[johnf]

Not really sure if this make since but this is what happened with my 223 loads. I'm using a Hornady 60 gr.sp pushed by varget. I started with 25 gr. and moved up a 1/4 gr. at a time until I reached 26.25 when I ran out of light.

At the minimum 25gr. I had a 1.5" pattern at 55 yards each load above that got bigger until I reached about a 3" pattern with 26.5gr all 5 shot groups. Of course part of that may be that I was running out of light and couldn't really see the target that well. The bullets seem to be entering the paper at a good angle which would seem to mean that the 1:12 twist is stabilizing the bullet enough.

The plan with this gun is to use as for an under 50 yard deer gun for my kids. I think the fact that at 50 yards my 5MOA red dot is only slightly smaller than my biggest group means I'm really getting fairly good results. I'm kinda wishing I had left the scope on it to see what it could really do. Maybe after my daughter gets used to shooting the red dot I'll replace it with a 3-9.

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

Most of the time you will find that maximum loads don't give the best accuracy. You'd probably be able to shrink those groups with a scope on it. Still though, it's more than good enough for a short range whitetail gun.

 

[johnf]

Do you think that going down a 1/4 or 1/2 grain would shrink it more? Of course with a 2.5" dot I'm not sure I'm able to aim better than 1.5".

Is Varget supposed to smell funny?

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

You never really know what the outcome of changing components will be until you try them. Since you are shooting a dot and not a magnified optic, 1.5" sounds pretty good. I know that with my eyesight, 1" to 1.5" at 50 yards with a non-magnified dot is about as good as I can do.

I have never used Varget so I really can't comment on the smell. I do know that some powders have different smells. I have shot some that would almost make you nauseated if you shot them very much due to the rank smell of the powder.

 

[johnf]

Guess I'll load some more at 25gr. and see if I just got lucky. If it's going to shoot that good I think I may just leave it alone.

 

[johnf]

I took it back out today with 20 more rounds of 25gr. and got even better results. I got one 5 shot group that was a little under an inch and shot two 2.5 groups at 100 yards. I think I'm going to start just pouring them out like that. I've got about 200 primed empties and 300 bullets, so I think I'm set for a while. :biggrin:

I know that's not a lot for you AR-15 guys, but 200 rounds will last when your using a single shot.:wink:

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

Sounds like you are on the right track!!

 

[johnf]

Sounds like you are on the right track!!

My groups are a hair better than I thought. The one that I thought was about an inch was actually 3/4" and I had two groups that were about 1" but had a flyer that made them 1.25

I may use the gun myself to stalk into the woods with. I think it's under 6lbs with the scope and with the woods I'm in I don't think I would get a shot longer than 30-40 yards.