loads for long range predator hunting

kilkritrsnow · January 21, 2006, 01:13 PM

Recently ,I have worked up a load for my AR15 1in8twist 20in barrel.It has been a chore to find a powder combination it liked,Im trying 77gr smk IMR4064 with cci mag primer 23.6grains ,seems to be the most accurate.Ive tried A2520,H322,H335,IMR4895,H4895 BL(C)-2,Varget IMR3031,W,RL15,W748 in combinations with wsr,ccibr,rem7.5 ccimag, primers thats where ,I come up with the word chore! Sierra says mk bullets are for paper, yet U.S. GOV. says they meet N.A.T.O. standards. my thoughts are ,good enough for two legged predators,good enough for four legged.Thoughts and ,keep in mind long range and magazine compliant.AR15 has been the most accurateof the gas guns not trying to start an argument, just looking for wisdom .Later I am going to try 6.5/300 short mag in AR10 but for now .223! Benchrest accuracy only.

marks655 · January 22, 2006, 12:10 AM

I get sub 0.5 MOA groups in my AR-15 with 8.25-twist Krieger barrel using:

26-26.5 gr W748
Sierra 55 gr HPBT (Gameking) bullets
Win. or Norma brass,
CCI or Win. primers.

Have you tried Hodgdon Benchmark powder ? I just loaded some to try out.

gary2905 · January 22, 2006, 12:33 PM

Have gotten really nice groupings out of my RRA 20" varmint using 69 gr. Sierra HPBT with 24 gr. W-748 and CCI primers.
Easily doing 1.2 inch groups at 200 yards off of sandbagged rest and 16 x scope.
Of course, no wind and no coffee (for me) .

Art Eatman · January 22, 2006, 01:09 PM

kkn, the deal, whether it's coyotes or deer, is a quick, clean kill. Expanding bullets do a better job than those that expand only a little, if any. It's difficult to get as high a velocity from a .223 with a heavy bullet, and out at 400 yards or so the probability of expansion declines in dramatic fashion. Penetration is a different matter, and of generally lesser importance.

What sort of "long range" do you really envision? For central Texas predators, you don't really need a heavy bullet. Bullet weights ranging from the 50s to the 60s would do quite well. I've busted feral cats at 300 yards with a Swift with 52-gr Sierra HPBTs, and they were always DRT.

Art

January 21, 2006, 01:13 PM	#1
kilkritrsnow Junior Member Join Date: January 21, 2006 Location: huntsville tx Posts: 1	loads for long range predator hunting Recently ,I have worked up a load for my AR15 1in8twist 20in barrel.It has been a chore to find a powder combination it liked,Im trying 77gr smk IMR4064 with cci mag primer 23.6grains ,seems to be the most accurate.Ive tried A2520,H322,H335,IMR4895,H4895 BL(C)-2,Varget IMR3031,W,RL15,W748 in combinations with wsr,ccibr,rem7.5 ccimag, primers thats where ,I come up with the word chore! Sierra says mk bullets are for paper, yet U.S. GOV. says they meet N.A.T.O. standards. my thoughts are ,good enough for two legged predators,good enough for four legged.Thoughts and ,keep in mind long range and magazine compliant.AR15 has been the most accurateof the gas guns not trying to start an argument, just looking for wisdom .Later I am going to try 6.5/300 short mag in AR10 but for now .223! Benchrest accuracy only.

January 22, 2006, 12:10 AM	#2
marks655 Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 363	AR-15 loads I get sub 0.5 MOA groups in my AR-15 with 8.25-twist Krieger barrel using: 26-26.5 gr W748 Sierra 55 gr HPBT (Gameking) bullets Win. or Norma brass, CCI or Win. primers. Have you tried Hodgdon Benchmark powder ? I just loaded some to try out.

January 22, 2006, 12:33 PM	#3
gary2905 Member Join Date: December 20, 2005 Location: Rural-not for long- Virginia Posts: 60	Have gotten really nice groupings out of my RRA 20" varmint using 69 gr. Sierra HPBT with 24 gr. W-748 and CCI primers. Easily doing 1.2 inch groups at 200 yards off of sandbagged rest and 16 x scope. Of course, no wind and no coffee (for me) .

January 22, 2006, 01:09 PM	#4
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	kkn, the deal, whether it's coyotes or deer, is a quick, clean kill. Expanding bullets do a better job than those that expand only a little, if any. It's difficult to get as high a velocity from a .223 with a heavy bullet, and out at 400 yards or so the probability of expansion declines in dramatic fashion. Penetration is a different matter, and of generally lesser importance. What sort of "long range" do you really envision? For central Texas predators, you don't really need a heavy bullet. Bullet weights ranging from the 50s to the 60s would do quite well. I've busted feral cats at 300 yards with a Swift with 52-gr Sierra HPBTs, and they were always DRT. Art