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223 load for 40gr

ryan_marine
I am looking for a good load for a 700VLS with a 23.5" heavy barrel. I am will be shooting 40gr boat tail balstic tip bullets. I have lots of win748 powder. All of the bullets that I am shooting now I am just using 26grs of it. It is accurate but I want a fast bullet so I can make varmints explode. My wife will be using a 25/06 just for fun. Any help will be great. Also will a 35gr do more or less damage.

Thanks

Ray

More Powder, More Lead, More Dead
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Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • ryan_marine
    It is a 1 in 14 twist barrel.

    More Powder, More Lead, More Dead
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  • temblor
    I load hornady v-max 40 grainers with 27.8 grains of W-748 powder with winchester primers and federal or black hills cases. This load will shoot in my remington 223 vssf with 1-12 twist heavy bbl or my ruger mkII 223 with 1-14 twist sporter bbl. I full length resize the cases and seat the bullets for an overall cartridge length of 2.258" so that they will chamber and shoot in either rifle ( or a friends )to keep it simple.The new nosler reloading manual fifth edition lists 748 as the most accurate powder with 40 grain ballistic tip bullets.They show 28.0 grains as the maximum powder charge with their bullet. You might start lower (starting charge is listed at 26.0 grains of 748) and work your way up to see where your gun groups best.My guns and a friends both shot the smallest groups between 27.5 and 27.8 grains.The hornady v-max and nosler ballistic tips externally are almost identical with plastic or polymer tips and load very close to the same with alot of powders.The v-max are more explosive on squirrels and such, but the noslers are a little better on larger stuff like coyotes.Another very accurate load with these 40 grain bullets is 27.0 grains of AA2460 powder (maximum is 28.0 grains again from accurate powders number two loading manual).The AA2460 gets more velocity than the 748 if that matters to you.--- I have shot the 35 grain H v-max bullets and they shoot ok in the 1-14 twist bbls ( groups under an inch out of the ruger sporter)but they weren't as accurate at longer range and not as good on varmits past about 150 - 175 yds and were really designed for the 22 hornet caliber.They load very short (2.13" overall cartridge length). There is load data for these bullets in the Accurate Powder manual mentioned above but not in my Hornady fifth edition manual for the 223, only the hornets and the 218 bee. --- Good luck..........................[:)]
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  • richbug
    As much varget as you can get in the case with a 40 gr. bullet would be a good choice. For me that varies between 26 and 28.5 grains depending on the brass.

    My border collie is smarter than your honor student.
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  • temblor
    richbug is probably right.I shoot compressed loads of varget powder 50 grain speer TNT bullets in federal cases and they are very accurate. Have not shot it with the 40 grainers though.In the federal cases it loads at 27.5 grains if you don't trim the cases a little to short and can't get all of it in the case.This load is listed as maximum in the Speer #13 manual with the 50 grain bullets......[8D]
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  • PJ
    28 grains of 748 under a 40 grain V-MAX is the best load I have found in my Ruger #1V in .223 (1 in 12 twist).
    Pete

    "Be kind to your neighbor, he knows where you live"
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  • GUNNER CHRIS
    I shoot 748 with 27.5 grns and that is one great round it fires well out of 3 different 223 that i have ,these guys gave you some great advice[^][^]

    LET MY BIG 50 DO THE TALKIN FOR ME!!!!!!!
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