Best choice for .223 varmint bullet/load

[Wheatgerm]

Once this elk season is over i'll be looking into working a load for my .223 i want it to be a shoot for fun gun also varmints and stuff. Id like a well priced bullet bit also accurate and gets the job done? Seriously looking into the berger. But im curious about the a-max, does anyone shoot this bullet for varmints? I know its not a "hunting" bullet but im curious how it performs on impact?
I've shot the v-max for a while out of the 223 and really wouldn't mind staying with that either. Just curious what everyone else is using these days?

 

[submoa]

As I have a savage with a 1-9 twist barrel I shoot 68 gn bthp match hornadays over 25gns of varget shoots great and do wonderful things to every from squirrels to coyotes would even use them on deer if I had to

 

[Wheatgerm]

Match bullets? So just the normal HPBT target bullet then? I would imagine it wouldn't take a special hunting class bullet for small game to have good effects. That's why I was curious about the a-max. Well that's good news then

 

[submoa]

Yap bthp match but I've been wanting yo try the Berger 70gn VLDs witch are match bullets to

 

[Gary Kaney]

sobmoa

What kind of velocity are you getting with the 68's & Varget My AR with a 7 twist likes those with 23 of Varget. I've got a Mod. 70 & a FN TSR to play with them in yet. I've had real good luck with the 60 V Max out of the Mod. 70 out to 400 yds. after that the open up.

 

[submoa]

2950 ish out of a 22" 1-9 twist savage

I hold sub moa out to 500 with it and 9.3 moa drop makes for a good coyote round

 

[whitely]

I started using the Hornady 53 gr V-max over TAC out of my AR. I'm getting around 3250 out of a 20" barrel and 1/2 - 3/4 MOA accuracy.

The 69 gr MatchKings are also nice, but I wanted something more frangible for the PDs. The 53 gr MatchKings have probably been the most accurate of all the bullets I tested, also with TAC.

 

[Nomad]

52gr Amax, H335 upper end of load data , Win cases prepped flash holes and primer pockets trued, 205M. The faster you push it the the tighter the groups......
Good in AR's as well as bolt guns......

 

[SidecarFlip]

Widners sells Hornady 55 grain HPBT in quantity. I usually buy in 5,000 lots. Much cheaper than the usual 100 round boxes and they pay the shipping.

322 or 335 in high loads with federal brass and match primers for me. The harder you push, the tighter the group. Just loaded 1500 plus last week.

 

[johnnyk]

I do not currently own a .223 but according to my reloading journal, back in August of 2004, I loaded the 55gn Nosler Ballistic Tip ahead of 24.5-26.5gn of W748 in Remington brass and Rem 6.5 primers. OAL: 1.8865"

Of these groups 25.5 and 26.5 were the best, coming in at .162" and .136", respectively. This was shot from a Savage 110 FP, by two different shooters. JohnnyK.

 

[1100 Remington Man]

My load duplicates Hornadys Superformance load in .223 Rem 53gr V-MAX gives you 22-250 performance factory loads or close enough no varmint would know what hit them.

 

[jpbaker]

Yap bthp match but I've been wanting yo try the Berger 70gn VLDs witch are match bullets to

I dont know how they work on fur, but im pushing the 70gr VLD at 3100 on 26 gr of Varget. They are grouping very well for me, well under 1/4 MOA with basically no load development. These are my new favorites, on my first day or load development, I set two .22-250 rounds up at 100yds and shot the primers out 2/2. These puppies are amazing. My rifle is a savage that i rebarreled with a shilen 1-8 twist and dropped it in a CHOATE TACTICAL stock. Added a rifle basix trigger down to 1.5lbs.

As far as v-max, I got 1000 50 gr z-max to use up. I bought 500 and they shot so well, that i ordered another 500, they are cheaper than v-max, and are the same bullet. Im putting these on 28 gr or varget....also shoot well on CFE 223 right around 1/4 MOA.

The 75gr A-MAX shoot well, but nothing like the bergers still well under .5 MOA.

As far as larger game, the 62gr TSX get the nod from we on 26gr or varget once again shoot around 1/4 MOA if i do my part.

TKS
JPB

 

[SidecarFlip]

Almost anything works on fur so long as placement is discretionary.

 

[submoa]

Yap I leand not to hit the sholder or it gits ugly