based on a question on another site, I went out and did a little experimentation...Using data that I had worked out with a 40 grain bullet in the 223, I used the exact charge, but with a 30 grain bullet...

this was based on someone hearing someone at a "party" that was claiming 4300 fps out of a 223... and was wondering what everyone thought of the potential or was the guy full of bull...

so I tried it...and thought a couple of you guys might be intereated in the results...

Well first, there was no animals or people harmed in the making of this field report...

NO lost eyes, faces etc, damaged actions etc..

Fire Arm used: Ruger 77 VT..
Barrel Length: 26 inch
Brass Used: Lake City
Primer Used: Win Small Pistol
Powder Used: Reloader 7

Bullets used:
1. 30 grain Calhoon
2. 30 grain Berger HP..

Weather: wet, windy, cold about 40 degrees...

30 grain Calhoon:
Loaded to an OAL of 55.90 mm
1. 4230 fps
2. 4348 fps
3. 4340 fps

Berger 30 grain HP:
Loaded to an OAL: 58.55 mm
1. 4251 fps
2. 4251 fps
3. 4240 fps

Upon returning home, I deprimed the brass which showed no signs of being loose...

Neck sized the brass and rechambered right back into the Ruger with zero resistance...

New Primers went in Nice and Snug. Brass has been fired 10 times previously using Blue Dot loads.

Reloaded brass and shot again... rechecked primers again, deprimed with resistance, and re primed tightly again...so I would call load within safe limits, at least in my 223..

anyone should work up. I did not list the charge of Rl 7 on purpose.. ( we always have a couple of guys swearing someone is going to get their eye sight destroyed...)

I did this little test to prove or disprove the claim that was overheard at a pary. It seemed outlandish, but at the same time experimenting allowed me to think it at least merited some testing to prove or disprove...

Conclusion... it is a viable load for the 30 grain Berger as it has the BC to be able to take advantage of the extra velocity.. I do not feel the same about the Calhoon as it is a short bullet with lousy BC... of course I don't think it was designed with 4250 to 4300 fps in mind..

The minimal deviation in MV was showing that the load has some decent shot to shot consistency...

whether anyone finds a desire or use for this load, is their personal choice.. my experiment was not done to make an invite to a bunch of negative comments from the 'usual suspects'..

The Berger load might be fun to play with this summer over a varmint patch.. for say a 100 rounds or so..bullets run $20.00/hundred...they have proven excellent accuracy in my rifles...at all velocities...

anyone interested in the charge of Rl 7 I was using, feel free to PM me.. I am leaving it off the report, to prevent criticism from the naythsayers and critics in the crowd...

NB: the first velocity listed under the 30 grain Cahoon was out of a cold barrel...which might explain its lower velocity than the following two bullets...

most interesting - i wouldn't think 223 could get that fast. only problem i can see is that you mentioned no animals were killed or injured, so we really don't know the survival ration of a crat hit with such a load

What your test unvail is easily acceptable. Using the Mid South 34 grain bullet the 12bvSS-s achieved right at 4000 fps.The test was stopped there only because the primers started to look a little suspect. There were no other obvious pressure signs.The repeatability was great. roger-------------------------Happy New Year

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
most interesting - i wouldn't think 223 could get that fast. only problem i can see is that you mentioned no animals were killed or injured, so we really don't know the survival ration of a crat hit with such a load

Butch,

with all the cats my former 'California Resident' Neighbors have, you don't know how much I wish I could test that out..

too many of them are anti gun, anti hunting, anti conservative, anti American... all the stuff that liberal Californians are noted for...

to waste a cat belonging to folks like that.. well that should be considered a public service...

however it is entertaining to watch when a Raccoon jumps one...or watch a couple of cats gang up on a baby raccoon...

coyotes also account for a batch of disappearances...you can tell when that happens by the signs stuck on phone poles, LoSt CAT, REWARD....

Seafire Jr was making fun of that last summer.... he put some coyote poop in a plastic Baggy and asked if he could take it to the house that had a reward out for their lost cat.. and Say Lady, I found your cat... so can I get the $100.00 reward still...

Kid has a great sense of humor...

no problem just follow step by ste;
1-locate crat
2-make sure no one is around
3-blast crat with new load
4-check collateral damage
5-throw crat out into the street
6-run over crat with truck
7-explain to crats former owner that it died from rubber tire disease

Seafire2

Thanks again for your test results on that 30 grainer. I think I know from previous conversion exchanges with you what the RL-7 load was you were using as I think it is the same one that you gave me for the 40 Nosler BT's that I was using. I was able to get 3925 fps out of two Remington 700's with that load in the 40 grainers but had to back off one grain in one of the guns due to pressure signs but still got almost the exact same velocity with the reduced load. I have since put a HTG silencer on that .223 and it now sounds like a muted 22lr.

I shoot mainly jack rabbits, rock chucks and coyotes and of course deer with my .223 and was wondering what your thoughts would be on the wind drift at longer distances and the energy available also at longer distances? I think it would be a hoot to splatter some crows and other critters with that 30 grainer so let us know on the progress of performance on real stuff. Thanks again.

Tean,

Seat your bullet out a hair further if your chamber will allow it... that should take care of the problem.. I like to barely seat the smaller bullets into the case.. enough to hold them..

kinda got that from some benchrest accuracy nuts I have known and met...

quote:

I was able to get 3925 fps out of two Remington 700's with that load in the 40 grainers

Interesting numbers that you guys came up with -- back when Nosler first released those 40 BTs I was, at that time, using a 26" Rem PSS with a 1-9 twist. A healthy load of 335 produced 3930fps. Like TC, that was max for me and I attempted to look for accuracy below that velocity. Probably because of the 1-9 twist, I found better accuracy with the 50s & 55 so did not pursue the 40's in that PSS. Always meant to check out the 40 BT in a Rem 788 with a 1-14 twist (had originally been a 222) but didn't get back to it.
Did find that the 50 produced more mist upon contact than the 40, which is my only excuse for not continuing with the 40 BT.

quote:

Butch,

with all the cats my former 'California Resident' Neighbors have, you don't know how much I wish I could test that out...

Truely a brilliant mature evaluation. roger

quote:

Originally posted by bartsche:

quote:

Butch,

with all the cats my former 'California Resident' Neighbors have, you don't know how much I wish I could test that out...

Truely a brilliant mature evaluation. roger

awww come on Roger.. don't be so sensitive... I am sure you can identify a little tongue and cheek humor...

if you spend any time up this way, you'd quickly learn that most of the people who dislike Californians are former Californians....

I don't dislike Californians, just the pompous ones...

I don't dislike people from Portland or Seattle either, just the pompous ones...

when I was down in California and got to meet you at your range... you and the gentlemen you introduced me to, were all stereotypes of what a person would expect of people from LA...

at the same time, you and each one of your friends were nothing but polite and gentlemen and really rolled out the red carpet for me...

things that are called "typical Californians" doesn't always translate into something negative...

Californians act like Oregonians are back woods ignorant hicks... Oregonians can act like Californians are pompous self centered know it alls... Between the two extremes is where you will find most people from either state...

quote:

Originally posted by seafire2:
Californians act like Oregonians are back woods ignorant hicks... Oregonians can act like Californians are pompous self centered know it alls... Between the two extremes is where you will find most people from either state...

+1

What I find funny is people from California telling me I act like a typical Oregonian.
They backpedal pretty fast when I tell them the truth is, I was born in California.

But you can't really blame me, I was young at the time...

Give 'em hell Seafire!

quote:

Seafire Jr was making fun of that last summer.... he put some coyote poop in a plastic Baggy and asked if he could take it to the house that had a reward out for their lost cat.. and Say Lady, I found your cat... so can I get the $100.00 reward still...

Now that's funny, regardless of where you're from.

I curled my trigger finger and had a twinge from the accurate past at that crat reference. N. S.

DD and OEH would have enjoyed getting in on this one. LOL

quote:

Originally posted by littlecanoe:
DD and OEH would have enjoyed getting in on this one. LOL

Oh yes they would have.

What ever happened to DigitalDan?

Old Elk Hunter went to the Great Hunting Grounds in the sky, but DD just went "poof."

OEH is still areound - just not here - check the posts on the new small game forum