BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[sniper81]

i am new to reloading and was wondering what would be a good reload for a 223 for coyotes what powder,bullet combo works good any info would be great :thumbsup1:

[Hammer1]

Probably if you post in the Reloading Bench section, you will get more reloaders having a peak at your topic. I don't reload for the223 unfortunately.

[Don Fischer]

Welcome to the site,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,sniper. Gad, I forgot his screen name writing it! Had to go back and look. :oops:

I haven't reloaded for the 223 for a long time. As I remember My best loads were always with 55gr bullet's. Seems that the 223's have a bit faster twist rate than other 22's. Trying to recall things here. I do recall my favorite powders were H335, BLC/2 and IMR 3031. Used a lot of Hornady SX's but their discontinued now, and Sierra match bullet's. I thing the old 52 gr Sierra match shot well. If I were going to use it on coyote's I'd try a 60 gr if it would shoot well. Just looked and it seem's you can still get a Hornady 55gr SX. That was a great bullet.

[fuzzybear]

It's been over 20 years but I,m pretty sure it was H4895 and 55 gr Hornady's.
I also shot a whole bunch of chinese made ball ammo in a yellow box of 20 rounds. Was real inexpensive.

[Hammer1]

Sniper :
What make & Model of 223 do you have. I'll do some checking and see what I can come up with.

[sniper81]

it looks like a older savage model 11 it doesn't have the acu triger

[Hammer1]

If I'm right that model would have a 1 to 9" twist and should handle 50 gr + bullets very nicely.
Don Fischer says 55 gr worked best for him. That's where I would start/stop.

[Ripstop]

Sniper

I have a Ruger M77 Varmit model. My gun likes H335, 53gr Hornady Match HPs with Winchester primers.

Goodluck with working up your load.

Ripstop

[JCalhoun]

Sniper81;
Savage started using the 1-9 twist rate in the .223 in the past few years. If it is one of the older ones, mid-90's and earlier, it will have a slower (1-14 I believe) twist rate. The 1-9 twist will work quite well with 69gr Nosler and Sierra BTHP match bullets using Hodgdon's Varget. The slower twist seems to work well with the 55gr Sierra BlitzKing with Ramshot TAC or H-4895 powder.

[sniper81]

i have found what bullet i am going to reload is a 50gr hornady vmax bullet but what would be a good velocity to load for

[JCalhoun]

I find it is better to load for best accuracy. Let the velocity fall where it may. Once the rifle is shooting to your satisfaction, check the velocity so you can make out a ballistics data chart.

[Don Fischer]

Don't try to load for velocity, load for accuracy. Unless you have access to a cronograph you'll never know what it is anyway. Start several grs below max and work up. Watch for pressure.