I'm looking for a mag length load to use across the course of fire for high power and tactical matches.
The 77 grainers would seem to be the ticket. A bullet which would be effective on coyotes as well would be great! I live in northern Maine and tend to buy components in bulk so I'm looking for the best all around powder/ bullet combo for my DCM AR, I'm planning to dedicate a turret press to the AR once I have a load dialied in. Surplus powders are fine by me as well. BD

I like AA2520 with heavy bullets in the 223. I tried H-380 for a while, but you can't quite get enough powder in the case to get the full potential of the cartridge.

Both Hodgdon and AA list loads for the 77 and/or 80 grainers. Varget and RL15 are the powders I've used, but I cannot recall the charge weight on the RL15.

Try 24 or so grains of Varget.

Shoots great with 80's in my rifle, so it should be close for 77's in yours...

Here is my load for cross the course.
Will clean the 600 yd target all day long, out of a CMP service rifle. Not sure what the speed is.

77 grain sierra
23.5 grains H4895
WSR primer
LC cases

Thanks .257, thats the sort of feedback I was looking for. Have you tried that load on Coyotes?

Any advice on a good source of LC brass? Is having all the same lot critical? I'd really like to stay with the same load for everything to keep the sight adjustments consistent.

I've considered buying a couple of thosand surplus rounds, figuring I'd use them for the tactical matches and save the brass to reload for high power, as most of the tactical targets are under 100 yards and I could just use the big appeture leaving the elevation at the 200 yard zero.
BD

N-140 gave me the best combination of velocity, accuracy and consistancy with both 77 and 80gr SMK's. Your charge will be lighter in LC match than mine so just work up a load in the 21-24gr range.......DJ

Never shot my load on coyotes, not sure the 77 grain match bullet is the best choice.

LC brass is not hard to find, scharche.com used to have it, (not sure if i got the name spelled right). Currently using LC cases from fired loads using 55 grain bullets in a 1:12 twist SP1, then resizing and loading 77 grainers for match rifle.

Another option that might suit your needs better, and something i did in the past, buy black hills remanufactured loads. They sell these in 75 and 77 grain loadings with once fired LC brass. Shoot them in your tactical matches, reload them for highpower. Before i reloaded, i used the 75 grain black hills ammo in matches and it shot incredible! Only reason i went to loading is was cheaper, cant honestly say i am getting better accruacy now.

I was unable to find anything related to brass, (or in english for that matter), searching Scharche, Sharche, or Scarche. However Bartlett has some mixed date LC brass as well as some new IMR4895 at $100 per 8 lb. jug. More questions; how temp sensitive is 4895? The matches are all in the summer months when it could be 70 or 80 deg. The coyote hunting is a winter sport, (if you care about the fur), when it's often 10 below. Also, are IMR 4895, H4895 ans surplus 4895 all the same powder with small lot to lot differences, or can they differ more than that? Thanks for your help. I'm trying to cut a season off my learning curve if possible. BD

http://www.scharch.com/
Lots of 223 brass!

I don't consider H4895 as being temperature sensitive, but that's a major temp swing you're describing. As to the different types, you are probably correct that the lot differences are as significant as the change of brands, but only careful load development would be the smart thing to do.

You may check "reloading supplies" in Shotgun News for case, bullet and powder suppliers. I checked weighed lots of once fired or pulldown military .223 and found them more consistent after loading than my field shooting so I just split them into groups, LC 83, LC 84, etc. Good prep smooths out differences too. Varget is a heavy bullet powder for .223 that is advertised as not being temperature affected. Just ask the temperature question of the manufacturer. Most have sites. Good shooting.

BD;

Cabelas carries Lake City Brass, which has been cleaned and had the primer crimp removed and deprimed. It can be had at $36.00 or so, for 1,000 cases, plus shipping.

For used commercial brass, I just ordered a 1,000 rounds of surplus police used, once fired Winchester brass for $32.00 per thousand plus $12.00 shipping to here in Oregon. They are located in Tennessee. The company was www.southernbellebrass.com.
I had to clean it, and tumble it and then deprime it, but it was civilan Winchester brass.

Either source will keep you busy with a good supply of brass at a low cost.

Cheers
thunderbolt

I found 2200 Lake City cases, 1,000 73's and 1,200 78's, in both cases from one lot. Is this stuff too old? It was cleaned, small base sized, trimmed and had the primer pockets swaged in the early ninties, and has been bagged up since then. The price is comparable to what Cabelas, (scharch?) wants for newer mixed headstamps. I use older brass than this in .45 acp, but of course pressures are much lower. BD

BD,

The last batch of brass I got out of Cabelas, was stamped with the years of the late 1990s and the early 2000 years. Just passing on the info.

seafire

I use the following:

24.5 grains Varget
Win case
CCI BR primer

This is a great service rifle load.

Fast Ed

Varget would seem to fit your parameters best. I used 2520 with moly heavies over the course and 4895 for practice here in MT. Avoid most double base powders (ball, or 500 series Viht) if you're going to be out in the snow.

One caution with GI pull-down 4895, though. It's VERY temp sensitive. It doesn't spike in the heat but drops off fast below 40 degrees. I lost 250 - 300 fps going from 50 degrees to 20. Don't use it for long range, either. Works great for 200 yard practice though!

Cheers

Mark

Try Hi-tech ammo for brass.