Help me with my load data.

[GuyCoker]

I need help with my load data.

This is for a Rem 700 .223 still in a houge stock. The book said max load was at 26 grains of varget for the 69 grain SMK. I started at 22.5 working my way up to 25.5 in .5 grain increments. I have seated the bullets long at 2.3". The groups were shot at 200 yards from a bipod prone. Keep in mind there is probably a lot of human error due to I am a relatively new rifle shooter.

Powder: Varget
Charge: 22.5-25.5
Primer: Federal Match
Bullet:69 SMK
Brass: All new LC that was full length sized

I was cronoing these and my deviation was a bit large. At times it was around 50 or more FPS. I charges all cases with a RCBS chargmaster that was properly zeroed and has always been right on. Could the problem be with my seating. I am using a RCBS .223 seater.

What I would like to know is were do I go from here? What could I be doing wrong?

I am having problems posting so I will just add a link.
Group photos

 

[gcoulsey]

Re: Help me with my load data.

Any particular reason your seating them long?
The book loads will probably be based on 2.260"
Base to tip..

 

[GuyCoker]

Re: Help me with my load data.

I seated them long to reduce the jump to the lands as instructed in the threads on reloading for bolt rifles. If I loaded long shouldn't that decrease pressure, allowing for more case volume?

Any help is appreciated

 

[djtjr]

Re: Help me with my load data.

Yes and no if you are long into the lands you can actually cause an over preside situation I always seat long then work in the seating depth from there long to short you are not likely to get a preside spike the same is not so from short to long if you get to where you could be touching the lands or a short jump. Seating long and using the extra avail case capacity can be a dangerous combo unless you work up carefully.
D

 

[GuyCoker]

Re: Help me with my load data.

I worked it up carefully using a crono. The loads are not touching the lands just closer to the lands. The chamber seems to be pretty long. What size groups should I be trying to achieve at 200 yards. They are just over 1 moa with a couple of fliers which are my doing.

I also received a B&C a5 stock today so we will see how that affects the accuracy.