Quote Originally Posted by severnsider View Post
I hope I'm not derailing this thread, but I do have a related question which concerns N140 and 77gr SMK. Both Vihtavuori and Sierra (Edition 5) suggest a range of N140 from 21.0 to 24.7gr and 22.3 to 24.5gr respectively. Both also suggest OAL of 2.26". Now, I'm not particularly interested in maximum loads, but there's no way that I can squeeze 24gr of N140 into a .223 case with a 77gr SMK and get an OAL of 2.26". The most I can get in is 21.5gr for that OAL, which is right at the bottom of the weights suggested by both the powder and bullet manufacturers.
Have I missed the blindingly-obvious somewhere along the line?
I use this load for shooting on the local range to 600 yards. I use 24gr of N140 and col of 2.650 in my Tikka T3. I don't think its compressed.

Have you measured your rifle's ideal COL? Could be it will give you the room for those extra grains.

Or just load a test round (not primer or powder) to 2.650 and see if it fits in the mag and chamber. If so, try to see how many more grains you can get in

Remember to measure it again when you take it out of the rifle to make sure the bullet hasn't been pushed in a bit.