Savage 23D loads

[turkeybuzzard]

My father traded for a 23D about 45 years ago,the barrel had been cut down and it had an old weaver scope on it and it was not much of a scope. He never could get it to group and didn't mess with it. I played with it and did some reloading with it when I was a teenager. I never got it to shoot very well either. I have inherited the gun and was going to try to work up some loads for it. The barrel is only about 16" long. Should I use pistol loading data instead of rifle. I used rifle loading data 39 years ago.

[ligonierbill]

My 23D has a 23" barrel and an old side mount Ted Williams 4X scope. I use the Sierra 0.223" bullets. Best loads in mine:

45 Sierra/CCI 500/9.9 H110/COL 1.720 2,565 avg/13.6 Std <1" @ 100

40 Sierra/CCI 500/10.4 H110/COL 1.720 2,600 avg/37 Std 1 1/4" @ 150

[turkeybuzzard]

Is there a way to tell if the barrel is .223 or .224? I don't remember which one I used, have both. I really think I tried both sizes but cannot find my load book that I kept up with on my hand loads. Well its been quite a while back. ha. Thank's Bill.

[turkeybuzzard]

I would have thought the powder charge would be less on a short barrel. Looking at the hodgdon reloading page, rifle is same as pistol.

[ligonierbill]

Pre-war barrels are supposed to be 0.223. I haven't slugged it, and I'm skeptical I could distinguish 1 mil on a soft lead slug with my gear. The .223s work well in mine, so I stay with them. Given H110 is a pistol powder, there may not be as much reduction in velocity as one might imagine. I was shooting the same 44 mag H110 load out of a 7 1/2" Redhawk and a 22" Handi Rifle. Pistol did a bit over 1400, the rifle 1,800.

[turkeybuzzard]

Thanks again!!