Load for 222

[Fliss]

I know this question as been asked before but. I am looking for a replacement load for my 222
at the moment I am using 23grains of N133 behind a 40grain Nosler with CCI primers in a tikka 595 1 in 14
I've sort of lost conidence in the above any help would be gratefully received
Thanks
fliss

[james19306]

I've had excellent results with reloader 7, remington 7 1/2 benchrest primer and 40gr hornady v-max seated 10 thou off lands I'm my sako 85 with 20" tube quarter inch groups at 200 yards are very common on windless days. It's an excellent load. I started at 20 grains and worked myself up to 21.6. The max rated for this load is 22 grains I think. (Obviously check this out for yourself before using). I got on ok with nosler 40 grain but not great. I found the ogive was too far back for my sako and couldn't get them near the lands as there wasn't enough of bullet left in the case. Others will say it doesent matter but I found closer is better.

What is bothering you about your current load?

Ps google nosler load data and you will find a good few different combinations on their website for 40 grain b-tip.

[sidesy]

try re loaders nest too

for me its also more about what other powders / primers / heads are available on a regular basis locally

[Fliss]

I've had excellent results with reloader 7, remington 7 1/2 benchrest primer and 40gr hornady v-max seated 10 thou off lands I'm my sako 85 with 20" tube quarter inch groups at 200 yards are very common on windless days. It's an excellent load. I started at 20 grains and worked myself up to 21.6. The max rated for this load is 22 grains I think. (Obviously check this out for yourself before using). I got on ok with nosler 40 grain but not great. I found the ogive was too far back for my sako and couldn't get them near the lands as there wasn't enough of bullet left in the case. Others will say it doesent matter but I found closer is better.

What is bothering you about your current load?

Ps google nosler load data and you will find a good few different combinations on their website for 40 grain b-tip.

Hi James It might be just me.

The last 5-6 foxes I've shot where all hit low so tried out my load down the range last night ( N V ).
every thing was fine except that the groups had opened up to what they were before Ie clover leaf.
The load I.ve been using for the last 10years was 24 grains N133 and 40grain Nos Lapua case cci br4 primer
but the Viht manual no longer list this load. So I worked up a load as stated in my other post .

in the first instant is was fine but now I don't know

ATB fliss

[james19306]

If you've been using that load for 10 years with no problem and it's still producing consistent accurate groups then I doubt it's anything wrong with the load itself. If the powder or primers were inconsistent I would imagine it would be inaccurate and also throw low shots at the range as well as the field. Has it just started to happen recently? Sounds like some sort of equipment problem with poi changing between range and field?

[Eyefor]

How old is your brass? Have you checked for case lengths if they have been fired a few times?

Also I gave up on CCI primers as I lost confidence in a load I'd used for years and a change of primer (to Remington) cured that. I also debur the inside and outside of the flash holes plus batch weigh my bullets.

I need to know what I aim at will be killed outright - not injured.

Pedantry to new depths........

[Fliss]

James & Eyefor.

The problem started 2 weeks ago. Perhaps I didn't explain myself properly

The load I have used for the last 10years was fine, but vit must have changed the powder for 40grain as the old load is no longer listed using N133

They only list N110 N120 & N130.

So I worked up a load using N133 back in April this year and that was fine until a couple of weeks ago ie low point of impact

Every thing else as been checked and every thing is as it should be. The cases only been used 4 to 5 times and I rotate one lot of 100 with another lot of 100 so that they don't get to much use

The only thing I haven't checked is velocity because I don't have a crony.

ATB.

fliss

[pothunter]

Sorry Fliss,
I am confused
You worked up a new load using 133 because Viht didn't list it in their new load data for a 40gn bullet, but they still show 24.1gn as max for sierra 45gn soft points?
Did you work up a load to your old and proven load as max, did you get any pressure signs at any stage?

[james19306]

I'm a bit lost too mate to be honest lol. So you have been using n133 for ten years. Are you having problems with a load you have worked up with n133 or have you switched to one of the other variants that vhit are showing data for?

[Fliss]

James.

In the Viht reloading guide edition 8 there is no loading data for 40grain bullets using N133
only N110 N120and N130.

So seeing as I had used N133 for the last 10years with great success using 24grains of N133 behind a 40 grain bullet. I though I would carry on with it.

Vhit have obviously changed the make up of the powder and so I though I would make up a new load
using N133. I started of by loading 22 grains and moved up by 2 tenths of a grain until I arrived at 23 grains
which was fine they grouped well up untill I tested them again on Wednesday night the result was the groups had opened up
Hence my initial post.

fliss

[james19306]

Got you now fliss, I guess they now think n110 20 /30 is more suitable for the .222 40gr these days. Maybe you just need to keep working up slowly to your normal 24gr load. Have you noticed any pressire signs so far? Theoretically the n133 should be the same as what you have used before but I understand your concern as they don't list it anymore. You could send them a quick email to ask what the max load should be or just keep going up to 24 grains like you used to and watch carefully for pressure signs. If 24 was listed in the past as max I would seriously doubt they have changed it. Just because it was great at 24gr doesent mean it will be good at 23.

[Fliss]

James. I've emailed Viht a number of times and never had a reply back so I'll not bother with them again.

No I didn't see any pressure signs

As to working up from 23 to 24 grains in two tens of a grain I've already done that.

I'm off to try out some others I've built so will let you know the results when I get back.

fliss

[strebblo]

Failing the above (and I don't see why the powder make up would change - it's only arse covering caution from the maker) and your regular, proven 10 year old reciepe doesn't work, try some JB or some autosol polish in the throat of the barrel. I have this issue on a few of my rifles from time to time, and Dicehorn put me onto the cause, which is a very hard carbon build up in this area. An abrasive is just about the only thing that will shift it.

Don't go mad with the stuff, and remember the patches will never come out clean, and don't worry about damaging the barrell - 5 minutes or so should sort it. then a good flush out (aerosol brake cleaner/carb cleaner is ACE for this) and a regular clean should have you back on song after a few foulers.

As the others have said, the powder isn't likely to have changed significantly. The fact that the manual no longer lists your combo doesn't necessarily mean anything - just imagine buying a new bottle and making up a batch of your regular load with this powder that is effectivley a different powder to the old N133... it would be a disaster for lots of reloaders.

[Fliss]

James Success at last.
I certainly learned a lasson or two yesterday about reloading
Lesson one don't asume that just because the powder your using in my case N133 is no longer listed for a given bullet weight that the company that make the powder as altered it in some way

As Benny Hill once said when you assume it makes an ass out of you and me

Lesson two pay attention to all components. Don't mistake one sort of primers for another as in my case
using CCI standard small rifle primers instead of CCI Bench rest 4 small rifle

After trying a number of different loads I went back to my original one of 24grains N133 and it worked ok

3 shot clover leaf at 100yds in day light. And two shots touching at night with the NV unit.

So problem solved even though it was of my own making.

Thanks for your intrest ATB fliss

[james19306]

No worries fliss. Glad you are all sorted buddy, yep you really have to pay attention to the components used as different primers can give very different results.

Happy shooting
Atb James.