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20" .223 68Gr FPS?

D.A.T

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 11, 2006
535
2
40
Kansas
My results so far:
25 Gr. Varget
68 Gr. Hornady BTHP
2.265 COAL
Lapua Brass, Win. Primers

Low 2732
High 2755
Avg. 2745
S.D. 8.48

25.5 Gr. Varget

Low 2826
High 2869
Avg. 2848
S.D. 16.7

I have seen 26 Gr. Listed as a Max Compressed Load. on Hodgdon's site. Hornady list 24.9 as a max. Hornady is using a 20" Gas Gun 1/9 twist. Unknown what Hodgdon is using as a test platform.

I loaded up 6 with 26 Gr. to see what will happen. I am using once fired neck sized brass.
 
Re: 20" .223 68Gr FPS?

25.3 is the accuracy load from Sierra for the 69, and its pretty close. I used to use 25.o H4895 with the 69 Sierra, and would get 3000 fps from a 20 in 1-8 wylde chambered wilson barrel. your speeds seem low a little.
 
Re: 20" .223 68Gr FPS?

26 Grains of Varget got me
Low 2856
High 2932
Avg. 2908
SD 30.36

My SD is going up fast with more speed.

I don't think Ill push it any faster then this. I am happy with that speed. NOw I will do some accuracy testing at distance and see how it shoots and then start taking some away if needed.
 
Re: 20" .223 68Gr FPS?

69 smk here with varget... close enough to be helpful maybe

25.3g is very consistent out of my 20 inch barrel.

Velocity is right at 2810-2820 at 1000ft elevation.

No pressure signs and brass seems to have good life so far. I ran a load at 24 for a while, but the SD was too wild. HUGE vertical spread too. I worked my way up to this one and it tightened up a lot; have not gone further since accuracy is great.
 
Re: 20" .223 68Gr FPS?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 331V8</div><div class="ubbcode-body">69 smk here with varget... close enough to be helpful maybe

25.3g is very consistent out of my 20 inch barrel.

Velocity is right at 2810-2820 at 1000ft elevation.

No pressure signs and brass seems to have good life so far. I ran a load at 24 for a while, but the SD was too wild. HUGE vertical spread too. I worked my way up to this one and it tightened up a lot; have not gone further since accuracy is great. </div></div>

^^^^^^^^See, told ya so.
wink.gif
 
Re: 20" .223 68Gr FPS?

I'm running the same in my 20 inch 1-9 R700 SPS Tactical.

25.4g Varget, 69 SMK, 2.260 OAL using once fired FL Lake city it does sub MOA at 100 and out 300 and gets tighter once the brass is neck sized to 0.002 in a Lee collet die. It's a silly accurate load out to 600.
 
Re: 20" .223 68Gr FPS?

In my 20" SPS tactical a 69 smk would do 2950 with 23.8 grains of 8208 xbr and a rem 7 1/2 primer behind it.

As a note my barrel was treated with Tubb's final finish kit.
 
Re: 20" .223 68Gr FPS?

Just checked my log book:

FC Brass
CCI-BR4
25.5gn Varget
69gn SMK
20" SPS Tactical 1/9"
Vel @ 10'= 2919 fps
ES of 6 & SD of 2.8

As a side note, the Federal 205M primers had an ES of 34 and SD of 15.8 @ 2919 fps and grouped like a hand grenade.
 
Re: 20" .223 68Gr FPS?

I went and did some grouping at 194 YDs (Lets call it 200) My first 5 shot group measured .81 inch and my 4 shot group measured 1.1 inch, if you take out my flyer it was .6 inch. I thought that was pretty good for 200 yrd. This was with the 26 Gr. of Varget.