fresh loads to try....

[tri70]

I've been on vacation this week and I get some time to myself tommorrow so I spend some time doing some reloading and will take the mini 14 out for some plinking.;)

I have some bullets to try

70 gr Tripple Shok
60 Nosler ballistic tip
55 MPG Barnes

[cajungeo]

Good luck.

I hope to have my house built far enough along I can dig out my reloader. It's been a long while since Ive done any reloading.

[mercdank]

what twist rate?

[tri70]

I finally got today and tried my new loads and here is a target I shot at 75 yds out at my brothers house. I had trouble today with all my 1st shots being a flyer, but I may need to clean my chamber real good. My mini did well with the 55 gr Nosler ballistic tips,top left, and 55 MPG Barnes hp both with 21.5 gr Reloader 7, bottom left. It also did ok with Nosler 60 ballistic tip, top right, and 60 Vmax, both also with 21.5 Reloader 7. I shot better than the target showed on the 65 gr Sierra spbt 22gr Reloader 10, I flinched on the second shot, 1st shot was a flyer then 3 grouped well. I don't have a good load yet for the 70 gr Tripple shok but I need to test more, today I started with 22 gr Reloader 10 and had keyhole like holes, the bullets did not stablize. My brother shoots 69 Sierra bthp and he said his did not group until he got the velocity up in his AR to 3000 fps.
here are the velocities I chronoed from a Savage bolt 22" barrel:

55 gr Nolser and MPG 21.5 RL 7 -3000 fps
60 gr Vmax and Nosler bt 21.5 gr RL 7- 2900 fps
65 gr Sierra 22 gr RL 10 - 2850 fps
70 gr Tripple Shok 22 gr RL 10- 2800 fps

[tri70]

I did chrono my 55 Nosler bt out of my T/C Contender with a super 14" barrel and showed 2750 fps. So depending on how you shoot with factory or handload will depend on velocity. I use the Reloader 7 and 10 which are the quicker burning for 223 since I cut my mini 14 barrel down to 16.5. I have scheduled another pheasant hunt this October and will take the mini 14 for some prairie dog action! The 55 gr Noslers will get the call for that trip.;) The 55 MPG did well but they cost too much for the pdogs!:D

[tri70]

what twist rate?

196 series with a 1x9 twist

[mercdank]

why didnt you chrono it out of the mini?

[tri70]

I have chrono the mini with the same loads and they will run about 250 fps slower with the 16 1/4" barrel which is almost the same as the 14" T/C barrel.

[steve4102]

Lookin good! Have you tried adjusting the OAL on the BT load? A little here and a little there my tighten it up a bit? Forgive my ignorance, but what is an MPG bullet? That 55gr MPG you have posted looks like a winner.

[tri70]

Lookin good! Have you tried adjusting the OAL on the BT load? A little here and a little there my tighten it up a bit? Forgive my ignorance, but what is an MPG bullet? That 55gr MPG you have posted looks like a winner.

I do get great groups from the 65 gr Sierra spbt and I could have posted a better group, the one flyer high was my flinch. I like the MPG= multipurpose green Barnes, they are a canelured hp, I don't know were the green comes in, $24/box of 100. I had a great group with the Nosler bt on another target my brother had shot it up with his AR tho.

[handirifle]

Looks like it really didn't like the 70gr TSX, but that's no suprise as they are more like a 77gr or more in length. I'd bet a 1-8 or 1-7 is required for them.

Overall nice shooting. I'm beginning to really like H4198 in mine. It's somewhat slower velocity, but the recoil pulse is milder and the brass ejection is about 5 feet as opposed to 20.

The Barnes MPG's are lead free, thus the "green" name. They are filled with a tin based core. They too, are long for weight.

In the 243, the "green" 55gr bullets are about the same length as an 80-85gr lead core.

My Target so far really likes the 55gr Vmax and 55gr Sierra Gameking's.

[handirifle]

Did the front shoulder of the TSX sit below the case mouth? Or did you load them long and single feed them?

I tried to load some of my 75gr Amax's and the shoulder sits below the case mouth when loaded to proper magazine length.

[tri70]

I did load them to mag length 2.260, I only loaded up about 10 rnds, need to try some H335 or Varget I guess.

[RDHNTR]

My best groups come with the 65 gr Sierra, 25gr AA2520 CCI 400 primers and a 1-9 twist barrel. My cases are preped just like I was using them for a bench rest match.I also load overall length to just fit in the mag. I don't know why so many people use the light 55gr bullets when the 65 gr is a better match for a 1-7 or 1-9 twist barrel.

[handirifle]

I don't know why so many people use the light 55gr bullets when the 65 gr is a better match for a 1-7 or 1-9 twist barrel.


Cause they're cheaper, and so far they work fine.

[tri70]

A match on paper doesn't always equal a match in real world. The 55 gr are much more available and I can buy from several stores. Most heavier stuff is getting to be special order from Midway or other places. I do like the 65gr but for plinking and 'yote huntin' its gonna be 55's.;)