Help With .223 OCW

[H3nchman]

Rifle:
WOA 18"SPR 223 Wylde

TAC
LC mixed brass
Federal match primers
Hornady 75 Grain hpbt
No Crimp

I ran loads up to 24.5 grains and saw pressure signs. I then backed down to 24.4 and ran an OCW with that charge as my end:
http://s1383.photobucket.com/user/h3nchman55/media/IMG_223_OCW_zpsgkgtxf59.jpg.html]

I then loaded at 24 grains for a seating depth test and the results were aweful. Where did I mess up? Does my rifle not like these bullets? Should I have gone with 23.8?

thanks

 

[spife7980]

To start with I would unmix your brass as that has the potential to throw your stuff every which way.

Then run run a test shooting at max mag length of the charges again but open them up wider. 23.8>24 moves down a bit and 24>24.2 moves up a bit so it doesn't seem ideal to me as point of impact are shifting but neither do any other other charge groups. Knowing we have assorted components makes me skeptical of any results being duplicable.

 

[jh26]

I agree with spife7980. A lot of other questions to really know for sure, if only going by this target I would say it doesn't like the combo. With that being said, what is your brass prep, what is your neck tension, how are you measuring your powder, did you shoot off a bipod, the list goes on and on. If all loading techniques are sound you may want to try varget at 24-25gr, or xbr8208 23-24gr.

 

[supercorndogs]

Tough to see anything through that tiny window.

 

[H3nchman]

Haha so basically, "He has no idea what he is doing".
-I have since picked up a pound of 8208 to try, and I am ordering 77 smks.
-This gun will shoot 1/2" groups with Freedom Munitions 77 grain hpbt remanufactured ammunition, which is in LC mixed 556 cases.
-I will sort and pull a specific year of brass, cull any bad flash holes, and make sure lengths are within +-0.002" of each other.

When I OCW the SMKs, what grain weights should I use? Hodgdon only goes up to 23.2. I see some other threads were people find nodes between 23.3-23.9. Should I load all the way to 24?
Thanks guys. I am still learning so much about precision shooting and reloading.

 

[Ayoung1]

I have loaded up to 23.8 of 8208 xbr in my ladder tests I'm working on with no pressure signs. This is for an ar with 18" Larue barrel.

 

[jsthntn247]

You can't use mixed brass in a 223 and expect good results.

 

[H3nchman]

Thanks for the replies. I have since heavily sorted my brass. One year, no off center flash holes, and all consistent lengths. I am switching to 8208 XBR and 77 grain matchkings. I will post a follow up once I OCW that combination.

 

[Ayoung1]

What rifle are these for and what twist rate?

 

[H3nchman]

Barrel is a 18" 1:7 WOA 223 Wylde chamber.

http://s1383.photobucket.com/user/h3nchman55/media/DSC_0637_zpskctv9tgk.jpg.html]