Tried out a .223 load today

Sweet!!!

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Flattening at 25 grains? Are you sure you aren't flattening the primers when you are priming the brass? I'm running 55 grain projectiles with 28 grains of Varget, and barely seeing any sign of pressure in my Weatherby Vanguard Varmint Special.

Geno

It's debatable whether primer flattening can tell you anything about overpressure. Some will say it's one of the least reliable indicators. Blowing primers out, sticky bolt lift, etc and more indicitive from what I understand.

I run a .223 load in a bolt action that flattens primers (CCI) at medium published loads at a much longer COAL (lower pressure) than published.

I load 25.5 with 55 V-MAX through my AR all the time, seated deeper to be sure, with no pressure signs at all. Double check the scale???

Nice shooting. Is it a stock Stevens?

Flat primers are a sign of soft primers. If there is no sticky bolt, difficult extractcion, loose primer pockets, brass flow into the bolt face it's G.T.G. Possibly try a different brand but not Federal as they have been proven soft.

primer on the bottom is cratered too

Cratering can be caused by a weak firing pin spring, chamfered pin tunnel, or too much tolerance between the pin and tunnel, or soft primer cups

Don't mistake sensitive primers for "soft" primer cups. Chronograph if you can or back off the load slightly if you're uncomfortable with it. I don't see much to be concerned about but again, I'd verify the scale.

I'd shoot that load, it seems to work great. Try different primers and seat the bullets deeper just as a test. Some bullet mfgs have a wandering ojive, the first few are .02 off and the next may be in the lands. Looks OK to me.

To the OP:

I shoot 24.5 grains of Varget behind 75-77gr bullets with Federal Match primers out of a Tikka T3, Remington 700 Tactical, numerous ARs. Sometimes I use CCI 400 primers. These loads "mildly" flatten the primers with little to no "cratering" and show very accurate results.

Those you showed look pretty normal in my view. You probably have a 223 chamber. Back off .5 grains and see if you get the same or even better results.

M

I don't know if this will help you or not, but I use this method to verify pressure.

I do have a pressure measuring device which requires me to glue a transducer on the barrel, verify brass thickness, etc., and while using this device to ascertain pressures a few years ago, I learned that a good indicator of pressures is to measure the fire ring with a good micrometer.

If you shoot remington brass, then buy a 20 round box of remington ammunition. Fire the ammunition in your rifle, and measure 5 or 10 of the cartridges at the "fire ring," the area ahead of the case head, where the powder cavity bottoms out at the web. Measure at least 3x at different locations around the circumference of the case. Write down your readings.

Using new, unfired, brass of that same brand, do your load progression and measure the fire ring on your reloads the same way. When the measurement on the micrometer on your reloads is the same as the factory ammo, then you have a good idea of your max load. Sometimes I will pull the bullets from the remaining 10 rounds in the factory ammo box, and use these to arrive at the max load. Now you know your max load in that brand of cases.

Since different brands of brass have different relative powder capacity, I suggested Remington, as it is typically heavier brass than say, Winchester. But if you compare weight of your unfired cases to the weight of your factory test cases, you will have a good idea of relative powder capacities. If your new lot of brass is heavier than your test cases, then you know you will need to reduce your powder charges to avoid exceeding the maximum safe pressures.

Typically, if you are looking for brass flow into the ejector hole, sticky bolt lift, and similar signs, you have already surpassed the maximum safe load.

Personally, if I am loading at or near maximum pressures for my cartridge, I will rethink getting a bigger cartridge... i.e., maybe you would do well with a 22-250 to obtain the performance you seek.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Stubb

25.3 grains of Varget and the Sierra 69gr MK HPBT are almost "magic" in my CZ-527 Varmint bolt action. They like to be seated just deep enough to load into the detachable box mag. Have never seen any signs of high pressure deformity.

I really like the CCI BR4 primers, but have also had very good results with 25.0 of Varget and Wolf Magnum small rifle primers with the 69gr MK's.

No chance you were using small pistol primers by mistake, is there? In any case, the photo doesn't look that alarming to me.

I think that every factory round I have ever shot in any rifle or pistol flattens the primers. Its not a sign of excessive pressure. As many other posters have described, 25.0 grains of Varget is not a hot .223 load by any means with a 55 gr. projectile. I personally use 24.6 and consider it to be a creampuff.

Laphroaig

woops

Geno said:

Flattening at 25 grains? Are you sure you aren't flattening the primers when you are priming the brass? I'm running 55 grain projectiles with 28 grains of Varget, and barely seeing any sign of pressure in my Weatherby Vanguard Varmint Special.

Geno

Click to expand...

barrel Length will have a lot to do with what 25 compared to 28 grains will do to the primer. The longer the barrel the longer the pressure is held in the barrel there for causing higher pressure signs on the primer. If we compare barrel lenght of yours to the op. we'll probably find yours is shorter.

Question for you Comrade Mike: When you've shot a group as you have, measure it for MOA, you get the number from the holes punched, do you then subtract the bullet diameter from that number to get the true MOA? Just curious, I shot 4 rds. in to a hole that measured .498 , "IF" I subtract the bullet diameter from that, I get .274 , Is this correct or no? I was shooting .224 bullets. Thanks.