Really wanted to thank you for sharing what you have learned with the rest of us. You have reaparked an interest in reloading for me that I haven't had in a long time. What drove me away from reloading were my many failures and precious few good results. Watching your channel over the last several days has taught me that not every load is a winner. There are just so many variables and you cant expect to find the magic load with just one bullet, case, primer and powder, even if it works for someone else. So, thanks for showing us what works for you and more importantly how you go about fixing a load when it all runs off the tracks. I truly do appreciate you and your channel. Thank you.
I really enjoy your videos. When discussing various .223 loads, please mention the barrel twist as barrels are available from 1 in 7 to 1 in 12. Twist vs weight effects basic accuracy. Keep the excellent videos coming.
Hey Johnny , sometimes it’s good to see a group work up like that to show when things don’t go well, and guys should feel lucky that you would post them up on here for us to see showing the ups and the downs of load development and for that I thank you , there were some very interesting velocities and standard deviations going on there , definitely a lot to think about as to where some of those issues may lie, I guess that’s the joys and frustration of reloading I hope to see you solve this in your future video all the best G.
26.6g H4895 with a 53 V-Max is my chocolate ice cream load. When someone asks me to whip them up some 223, it’s my go-to recipe. Especially for the slow twist bolt guns out there that won’t shoot 77’s. Not uncommon to see 3200fps from 18” gassers and 3300fps from 20+” bolt guns. If the gun doesn’t shoot that, she just might not be a skookum choocher.
I shoot the 53gr VMAX with 1.5gr below max CFE 223 out of a 22" white oak varmint bull barrel 1:8" twist at 100 yards you can cover a 5 shot group with a dime.
Hey Johnny I shoot the 52 eld match with great success using benchmark and h335 in my 24” stag bull barrel.... .2 to .3 groups all day long...... something you may want to give a try. 👍🏻 Thank you for all the awesome content you have provided for years!!!
I shoot the 55gn in my h&r handi rifle it loves them had my longest coyote shot at 642 the handi rifle is a singal shot so I can load em long as I need to and it likes em long with about 20thsands of jump but great vid jrb I still have that savage 30-06 for ya to try new in the box
I'm having great luck with the 53g V-max bullets. Winchester brass, Winchester primers, Ramshot Tac 26.6g. I'm getting good velocity and good SD & ES numbers out of my 24 inch barrel. They are great coyote hunting rounds.
I use a full case of Varget with a 53 grain Vmax and get 3000 fps out of my 18 inch WOA barrel. Not going to share the charge I use but it is pretty much all the Varget Lake City bras will hold.
Hey Johnny, I was curious about the 53gr V-max because of the high BC rating, compared to the other .224 bullets out there, these have the highest in there weight class, I recently finished a 223 build on a CZ527 action with a pac-nor super match 12 twist, and wanted your take on these, thanks for the video, looking forward to next
Just a consideration, BC should be a secondary concern. BC helps with staying supersonic for longer, bucking wind at longer ranges, basically anything to maintain as much velocity as possible. Remember though velocity is not proportional to accuracy in any way. If you want accuracy my recommendation is look at flat base bullets. Especially for varmint/bench rest needs. Not saying you won't find accuracy in a boat tail but I think you'll find more within 300 yards with a flat base.
Johnny keep it up, Love your videos! K.Mark, I'd like to see some scientific proof that flat base are better than high BC before I give up on the benefits of high BC. Of course all guns will shoot different bullets differently, but the statement that a high BC is important at "long range" is only true depending on what you consider long range. 200yds is an average varmint range and the difference between the two bullets in a 10mph cross wind at 200 is ~1.5" of drift (at 223 velocities). Some varmints only have about a 2" wide kill zone and you just wasted 1.5" of that just by using a flat base. Use the highest BC that your gun will shoot accurately. If you can get both types to shoot well in your rifle, flat base bullets offer zero improvement to your performance, while high BC may save you in the wind.
@@dascrib92 I think the statement about flat base having greater precision than boat-tailed bullets is theoretically true, but the practical difference is not all that great. There are so many other variables in a gun and load set up that can have a greater effect. The idea, though, is that pressure acts in all directions, and any defects in the boat-tail portion would cause a greater deviation in the net force vector than you would see from a similar defect on a flat base. Also the flat base is a simpler shape and is most likely going to be easier for the manufacturer to produce a consistent product. As to if this is more academic than practical, I cannot really say. I don't have enough trigger time, nor experience in the bullet making to give you that answer.
55 gr Vmax over a full tilt boogie charge of varget or ar comp and 7 1/2 or br primers is my go to 223 round. Load them 250 at a time. Super consistent hot or cold. Great coyote round too. Looking forward to seeing how they do in your testing.
Thanks for sharing Johnny. Glad to see I am not alone in bad days at the range when it comes to Hornady bullets. When I first got into reloading I bought 1000 55 gr Hornady Spire point bullets. Almost made me want to quit right there the results were so bad. Watching a lot of your videos and learning a lot man. Keep up the great work!
Really, i use to shoot ragged little holes with them in 22 250 and 223 and 222 , maybe you just didn't know enough at the time about what you were doing , we were all there at one time
What about Benchmark since it’s the benchrest shooters dream. 53gr bullet has high BC which make it interesting. You need to load hotter like Hornady Superperformance factory load 53gr at 3465fps. In my bolt gun 26 inch barrel Hornady 53gr and V133 getting .77 inch groups at 200 yards. Yes I’m doing this with both V-133 & Benchmark for speed. I’m shooting the 53gr V-Max because of the higher BC. Great speed and accuracy. With the great BC in the 53gr V-Max I’m approaching 22-250 performance.
Johnny, again, thank you for taking the time, I have watched a lot of reloading videos here on UA-cam, yours are excellent and learn the most from, thanks again.
I've had excellent results with the 55gr VMax and Varget. Velocities aren't as high, but accuracy is very good. I have not found Varget to be sensitive to different primers either. I would like to see you run Varget against AR Comp. I admit I could run the same test, but your AR-15 is nicer than mine and I would think is a better test bed for the comparison.
I have a 22-250 with 1-14" twist so around 55gr is the max weight I can shoot and I love the 53 gr. V-Max I see around 3 MOA less drop at 500 yards than comparable loads from other 40-55 grainers
IMR 8208 XBR seems to be an amazing and versatile powder. It does well behind 123g 6.5's in Grendel and in Creedmoor. Now I'm looking forward to trying it in the 5.56!
I just got notified about this topic one minute ago, 90 comments already. I have 7+ lbs of Varmint, no loads have worked for me yet. They all shoot twice as big as other powders.
I had good luck in the past with the 55gr. V-Max and H335, but in a Rem. 700. It was the very first combination I ever used when I began rifle reloading. In my rifle it was shooting really well at the upper end of the range, albeit with slightly greater capacity from seating -.015" from the lands. Benchmark was good as well with either the 53gr. BTHP or 53gr. V-Max, it's been too long to remember and was before I kept good logs of my data!
H335 23.5-8 gr. With 55 gr. V-Max. Varget. But I.m learning just retired don.t know alot just started on this if you have a good coyote load for the v max with the tightest group and sapped let now super thanks really like your video very good.
I have very recently tried both these projectiles at 300 yards F-Class, I have found the lighter projectiles group better at that range than 69-77gr. However the wind will have the final say at that range. The 55gr VMAX shot best, I think the flat base makes the different. The group size at 300Y 1.5moa, with 10 rounds. No fancy shooting stick either, I use a Mossberg MVP 20” 1in9 twist. My Data: 55 VMAX --( see latest Hornady Reloading Manual) Winchester Brass 95-95.5gr BLC-2 27.4gr (no pressure signs on my cases) Remington 7.5M ( don’t know why , I normally use CCI) Johnny, If you could consider trying some BLC-2 behind the 55 VMAX, I’d love to see how you go. And if it turns to crap just blame it all on that dumb kiwi.
Great video Johnny..have you thought about making a video with 223 mixed brass with a known load that shoots well and then same load with mixed brass just for grins? Maybe you have already done one just have not seen it. Thanks
@@mikesimpson7748 Thanks Mike I know what will happen but I thought it might be fun for some people to see..I am sure Johhny gets bombarded with ideas...! lol!
Hornady 40 Gr. V Max seems to be my best load.. 100yards...223 Rem. Hunter style rifle.. Tikka T3 Lite bolt 1:8 Twist standard barrel. 24.4gr of VihtaVouri N133... -10 degrees Celsius... 4 shot group of .70" I haven't had the time to figure a 55/53 load. Good info thanks!
I use 25.0 to 25.5 grains of Reloder 15 with the 55 Gn V-max @ 2.260 inches. Powder selection does indeed affect the barrel harmonic and that drives group size.
i like 3031 with 308 in shorter barrels, it shoots great especially with heavy bullets and shorter barrels 16-18"s velocity is surprisingly fast as well. for instance iv gotten a 200g lee cast bullet that's 210g checked and pcoated fuctioning and shooting under moa out the 18" ar10 @2397 avg 11fps sd when its warm, about 100fps less when its cold in the 30s, and can make consistent hits out to 600yards. loaded 35g 3031 rem mag primers and the bullet seated deep crimped on the bore ride surface just past the crimp groove. i give that example to show the extreme heavy bullet ballistics with a fast for caliber powder and and a real heavy bullet. it shoots lights out with 175s as well. i think complete and consistent powder burn is underestimated alot of times.
I have loaded v-max bullets for my .223. One day while at my brothers farm there was a woodpecker drilling on the side of one of his sheds. He had been having trouble with it and asked if I could dispatch it. Using my .223 loaded with a v-max bullet I shot the woodpecker from about 80 yards. The bird exploded and upon inspection there was no bullet whole in the side of the shed. The bullet completely exploded upon contact with the bird. I don't use these bullet any longer because I want penetration from a bullet and not splatter.
I also found the 53 gr. V-Max to look very low in the case when seated at the recommended length in .22-250. I haven’t shot the loads yet, but was concerned whether the bullet would have enough tension on it with how low it looked.
I get some great groups (sub .5") with my 18" .223 Wylde Ballistic Advantage SPR barrel using 24.8gr of H-4895 with 60gr Nosler ballistic tip and CCI 450 primers. Brass is varied, just random crap I pick up from the range. Don't have a chrono to get velocities though.
I know im 5 years late but BLC2 at 27.5gr with No41 primers always gets my 50's up to about 60gr'ers right where i want them, 100yd groups under an inch ( have some .3" groups) , 16" 1/7 twist too
Have you tried Western Ramshot TAC in 223? Never mind, I’m sure ya have. I’ve got a ladder loaded up, just gotta test them. Might make a video on that one. I like H335, but TAC is my favorite.
I too have done well with the double base ball powders in the AA2230, H335, TAC, burn rate range using 55grainers with an 18" barrel . Especially near the top of the loading ladder.
Yes more videos. You mentioned brass prep with I think I understand but I would like to your brass management. I have a lot of range pick ups. Trimming with shoulder indexing trimmer and lengths vary after trimming. To this point just working up some loads. Shooting at 50yds with red dot & ive got sub 1” groups. Does case length matter that much or is it result of shooting at 50yds. Do you sort by head stamp. Keep separate for precision/hunting loads & mixed for plinking? Interested to hear you thoughts or process. Thanks. Keep up the good work.
Hey Larry, I have found remarkable accuracy with 25gr of 8208 XBR and WSR Primers. In: 1/7, 1/8, 1/9 twist barrels. ALL are 1/2" groups... Hope this helps
@@dosvaskosfarms4643 great thanks! I'll have to get some powder and give it a shot. I've loaded about 300 rounds off the 55 grain fmjbt from hornady and haven't been able to get out and shoot them yet.
Definitely go with Varget. CFE-223 has been good for me also. But I have used 50 V-Max in a variety of barrel lengths and twists without dissappointent in any. I originally zero(d) all my ar15s with them. 8208XBR was the most consistent. Velocities were a bit lower than Varget, CFE223 but groups were overall tighter. IMR 4198 did ok also. I am very pleased with the 50gr. V-Max for multiple applications. Thank you sir.
@@danfiscus9263 Thank you sir. I am curious if any of my fellow hunters have used the heavier match bullets on coyote. We have actually harvested 3 whitetail with the 69 SMK in the past so I know how they fragment on deer. All between 40 & 100 yards. I assume they will be efficient for coyote.
Johnny, I ran into your beginner reloading series with the Lee loading equipment and it’s been really fun to watch, I used to load for a 6mm looking for groups as you have with 5 shoot loads working up etc, we were ground hog hunting to 500 yds (it was the rifle I had). I just have a quick question, are you in the witness protection program or making video’s and you don’t want your wife to find out .🙈 :-) you seem to go to great pains to stay out of the frame . I am working loads to hunt white tail and possibly hogs with a 10mm Glock 40. Needed to blow the dust off my press, 10 mm to expensive to shoot without reloading , keep up the great video’s.
I really enjoy watching your load development videos however I do not feel that using a magneto speed to determine your standard deviation and trying to judge your group accuracy is efficient in anyway I’ve use magneto speeds before and always get point of impact shift and loss of accuracy even when using a suppressor it’s just like attaching a bayonet to your rifle Just something to keep in mind Thank you for your videos
55gr vmax shoots about as good as my larue steath barrel will group. Pretty sure i have my best 5 rd group with it! Just ordered some 53gr vmax to try out this morning
Thanks for the comparison data John. Here in Australia I am using ADI AR2206H as my go to powder with the 53gn Hornady V-Max. Velocity just over 3,400FPS (Tikka T3 23" barrel 1:12 twist) and 5 shot groups at 100 yards consistently under .35 MOA. No visible pressure signs. I think IMR 4895 is pretty close to the equivalent of AR2206H. The projectiles are lethal on dog size predators to 250 yards with massive chest cavity damage and no exit wound.
@@halfdollar86 Not really. We do not have the same situation that you have in the USA. Our rifle ranges have been closed until just recently and still restricted to limited numbers attending. Gun shops were closed to all sales at first them to limited supply to "essential" buyers. Problem here with finding some of the US products though as supplies have been cut off with the panic buying over there. No problem with European stocks though. I already had good supplies of powder, projectiles, primers etc for all my firearms as I reload everything apart from the pea rifle.
@@halfdollar86 In addition to my previous reply. I just went to buy more powder and was told by several gunshops that I had to visit that there is a shortage of powder in Australia because the US companies have swooped in and bought as much of the production as they could get. I had to go to four shops to get just small amounts of the powder I wanted, even then I could not get all of it. So it has put a damper on my reloading here. The way things are going I think I will get rid of all my firearms and just go fishing.
Kev Peacock thats a Shame. They should take care of y’all first with the ADI powders. It’s some of the most popular products here in the USA. Those products are some of my favorite. I love H4350 varget, H4895, h322, IMR 8208 xbr and benchmark. I think all of these are Australia powders by ADI.
@@halfdollar86 They do seem to make some good powders. Mainly I like the small grain stuff like 8208, but find the long grain log powder a bit of a pain in the thrower. The electronic thrower hates them and has trouble throwing consistent weights. So it's a matter of throwing well under weight and then finishing with the manual trickler. Funny thing was, I could not get what I wanted in the ADI but was able to find a lot of Winchester ball powder in 748 and 760 which are really great in my .204, .223 and 6.5 x 55. Unfortunately I cannot find StaBALL65 which Johnny had good results with in his 6.5CM. One real problem I have found with the ADI powder is they have now gone to single base powder for shotshell and it is CRAP! Lots of unburned residue and we found we had to switch to really hot primers to get consistent burn. Cheaper for them I suppose and who really cares about the consumer.
Thanks for another informative video! I have found that 25.7gr of Varget with Winchester small rifle primers shoots extremely well. My Federal brass is on it's 4th firing and I'm interested in going with Starline. With the lower case capacity, I'm wondering how much the powder charge will change. I shoot a 20" Wilson arms bull barrel with 1:8 twist. Starline is what I use for my 6.5, but I'm hesitant to make the switch for my 223.
Haven’t found it looking through your videos but have you ever done another comparison on these 2 bullets? They are both a couple of my favorite coyote bullets. Im curious if the group would continue to tighten up with a little hotter load of 3031 if you have the case capacity with that extruded powder and the 53gr. Vmax. Also how it might change results using the 3031 with the 55gr. Vmax. Seems like the 53gr. likes velocity to me as even the factory ammo is 3465fps.
Sweet can't wait, also I was thinking have you ever shot target bullets into gel to see what happens or doesn't happen. Was bored at work thinking about that. Lol
That depends on your definition of consistent results. I get by alright with a propane torch and a power drill. It takes some practice to get the hang of it but I can be consistent enough for my reloading needs with it.
I would really like to see more videos with the 53gn v-max also. I just got some of these for my 223 and would like to see what powders work better with it and so on. I mainly use varget in my 223 with my 55 gn Sierra gameking bthp and would like to see how this 53gn compares. Thanks and keep up the great videos!
I've had trouble getting good groups with the 53gr Vmax. I thought benchmark would be great, but trying that combo in three barrels didn't work. Also tried H4895. Best i got was with 8208XBR, but SD still never got into single digits.
I use the 55g vmax with h380 in my sako 85 in 22/250 for fox shooting hear in the highlands of Scotland it shoots 1moa and for a small cal it has alot of stopping power it's my go to round
The 53gr has a high b.c. .290 I've got them to shoot great in the 223 and the 22-250. Varget seems to be the most consistent in both rifles along with BLC2 and H4895
Do you track the wind direction & speed on your outings? I was a bit shocked when I ran a few numbers through ballistics calculator on what gusty or swirling winds (varying speed/direction) will do to a bullet like this. For example: Swirl: 52 Gr ELD-M with B.C. of .247 on a 9 O'clock 10 mph crosswind at 2850 fps will move the projectile 1.34". So, 10 mph flips direction, then the horizontal shift would be 2.68" group size. Gusts: shooting into a 13 mph from 10 O'clock is 1.51" of windage adjust. If wind drops to 8 mph from same direction, adjust is .70"...so, a difference of .81". Ew.
Well you said you were going to get another box of 53s , how bout it. Maybe try powders with burn speed most appropriate. You know anywhere between benchmark and match rifle.
I'm kinda sitting back smiling. I like how your approach has been changing with the attitude "Are we testing the bullets, powder, the primer, my gun rest, my particular rifle barrel, is it the brass or is the bolt seating in the same spot every time the rifle cycles"? I like how you have defined "Bench Rest accuracy aginst best practical accuracy with a non-bench rest rifle" keep up the good work buddy. Btw, did you get an annealing machine? Dave.
josh47j Hey josh that microjust is absolutely fantastic. I personally have three now not sure how I was getting along before them very accurate adjustments and for $27 u can’t go wrong u won’t be unsatisfied Jason
How long do you wait in between groups? Starting my load development and concerned a warmer barrel is throwing me off.... of course it's more the nut behind the trigger but trying to eliminate variables
Nice! 223 is always a great video! Recently I purchased so A2460 and it shot well with Nosler 40 Gr Ballistic tip and Hornady 75 Gr BTHP. I wonder how it would do with these 53 and 55 BT? Keep up the great work!
John here I have I don.t the accuracy I.d like about 1.5 at 100yrds 1/9 twist to V-max 1/2" groups.H335 powder 23.8 gr. Target good but really dirty like builds up quick.
Are your cases filled or is there still some room. Loaded some 55gr vmax with 25.5 and 26.1gr of cfe223 and there seems to be lots of case capacity still.
I have never shot the v maxes. I always shoot the 53 grain nosler vamageddon. I just kinda wanted something different than everyone else is shooting. My main use is coyote hunting by the way
My favorite bullet here! 53vmax in my bolt gun, seated at 2.298 pushed by H335 and a cci br4. Half moa all day!
Really wanted to thank you for sharing what you have learned with the rest of us. You have reaparked an interest in reloading for me that I haven't had in a long time. What drove me away from reloading were my many failures and precious few good results. Watching your channel over the last several days has taught me that not every load is a winner. There are just so many variables and you cant expect to find the magic load with just one bullet, case, primer and powder, even if it works for someone else.
So, thanks for showing us what works for you and more importantly how you go about fixing a load when it all runs off the tracks. I truly do appreciate you and your channel. Thank you.
I really enjoy your videos. When discussing various .223 loads, please mention the barrel twist as barrels are available from 1 in 7 to 1 in 12. Twist vs weight effects basic accuracy. Keep the excellent videos coming.
Here i was just wondering about the 53gr V-Max... Oh look, Johnny has just uploaded what I was looking for.
Thank you, sir
D. Taylor he sure is reliable haha
Hey Johnny , sometimes it’s good to see a group work up like that to show when things don’t go well, and guys should feel lucky that you would post them up on here for us to see showing the ups and the downs of load development and for that I thank you , there were some very interesting velocities and standard deviations going on there , definitely a lot to think about as to where some of those issues may lie, I guess that’s the joys and frustration of reloading I hope to see you solve this in your future video all the best G.
Love the .223/5.56 videos. Such a popular caliber damn near everyone can relate to.
26.6g H4895 with a 53 V-Max is my chocolate ice cream load. When someone asks me to whip them up some 223, it’s my go-to recipe. Especially for the slow twist bolt guns out there that won’t shoot 77’s. Not uncommon to see 3200fps from 18” gassers and 3300fps from 20+” bolt guns. If the gun doesn’t shoot that, she just might not be a skookum choocher.
I’m interested in the 53 grain VMAX because it is the bullet used in the factory Superformance round in .223. Great start as usual.
Thank you
Tim
I shoot the 53gr VMAX with 1.5gr below max CFE 223 out of a 22" white oak varmint bull barrel 1:8" twist at 100 yards you can cover a 5 shot group with a dime.
Johnny please don’t beat on your turret like that. Your press is your friend.
Hey Johnny I shoot the 52 eld match with great success using benchmark and h335 in my 24” stag bull barrel.... .2 to .3 groups all day long...... something you may want to give a try. 👍🏻 Thank you for all the awesome content you have provided for years!!!
I shoot the 55gn in my h&r handi rifle it loves them had my longest coyote shot at 642 the handi rifle is a singal shot so I can load em long as I need to and it likes em long with about 20thsands of jump but great vid jrb I still have that savage 30-06 for ya to try new in the box
I'm having great luck with the 53g V-max bullets. Winchester brass, Winchester primers, Ramshot Tac 26.6g. I'm getting good velocity and good SD & ES numbers out of my 24 inch barrel. They are great coyote hunting rounds.
I would love to see the 55gr V max with CFE223 and Varget.
Total agree
Yes both & benchmark too
@@austintyler7991 you could probably run a whole series just on those three powders alone. All great performers
And bl-c(2)
I use a full case of Varget with a 53 grain Vmax and get 3000 fps out of my 18 inch WOA barrel. Not going to share the charge I use but it is pretty much all the Varget Lake City bras will hold.
Hey Johnny, I was curious about the 53gr V-max because of the high BC rating, compared to the other .224 bullets out there, these have the highest in there weight class, I recently finished a 223 build on a CZ527 action with a pac-nor super match 12 twist, and wanted your take on these, thanks for the video, looking forward to next
Just a consideration, BC should be a secondary concern. BC helps with staying supersonic for longer, bucking wind at longer ranges, basically anything to maintain as much velocity as possible. Remember though velocity is not proportional to accuracy in any way. If you want accuracy my recommendation is look at flat base bullets. Especially for varmint/bench rest needs. Not saying you won't find accuracy in a boat tail but I think you'll find more within 300 yards with a flat base.
@@jeremyhere2002 Thanks Jeremy, great information.
@@jeremyhere2002 thank you for info about flat base bullets and accuracy i learn something new every time i watch this channel
Johnny keep it up, Love your videos!
K.Mark,
I'd like to see some scientific proof that flat base are better than high BC before I give up on the benefits of high BC. Of course all guns will shoot different bullets differently, but the statement that a high BC is important at "long range" is only true depending on what you consider long range.
200yds is an average varmint range and the difference between the two bullets in a 10mph cross wind at 200 is ~1.5" of drift (at 223 velocities). Some varmints only have about a 2" wide kill zone and you just wasted 1.5" of that just by using a flat base.
Use the highest BC that your gun will shoot accurately. If you can get both types to shoot well in your rifle, flat base bullets offer zero improvement to your performance, while high BC may save you in the wind.
@@dascrib92 I think the statement about flat base having greater precision than boat-tailed bullets is theoretically true, but the practical difference is not all that great. There are so many other variables in a gun and load set up that can have a greater effect. The idea, though, is that pressure acts in all directions, and any defects in the boat-tail portion would cause a greater deviation in the net force vector than you would see from a similar defect on a flat base. Also the flat base is a simpler shape and is most likely going to be easier for the manufacturer to produce a consistent product. As to if this is more academic than practical, I cannot really say. I don't have enough trigger time, nor experience in the bullet making to give you that answer.
55 gr Vmax over a full tilt boogie charge of varget or ar comp and 7 1/2 or br primers is my go to 223 round. Load them 250 at a time. Super consistent hot or cold. Great coyote round too. Looking forward to seeing how they do in your testing.
I'm currently using Benchmark combined with the 53 gr V-max. Groups pretty well in my Ruger American Ranch 5.56 bolt gun.
60 grain VMAX with AR Comp next!
Thanks for sharing Johnny. Glad to see I am not alone in bad days at the range when it comes to Hornady bullets. When I first got into reloading I bought 1000 55 gr Hornady Spire point bullets. Almost made me want to quit right there the results were so bad. Watching a lot of your videos and learning a lot man. Keep up the great work!
Really, i use to shoot ragged little holes with them in 22 250 and 223 and 222 , maybe you just didn't know enough at the time about what you were doing , we were all there at one time
What about Benchmark since it’s the benchrest shooters dream. 53gr bullet has high BC which make it interesting. You need to load hotter like Hornady Superperformance factory load 53gr at 3465fps.
In my bolt gun 26 inch barrel Hornady 53gr and V133 getting .77 inch groups at 200 yards. Yes I’m doing this with both V-133 & Benchmark for speed. I’m shooting the 53gr V-Max because of the higher BC. Great speed and accuracy. With the great BC in the 53gr V-Max I’m approaching 22-250 performance.
Johnny, again, thank you for taking the time, I have watched a lot of reloading videos here on UA-cam, yours are excellent and learn the most from, thanks again.
I've had excellent results with the 55gr VMax and Varget. Velocities aren't as high, but accuracy is very good. I have not found Varget to be sensitive to different primers either. I would like to see you run Varget against AR Comp. I admit I could run the same test, but your AR-15 is nicer than mine and I would think is a better test bed for the comparison.
I have a 22-250 with 1-14" twist so around 55gr is the max weight I can shoot and I love the 53 gr. V-Max I see around 3 MOA less drop at 500 yards than comparable loads from other 40-55 grainers
IMR 8208 XBR seems to be an amazing and versatile powder. It does well behind 123g 6.5's in Grendel and in Creedmoor. Now I'm looking forward to trying it in the 5.56!
I just got notified about this topic one minute ago, 90 comments already. I have 7+ lbs of Varmint, no loads have worked for me yet. They all shoot twice as big as other powders.
im glad you did a video on these. first time reloading these and its nice seeing your results
Ive had some excellent luck with CFE223 and the 53 VMax.
Please continue with the 53! I’d really like to see it with CFE223 as that is going to be my next prairie dog load.
I had good luck in the past with the 55gr. V-Max and H335, but in a Rem. 700. It was the very first combination I ever used when I began rifle reloading. In my rifle it was shooting really well at the upper end of the range, albeit with slightly greater capacity from seating -.015" from the lands. Benchmark was good as well with either the 53gr. BTHP or 53gr. V-Max, it's been too long to remember and was before I kept good logs of my data!
I load the 55 grain V-MAX with 25.3gn of Hodgdon h335 for my tikka t3x. I’ve had awesome results with it.
H335 23.5-8 gr. With 55 gr. V-Max. Varget. But I.m learning just retired don.t know alot just started on this if you have a good coyote load for the v max with the tightest group and sapped let now super thanks really like your video very good.
I have very recently tried both these projectiles at 300 yards F-Class, I have found the lighter projectiles group better at that range than 69-77gr. However the wind will have the final say at that range. The 55gr VMAX shot best, I think the flat base makes the different. The group size at 300Y 1.5moa, with 10 rounds. No fancy shooting stick either, I use a Mossberg MVP 20” 1in9 twist.
My Data: 55 VMAX --( see latest Hornady Reloading Manual)
Winchester Brass 95-95.5gr
BLC-2 27.4gr (no pressure signs on my cases)
Remington 7.5M ( don’t know why , I normally use CCI)
Johnny, If you could consider trying some BLC-2 behind the 55 VMAX, I’d love to see how you go. And if it turns to crap just blame it all on that dumb kiwi.
Great video Johnny..have you thought about making a video with 223 mixed brass with a known load that shoots well and then same load with mixed brass just for grins? Maybe you have already done one just have not seen it.
Thanks
I asked for him to do that once as well. Not everyone has fresh Sterling brass to play with. I just want a somewhat accurate plinking load.
@@mikesimpson7748 Thanks Mike I know what will happen but I thought it might be fun for some people to see..I am sure Johhny gets bombarded with ideas...! lol!
55g Vmax w Varget shot 1.5moa in my 16” 1:8 twist barrel. The 60g Vmax was .5moa with 27g Varget.👍🏻
SmallTown 78666
Try the 55 V max with TAC. You will find your bug holes.
Rob Guidici I have tac on hand, so I’ll definitely try it next range trip. 👍🏻
Hornady 40 Gr. V Max seems to be my best load.. 100yards...223 Rem. Hunter style rifle.. Tikka T3 Lite bolt 1:8 Twist standard barrel. 24.4gr of VihtaVouri N133... -10 degrees Celsius... 4 shot group of .70"
I haven't had the time to figure a 55/53 load. Good info thanks!
I use 25.0 to 25.5 grains of Reloder 15 with the 55 Gn V-max @ 2.260 inches. Powder selection does indeed affect the barrel harmonic and that drives group size.
i like 3031 with 308 in shorter barrels, it shoots great especially with heavy bullets and shorter barrels 16-18"s velocity is surprisingly fast as well. for instance iv gotten a 200g lee cast bullet that's 210g checked and pcoated fuctioning and shooting under moa out the 18" ar10 @2397 avg 11fps sd when its warm, about 100fps less when its cold in the 30s, and can make consistent hits out to 600yards. loaded 35g 3031 rem mag primers and the bullet seated deep crimped on the bore ride surface just past the crimp groove. i give that example to show the extreme heavy bullet ballistics with a fast for caliber powder and and a real heavy bullet. it shoots lights out with 175s as well. i think complete and consistent powder burn is underestimated alot of times.
I have loaded v-max bullets for my .223. One day while at my brothers farm there was a woodpecker drilling on the side of one of his sheds. He had been having trouble with it and asked if I could dispatch it. Using my .223 loaded with a v-max bullet I shot the woodpecker from about 80 yards. The bird exploded and upon inspection there was no bullet whole in the side of the shed. The bullet completely exploded upon contact with the bird. I don't use these bullet any longer because I want penetration from a bullet and not splatter.
My go to load with 55gr vmax is 25.3gr AR-comp, FC brass, 400 primer, 2.250 oal. Those are without a cannalure. They shoot lasers out of my 1:7.
I also found the 53 gr. V-Max to look very low in the case when seated at the recommended length in .22-250. I haven’t shot the loads yet, but was concerned whether the bullet would have enough tension on it with how low it looked.
I get some great groups (sub .5") with my 18" .223 Wylde Ballistic Advantage SPR barrel using 24.8gr of H-4895 with 60gr Nosler ballistic tip and CCI 450 primers. Brass is varied, just random crap I pick up from the range. Don't have a chrono to get velocities though.
I know im 5 years late but BLC2 at 27.5gr with No41 primers always gets my 50's up to about 60gr'ers right where i want them, 100yd groups under an inch ( have some .3" groups) , 16" 1/7 twist too
That Larue trigger is the SHIZZZ NIT!!! I love that trigger best by far for the money.
Hey, try setting them back a little, and those 41 primers I found ok for ball powder, but not for extruded. Just a thought.
WW 748. It has not disappointed me for 20 + years.
I’ve also been making loads with the 55gr vmax using h335 powder also using lake city brass.
Have you tried Western Ramshot TAC in 223? Never mind, I’m sure ya have. I’ve got a ladder loaded up, just gotta test them. Might make a video on that one. I like H335, but TAC is my favorite.
I reload for three different ARs and they are all different twist rates and h335 works wonderful.
I too have done well with the double base ball powders in the AA2230, H335, TAC, burn rate range using 55grainers with an 18" barrel . Especially near the top of the loading ladder.
@@jaberie308 yes Sir, all those are pretty close, huh. I've done well with H335, also.
Yes more videos. You mentioned brass prep with I think I understand but I would like to your brass management. I have a lot of range pick ups. Trimming with shoulder indexing trimmer and lengths vary after trimming. To this point just working up some loads. Shooting at 50yds with red dot & ive got sub 1” groups. Does case length matter that much or is it result of shooting at 50yds. Do you sort by head stamp. Keep separate for precision/hunting loads & mixed for plinking? Interested to hear you thoughts or process. Thanks. Keep up the good work.
3031 with 22 grains and above for 55 grain bullets is a nice combo.
yup 22.5 is VERY accurate with 55 grainers
Just started reloading using imr 4064 55 grain FMj or jsp win small rifle primer this combo will hold 10 shot 100 yard 3/4 inch group and tighter
Waal,8208 is Aussie made powder,so no surprise there,temperature stabilised
Great timing! I just started the vmax load this last week
Loaded 24.3 grains of arcomp
Hey Larry, I have found remarkable accuracy with 25gr of 8208 XBR and WSR Primers. In: 1/7, 1/8, 1/9 twist barrels. ALL are 1/2" groups... Hope this helps
@@dosvaskosfarms4643 great thanks! I'll have to get some powder and give it a shot. I've loaded about 300 rounds off the 55 grain fmjbt from hornady and haven't been able to get out and shoot them yet.
I'm a fan of the 40g Vmax with IMR4198. Great groups and velocity's I like Varget with the 55g Vmax. .
Definitely go with Varget. CFE-223 has been good for me also. But I have used 50 V-Max in a variety of barrel lengths and twists without dissappointent in any. I originally zero(d) all my ar15s with them. 8208XBR was the most consistent. Velocities were a bit lower than Varget, CFE223 but groups were overall tighter. IMR 4198 did ok also. I am very pleased with the 50gr. V-Max for multiple applications. Thank you sir.
Guardian Minifarm I bought a 1/7 twist barrel so I could shoot some 77gr but it turn out to like the 50 vmax with cfe223
@@danfiscus9263 Thank you sir. I am curious if any of my fellow hunters have used the heavier match bullets on coyote. We have actually harvested 3 whitetail with the 69 SMK in the past so I know how they fragment on deer. All between 40 & 100 yards. I assume they will be efficient for coyote.
All three of my 223 (2 bolts, 1 AR) do fantastic with 25gr IMR 8208XBR with 55 grain V-Max. not unlike your 24.9... WSR Primer...
I couldn't get the 53 grain to group either. I really wanted them too. 55gr has been very good for me.
Johnny, I ran into your beginner reloading series with the Lee loading equipment and it’s been really fun to watch, I used to load for a 6mm looking for groups as you have with 5 shoot loads working up etc, we were ground hog hunting to 500 yds (it was the rifle I had).
I just have a quick question, are you in the witness protection program or making video’s and you don’t want your wife to find out .🙈 :-) you seem to go to great pains to stay out of the frame . I am working loads to hunt white tail and possibly hogs with a 10mm Glock 40. Needed to blow the dust off my press, 10 mm to expensive to shoot without reloading , keep up the great video’s.
I used to think that too. I was really surprised he did a full on for his shot show spoof. lol
I’ve had very good success with 25.5 grains of Varget with the 55 grain V Max.
I really enjoy watching your load development videos however I do not feel that using a magneto speed to determine your standard deviation and trying to judge your group accuracy is efficient in anyway I’ve use magneto speeds before and always get point of impact shift and loss of accuracy even when using a suppressor it’s just like attaching a bayonet to your rifle
Just something to keep in mind
Thank you for your videos
Yes been waiting on this one.... I have had great luck with X-Terminator from Western Powders with this bullet in the 223.
Ohh and to follow up I was loading this in a bolt action so the case mouth/ojive thing wasn't an issue.
55gr vmax shoots about as good as my larue steath barrel will group. Pretty sure i have my best 5 rd group with it!
Just ordered some 53gr vmax to try out this morning
I've shot the Hornady 53 grain, with Alliant 2230, it works great
I have a bunch of both the 50 and 53 grain vmax bullets. I would love to see them with 8208
Thanks for the comparison data John. Here in Australia I am using ADI AR2206H as my go to powder with the 53gn Hornady V-Max. Velocity just over 3,400FPS (Tikka T3 23" barrel 1:12 twist) and 5 shot groups at 100 yards consistently under .35 MOA. No visible pressure signs. I think IMR 4895 is pretty close to the equivalent of AR2206H. The projectiles are lethal on dog size predators to 250 yards with massive chest cavity damage and no exit wound.
Are y’all experiencing a buying frenzy in Australia as well right now?
@@halfdollar86
Not really. We do not have the same situation that you have in the USA. Our rifle ranges have been closed until just recently and still restricted to limited numbers attending. Gun shops were closed to all sales at first them to limited supply to "essential" buyers. Problem here with finding some of the US products though as supplies have been cut off with the panic buying over there. No problem with European stocks though. I already had good supplies of powder, projectiles, primers etc for all my firearms as I reload everything apart from the pea rifle.
@@halfdollar86 In addition to my previous reply. I just went to buy more powder and was told by several gunshops that I had to visit that there is a shortage of powder in Australia because the US companies have swooped in and bought as much of the production as they could get. I had to go to four shops to get just small amounts of the powder I wanted, even then I could not get all of it. So it has put a damper on my reloading here. The way things are going I think I will get rid of all my firearms and just go fishing.
Kev Peacock thats a Shame. They should take care of y’all first with the ADI powders. It’s some of the most popular products here in the USA. Those products are some of my favorite. I love H4350 varget, H4895, h322, IMR 8208 xbr and benchmark. I think all of these are Australia powders by ADI.
@@halfdollar86 They do seem to make some good powders. Mainly I like the small grain stuff like 8208, but find the long grain log powder a bit of a pain in the thrower. The electronic thrower hates them and has trouble throwing consistent weights. So it's a matter of throwing well under weight and then finishing with the manual trickler. Funny thing was, I could not get what I wanted in the ADI but was able to find a lot of Winchester ball powder in 748 and 760 which are really great in my .204, .223 and 6.5 x 55. Unfortunately I cannot find StaBALL65 which Johnny had good results with in his 6.5CM. One real problem I have found with the ADI powder is they have now gone to single base powder for shotshell and it is CRAP! Lots of unburned residue and we found we had to switch to really hot primers to get consistent burn. Cheaper for them I suppose and who really cares about the consumer.
I used H335 and H Varget with Hornady 55 V Max. R.R.A 1 and 9 twist 20 inch match barrel
Give H335 a shot. It worked well for me behind the 50 Gr V-Max.
40,50,53,55,60 gr V-max.... that seems excessive. V-max shootout?
Thanks for another informative video! I have found that 25.7gr of Varget with Winchester small rifle primers shoots extremely well. My Federal brass is on it's 4th firing and I'm interested in going with Starline. With the lower case capacity, I'm wondering how much the powder charge will change. I shoot a 20" Wilson arms bull barrel with 1:8 twist. Starline is what I use for my 6.5, but I'm hesitant to make the switch for my 223.
Haven’t found it looking through your videos but have you ever done another comparison on these 2 bullets? They are both a couple of my favorite coyote bullets. Im curious if the group would continue to tighten up with a little hotter load of 3031 if you have the case capacity with that extruded powder and the 53gr. Vmax. Also how it might change results using the 3031 with the 55gr. Vmax. Seems like the 53gr. likes velocity to me as even the factory ammo is 3465fps.
3465 is from a 24" barrel though. But he should have loaded them to 3200 fps to match factory in his 18"
Cough cough cough**** Grendel cough cough cough*** lol enjoy the videos keep it up, really enjoy them a ton.
Coming Thursday evening. Groups are gonna blow your mind! Best I've shot so far with the Faxon barrel. I'm sitting here editing that video right now.
Sweet can't wait, also I was thinking have you ever shot target bullets into gel to see what happens or doesn't happen. Was bored at work thinking about that. Lol
Yes! Can’t wait
@@JohnnysReloadingBench so excited!
Any plans for the RS40 Swisse powder ?
Would love to see your annealing process. Seems like without a special, expensive, precise setup it would be hard to get consistent results.
That depends on your definition of consistent results. I get by alright with a propane torch and a power drill. It takes some practice to get the hang of it but I can be consistent enough for my reloading needs with it.
I would really like to see more videos with the 53gn v-max also. I just got some of these for my 223 and would like to see what powders work better with it and so on. I mainly use varget in my 223 with my 55 gn Sierra gameking bthp and would like to see how this 53gn compares. Thanks and keep up the great videos!
I've had trouble getting good groups with the 53gr Vmax. I thought benchmark would be great, but trying that combo in three barrels didn't work. Also tried H4895. Best i got was with 8208XBR, but SD still never got into single digits.
I USE the 53 grain vmax with n-133. My go to Redfox load, in lapua brass.
JRB and a 223 video!?! Happy Tuesday to me!
I use the 55g vmax with h380 in my sako 85 in 22/250 for fox shooting hear in the highlands of Scotland it shoots 1moa and for a small cal it has alot of stopping power it's my go to round
Johnny I always loved your intro to 9mm reloading and looks like it was taken down?
The 53gr has a high b.c. .290 I've got them to shoot great in the 223 and the 22-250. Varget seems to be the most consistent in both rifles along with BLC2 and H4895
I may not have reloaded much but just my 2 cents. I haven’t seen IMR-3031 soot that great. And the velocities seem a little anemic
Same experience here too
Of all the bullets I have tried the 60 Grain Vmax in front of Varget was by far the most accurate.
I'd be interested in seeing more 55vmax. Got any with the canalure? Maybe some cfe223?
Keep your videos up. I absolutely love them! Id love it if you did some more tac too
Do you track the wind direction & speed on your outings? I was a bit shocked when I ran a few numbers through ballistics calculator on what gusty or swirling winds (varying speed/direction) will do to a bullet like this. For example:
Swirl: 52 Gr ELD-M with B.C. of .247 on a 9 O'clock 10 mph crosswind at 2850 fps will move the projectile 1.34". So, 10 mph flips direction, then the horizontal shift would be 2.68" group size.
Gusts: shooting into a 13 mph from 10 O'clock is 1.51" of windage adjust. If wind drops to 8 mph from same direction, adjust is .70"...so, a difference of .81". Ew.
Well you said you were going to get another box of 53s , how bout it. Maybe try powders with burn speed most appropriate. You know anywhere between benchmark and match rifle.
I'm kinda sitting back smiling. I like how your approach has been changing with the attitude "Are we testing the bullets, powder, the primer, my gun rest, my particular rifle barrel, is it the brass or is the bolt seating in the same spot every time the rifle cycles"? I like how you have defined "Bench Rest accuracy aginst best practical accuracy with a non-bench rest rifle" keep up the good work buddy. Btw, did you get an annealing machine? Dave.
Try them with Benchmark!! Maybe X-Terminator also.
How are you liking the microjust? Worth it?
josh47j
Hey josh that microjust is absolutely fantastic. I personally have three now not sure how I was getting along before them very accurate adjustments and for $27 u can’t go wrong u won’t be unsatisfied
Jason
How long do you wait in between groups? Starting my load development and concerned a warmer barrel is throwing me off.... of course it's more the nut behind the trigger but trying to eliminate variables
I would like to know this as well!
I would love to see more V-max videos. I prairie dog hunt every spring so I should really start making my own to save some $$
Nice! 223 is always a great video! Recently I purchased so A2460 and it shot well with Nosler 40 Gr Ballistic tip and Hornady 75 Gr BTHP. I wonder how it would do with these 53 and 55 BT? Keep up the great work!
cool, nice bullet to test.
I would love to see the 55gr vmax with Varget and AR Comp. Thanks for your videos!
Hey Johnny I'm kind of curious if you've tested the 55 grain nosler ballistic tip against the 55 grain Hornady V-Ma
Would like to see that as well, have both
I have had better luck with the 55 gr nosler ballistic tips for accuracy as well
John here I have I don.t the accuracy I.d like about 1.5 at 100yrds 1/9 twist to V-max 1/2" groups.H335 powder 23.8 gr. Target good but really dirty like builds up quick.
Varget is my powder of choice when shooting 55gr. V-max
I had good results with the 53gr eld and 27 gr of cfe223.
Are your cases filled or is there still some room. Loaded some 55gr vmax with 25.5 and 26.1gr of cfe223 and there seems to be lots of case capacity still.
They still had a little volume left
@@jnljnl8485 okay thanks
Oh and a new RCBS Micrometer........Nice.
Most accurate I’ve shot is súperformance 53gr In 16 “ 1:9, I’m looking to duplicate that load not sure what powder maybe going to try 4350
I have a white oak Armament Barrel and I shoot 55 grain V-Max with Varget and it shoots like a bolt gun
It’s been 110 degrees in Australia where I live for the past week
Way too damn hot.
55gr V-Max with 23.5 gr H322 will blow your accuracy mind. Do it!
I have never shot the v maxes. I always shoot the 53 grain nosler vamageddon. I just kinda wanted something different than everyone else is shooting. My main use is coyote hunting by the way
Hey Johnny, do you have a video for 223 using Accurate 2200 and Hornady 55gr FMJBT?