New 3-gunner Needs Reload Help

[indyshooter]

i've reloaded and shot ipsc handgun for 2 years now and starting into 3-gun. i have a dillon 650 with .223 dies and shoot a jp w/ 20" supermatch barrel and cooley comp. i'd like to hear what you guys are reloading as i don't know where to start. i'm looking for a good all around load for out to around 200-300 yards. any suggestions?

[uscbigdawg]

Twist rate would help, but here's what I run:

69gr. Sierra Match Kings, with 25.0 or 25.5gr. (I think) of Hodgon Varget. The reason, flashback a couple of years ago. I recently finished a 3 gun class with Mike Voigt and a 2 gun class with Bennie Cooley. I called up Mike as during our classes Mike and Bennie were raving over some ballistics software that they were using that was yielding super accurate comparisons to their range numbers.

So, asked Mike about a load to run using the KISS method (I knew that I was going to go with the SMK's, so the only factors were really powder and charge). Note that I had the Sierra reloading manual too, that lists a seperate load table for loading .223 in an AR. Gotta love those guys. Turns out that with my 1:8, 18" SS barrel, that the above load was going to be the most accurate for the distances we were looking at. The plus, it turns out that it's listed by Sierra as their "Most Accurate Load". Coincidence or what?

The added bonus is that I didn't have a chance to go to a range beyond 100 yards to zero before the SMM3G that year. So, same conversation with Mike I asked that with a 200 yard zero, what would be the other "zero" that I would be able to use. It was like 57 yards or something like that. Worked the math and figured out what the hold overs for 250 and 300 were. Took test loads to the range, chrono'ed them and printed for accuracy and consistency. They worked perfectly (I took a sample from like 24.5-26...I think) and the 25.5 mapped out around the best (I think like 25.6 was the best, but easy to remember 25.0 or 25.5 I really can't remember...I've been a little busy and not shooting ).

Did a couple hundred loads, went to the range, verified zeroes, practiced with it to time the gun a bit and then went home that night to load ammo for SMM3G. 'Cause I'm superstitious as hell, the next morning when it was time to leave, picked up the rental car, went to the range, verified zeroes of all 3 guns and then drove to Mesa. One of the better matches I've shot.

So...the point? Going with established "safe" loads in a reloading manual is not a bad place to start. However, know too, that this has been discussed on these boards A LOT and a search will probably yield better and more in depth results than my absent memory from about 2 years being away from shooting.

Good luck.

Rich

[Jeff Matzka]

Any ideas as to how the aforementioned load will perform out of a 16" barrel w/ 1:9 twist? Does Varget burn fast enough for a 16" barrel?

Thanks.

[Jeff Matzka]

Any ideas as to how the aforementioned load will perform out of a 16" barrel w/ 1:9 twist? Does Varget burn fast enough for a 16" barrel?

Thanks.

Didn't have any Varget laying around, but had some AA 2230. At the range last weekend, shot some test rounds with the following results:

16" bbl/1:9 twist - 23.5 gr. AA2230 - SMK 69gr BTHP - 2640 - 2710 fps. I was very surprised to get that kind of velocity with that powder out of a 16" barrel. Groups were comparable to any other loads I've used w/that gun. Now I need to see how well it hits it's mark at 300 yds. I only have access to a 100 yd range.