223 loads

[kennyc]

So I'm new to 223. I've been loading for the 22 hornet for 18 months with success. I've bought all the dies. And n130 powder. I don't want to be buying loads of different powders. They are well expensive just to try!
Rifle is a howa short action 1500 12 twist 24inch barrel. May get this chopped to 18. Stock is a grs and overall rifle is massively heavy. Currently I have these heads to use
Hornady 40gn vmax
Hornady 50gn spx
Hornady 52gn amax
Nosler 40gn varmageden
Serria blitzking 55gn
IMI brass
Cci 400 primers.
I loaded some nosler with 21.5gn to use for sighting in. I then had 10 50gn spx with 23gn in to test and finally 4 55gn with 23gn in to see how they are.
After having to pack the scope out on the rear. I got a zero with the nosler. About 30mm group. But every thing else was crap. Disappointed that the blitz kings didn't group. I was hoping to use these.
Any advise with these heads and powder chose.
Ian

if the rifle is too heavy it sounds like you bought the wrong rifle! To lose weight the stock will probably be the first thing I would change. I have a .223 with a 181/2" barrel and I am not getting the velocities that a longer barrel would give, it works for me because I am not looking for that but are you?
As to the powders and bullets n130 and n133 are classic .233 powders and n140 if you decide to go with heavier bullets.
Work each bullet weight up on its own at the moment you are trying all of them and your reported loads are not in any real order .
The scope mounts you need to sort out packing is not a sensible way forward in the long run.