prone match. Bringing my scoped AR and my service rifle. I really want to run the scoped rifle.
Got it dialed in pretty good at 200 yards.
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I use 8208 now, but the only reason I went away from RE15 was because I couldn't get it.
I shot better scores with it.
Of course I was 3-4 years younger and my eyes were better than they are now.
8208, RE15, Varget, or 4895. Those are the powders I know for .223. I know there are others, but those 4 are the "old school" powders.
I shot better scores with it.
Of course I was 3-4 years younger and my eyes were better than they are now.
8208, RE15, Varget, or 4895. Those are the powders I know for .223. I know there are others, but those 4 are the "old school" powders.
That's funny been using 8208 for my 60 grain varmint bullets... so far shooting moa through the scope I hope to break into that sub moa area soon. So not used to shooting with a scope and bipod prone...
Whats the COL?
Why are you going against your own advice?
My friend son been loading 80s in his bolt gun... his dream is to run it at 1000 yards and now with this Crap here in MA he might just pack up and go (20 years old ) ...
He had this barrel built up for heavy 223 loads...want to say it's a 6.5 twist?,maybe 7.5? Single load only set up. He says he needs a new mount and a special turret made up to get the elevation he needs to even consider 1000 yards.
He's been using 2520 for a,while and before this new barrel he was shooting sub moa with 77s . I know he pushes them fast ....
He been out to 600 with 75 A max ....
I have told him he should compete but he says he can't stand waiting around to shoot and wasting a day doing so...I see his point it's not for everyone.
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COL is 2.54 (based on the Sierra manual)
I'm going against my own advice bc I can't fit enough stick powder behind the 80 & 90 gr bullets and TAC is tight enough that I'm hoping to get the velocity I need. If it doesn't work I am SOL at 1,000y but I see guys online shooting the heavy bullets that fast so I figured it's worth trying.
I'm going against my own advice bc I can't fit enough stick powder behind the 80 & 90 gr bullets and TAC is tight enough that I'm hoping to get the velocity I need. If it doesn't work I am SOL at 1,000y but I see guys online shooting the heavy bullets that fast so I figured it's worth trying.
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The 80 grain SMK typically likes to be loaded about .020" off the lands. Depends on the gun but generally that's going to be longer than 2.54" COL.
I always ran very hot charges behind an 80 SMK for 600 when I was shooting service. They shot great at 600 but I don't think you'll get them going fast enough to be competitive at 1000, even with TAC which itself isn't really a preferred powder for accuracy. Either way I'm interested to hear how it works out for you.
I based my COL off the Sierra manual (2.55). I could load them longer but I honestly would need help measuring them "off the lands". I don't have the tools to do so and from some light reading, trying to do it by seating the bullet is iffy at best.
I also loaded up 90 gr SMK's last night because well, I had them and why not. Obviously those don't need to be going as fast as the 80's so they have quite a bit less powder in them. If I don't blow anything up today I will post my results here and in the reloading thread. The Caldwell chrony does a great job of emailing results so it won't be difficult to copy & paste.
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You just need a comparator kit and an OAL gauge. All said it's a pretty cheap investment and they do shoot better if you manage the seating depth, especially if you want to mess with the VLD bullets.
http://www.hornady.com/store/Bullet-Comparator-Kits/
http://www.hornady.com/store/OAL-Gauges/
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Those make all the difference. I have noticed different OAL's with the same seating depth because the bullet length varies slightly. The comparator is spot on and accurately documents your your rounds.
The Caldwell chrono app. If I knew it was this good I would have bout it ages ago. It even has a photo function that allows you to measure bullet spread. Oh, and it can text or email any of this data at will. ****ing awesome app.
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holy cratered primers.
in all seriousness, back that off. you ARE going to blow one (and once you do, it'll keep happening because the firing pin will be etched/scarred)
as said before, most of us never ran TAC because its pretty temp sensitive....especially not 25+gr behind an 80gr bullet.
I used to run 25gr of reloader15 under an 80 (in a Wilson 1:7 and Krieger 1:6.5) - shot fine up here in springtime, brought it to NC to shoot @ Camp Butner, and blew out 13 primers my first string @ 600yds (of 22shots). too hot. backed the load to 24.5gr, stopped seeing crazy pressure signs on primers, and it shot equally well @ distance..
would be curious to see those chrono numbers over an Oehler or MagnetoSpeed - 2900fps on an 80gr bullet is SCREAMING. digging back into my notebook, most of my 80SMK numbers were in the 2820-2850fps range, @ 25gr, and held steady right @ 2800fps @ 24.5 (minor velocity loss with way less pressure)
either way, the brass doesn't last long at those velocities (2-3 firings, tops)
in all seriousness, back that off. you ARE going to blow one (and once you do, it'll keep happening because the firing pin will be etched/scarred)
as said before, most of us never ran TAC because its pretty temp sensitive....especially not 25+gr behind an 80gr bullet.
I used to run 25gr of reloader15 under an 80 (in a Wilson 1:7 and Krieger 1:6.5) - shot fine up here in springtime, brought it to NC to shoot @ Camp Butner, and blew out 13 primers my first string @ 600yds (of 22shots). too hot. backed the load to 24.5gr, stopped seeing crazy pressure signs on primers, and it shot equally well @ distance..
would be curious to see those chrono numbers over an Oehler or MagnetoSpeed - 2900fps on an 80gr bullet is SCREAMING. digging back into my notebook, most of my 80SMK numbers were in the 2820-2850fps range, @ 25gr, and held steady right @ 2800fps @ 24.5 (minor velocity loss with way less pressure)
either way, the brass doesn't last long at those velocities (2-3 firings, tops)
I'm not worried about how long this brass lasts bc these are 1,000 yard loads and I won't get out there more that a handful of times a year. Obviously I'm backing off, these were test loads to get the velocity I needed and you can't tell from the bench where they will be.
I got what I needed today: A load for both 80 & 90 gr SMK's that will reach 1k.
Also, I always have an extra complete BCG as well as all of the parts so replacing a fp isn't a big deal: 30 seconds tops.
I got what I needed today: A load for both 80 & 90 gr SMK's that will reach 1k.
Also, I always have an extra complete BCG as well as all of the parts so replacing a fp isn't a big deal: 30 seconds tops.
Moving all of my data from this thread into its own thread so everything is consolidated and I stop thread-jacking:
http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...p-90-grain-Sierra-Match-King-s-at-1-015-yards
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I have since ran out of Varget and am considering alternatives. I am considering Reloader 15 for it's consistency. What are people's response to accuracy and velocity? I've also seen AR-COMP and am intrigued by that. I've noticed that unlike Hodgdon, Alliant doesn't offer pressures at a stated charge.
What are people's thoughts about Varget alternatives or should I stick with it?
What are people's thoughts about Varget alternatives or should I stick with it?
gerrycaruso
NES Member
I just loaded some 77 grain match kings in lake city brass with WC844. I haven't shot them yet but velocity should be around 2500 fps. Varget is listed as 22.6 to 23.9. Velocity is listed as 2400 to 2550 fps. This is in the AR section. Velocities in the bolt action section are much higher.
