Anybody using Berger 70gr VLD and H-4895 in 223?

[steve123]

I have a lot of both on hand and want to work up a new load. I'll be loading for my 15" barreled AR with new Lapua brass and Wolf 223 primers.

With Winchester and Federal brass 23.3 of H-4895 and 75 grainers only gave 3 firings before some of the brass were loosing primers. I don't want to stress the brass this time around so I'm trying a double check here to make sure.

Just curious if anybody uses these components together, what load you use and how case life is?

Thanks

 

[Juma]

Federal 205 primers.

 

[MMAJunkie]

I shoot the 70 VLD in a Savage Bolt gun but mostly use Varget at 24.8g. I have a lot of good luck with H4895 but I just have not shot it with that particular bullet.

 

[dariof]

I shoot the 70 VLD in a Savage Bolt gun but mostly use Varget at 24.8g. I have a lot of good luck with H4895 but I just have not shot it with that particular bullet.

I just ordered the 70 VLD, and have the Savage. I'll try your load.....thnx.

 

[steve123]

Back when I first worked loads for my short barreled AR I found that Varget didn't give the best velocity but H-4895 was perfect. If I had a longer barrel Varget would be my choice for sure.

I was able to do a ladder test from 22.5 grains on up to 23.9 grains at 285Y yesterday. 23, 23.1 and 23.2 grains of H-4895 landed within 1.25" of each other with only 1/2 vertical. I loaded up 25 rounds of 23.1 for a accuracy test at 100Y and 600Y just to make absolutely sure that is was no fluke before I load up all 500 brass.

I'm not worried about velocity just accuracy. I didn't have time to set up the chrono but thinking the load is around 2650 fps.

 

[BCP]

I could never get h4895 to work well with 77s but with 69s it shot great at 24grains. 70 bergers should be similar. For varget add about a grain.

 

[Niles Coyote]

Funny you should ask, I have about 39 loaded and waiting for OCWing tomorrow. Will be fired from a 24" r700 5r though... I am using LC brass and WSR primers.

 

[steve123]

If you don't mind tell us how it all went.

What's your OACL and what powder?

I think it was your post from last year that got me thinking about the 70 grain VLD vs 75's or 77's. Pretty much the same BC but can be driven faster.

 

[Niles Coyote]

If you don't mind tell us how it all went.

What's your OACL and what powder?

I think it was your post from last year that got me thinking about the 70 grain VLD vs 75's or 77's. Pretty much the same BC but can be driven faster.

Will do.

I am jumping .010" to the lands (for a COAL of 2.295") and using H4895 from 22.5g-24.5g in .2g steps. This past winter I had it out but only had a half dozon bullets at the time and tried 24.8 and 25 grains and while I didn't see pressure I had this rifle out last week and ran into pressure with 69's right around 25.8. So I am figering since the 70's have a longer bearing surface than the 69's my 24.8 and 25 loads had to be hot... They shot good there though... and it was 18 degrees at the time. So I am looking for a lower node for all year enjoyment... hopefully.

This R700 5r has a throat .1" shorter than my R700 tactical, good for 69's and great for 70 vld's but not so good for 75vld's and 80's as they take up powder space. 25.3g of varget is my goto load with 69's in the tactical. I tried it in my 5r and it didnt do as well but was running 2990 fps ~140fps faster than the tactical. By comparison 25g of H4895 had me at 3090 or 100fps faster still.

It's been my experence that with the heavier bullets, H4895 can run the heavies faster than varget. With varget I run into compression before getting to my desired velocity. Varget is a good powder though.

 

[Niles Coyote]

If you don't mind tell us how it all went.

Fired over a magnetospeed 3 shots each
23.0g gave me 2842, sd= 25 es= 50
23.5g gave me 2933, sd= 1 es= 3
24.0g gave me 3019, sd= 27 es=55

I then shot a OCW round robin from 22.5 – 24.5 in .2 steps
Things look real good between 23.3-23.5-23.7 and with the velocity numbers above I think I am going to stay with 23.5 as that appears to also be right in the middle of the node.

Winds were high, 12-15mph with 25-30mph gusts, all from 3 o’clock so there are a couple fliers in there but I felt that the results were an accurate representation.

 

[steve123]

Thanks for the pics and report. 23.5 grains is shooting great for you! It's amazing how much more velocity you get with the 24" barrel/2933 fps.

I was close on my prediction for 23.1 grains, turned out to be around 2630-40 fps in my 15" barrel. Too windy to set up the chrono so I had to back the dope in using actual drops at distance when I got home.

I shot a few groups at 100Y getting a zero. One 3 shot group was 1/3" the other about a inch but 1 shot was wide. Then shot at 285Y, 400Y and 589Y. The vertical was small, almost seems to shoot better at distance??? Winds were 10mph when I arrived and close to 16-18mph when I got to 589Y. I had to aim about 5 feet left to hit the steel at 589Y, LOL. I didn't miss the steel at 285Y and 400Y but hit a foot and half off to the right the first few shots at 589Y.

Steel is a foot wide.



The three on top were 285Y, middle three 400Y and all the shots on the bottom 589Y. I have no idea why the vertical was so small in those conditions, I highly doubt it could be repeated.