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I got a new Savage .223, model 16FHVSS recently. It's a medium heavy stainless fluted barrel, 24" 1 in 9" twist. I put a Vortex Viper 6.5-20X on it and have been breaking it in. So far I'm very happy with it.
I just started working on loads for it. All loads were neck sized in once fired Lapua brass. The first load was 50gr Hornady V-Max over BL-C 2 powder and the second was Hornady 68gr BTHP-M also over BL-C 2 powder. I loaded half of each load with Remington 7 1/2 primers and the other half with Federal 205M. All of the loads were seated so the bullets were .012" off of the lands. After getting everything dialed in at 100 yards, I moved to 200 yards. I shot four 5 shot groups of each 50gr load then cleaned the barrel. I shot a couple of foulers and then shot four 5 shot groups of each each 68gr load. Two things became apparent right away. This rifle, with this powder, likes the Remington primers a lot more! It also likes the 68gr load better than the 50gr ones. Two of the 68gr, Remington primed, groups were just under 1/2" at 200 yards and the other two were way less than an inch. They should do better as I get more used to this rifle. The best 50gr group with the Remington primers was right at an inch at 200 yards. None of the Federal primed groups were under 1 3/4". I've had other loads that showed a preference for a certain primer before, but not by this much. I'll post more info as I work on it more.
Bob</span> </span>
I got a new Savage .223, model 16FHVSS recently. It's a medium heavy stainless fluted barrel, 24" 1 in 9" twist. I put a Vortex Viper 6.5-20X on it and have been breaking it in. So far I'm very happy with it.
I just started working on loads for it. All loads were neck sized in once fired Lapua brass. The first load was 50gr Hornady V-Max over BL-C 2 powder and the second was Hornady 68gr BTHP-M also over BL-C 2 powder. I loaded half of each load with Remington 7 1/2 primers and the other half with Federal 205M. All of the loads were seated so the bullets were .012" off of the lands. After getting everything dialed in at 100 yards, I moved to 200 yards. I shot four 5 shot groups of each 50gr load then cleaned the barrel. I shot a couple of foulers and then shot four 5 shot groups of each each 68gr load. Two things became apparent right away. This rifle, with this powder, likes the Remington primers a lot more! It also likes the 68gr load better than the 50gr ones. Two of the 68gr, Remington primed, groups were just under 1/2" at 200 yards and the other two were way less than an inch. They should do better as I get more used to this rifle. The best 50gr group with the Remington primers was right at an inch at 200 yards. None of the Federal primed groups were under 1 3/4". I've had other loads that showed a preference for a certain primer before, but not by this much. I'll post more info as I work on it more.
Bob</span> </span>
