6mm-223 handloads for Sierra Matchking 107 gr.

[shadeecatsunee2]

8/20/07--Monday

Hello,

Can anyone help me with powder for the Sierra MatchKing #1570, .243, 107 gr. hpbt?

Is there data out there on the powder capacity after this bullet is seated in a .223 necked-up case? Will be shooting this from a mini-14 system so will the bullet be too long to allow for a sufficient load? And to fit in the standard .223 magazines?

Saw a comment that 40 gr. of Alliant Reloder 15 gave a shooter 2975 fps and good groups out to 600 meters. But this likely was the 107 gr. bullet fired from .243 brass.

Any experience with Accurate 2700 or Hodgdon H4895 and this bullet?

The barrel is 1:8 twist. Will be shooting mostly 100 and 200 yds.

The more expensive Lapua Scenar 105 gr. jhpbt looks to be a good choice as well. Any comments on its effectiveness in bench rest shooting?
...............................
Just curious ... why are "bullets" spelled "boolits" at this website?

[versifier]

I don't shoot this one myself, but will be building a rifle in .30/223 in the near future, so I'll likely be in the same boat a few months from now.
However, this is what I found:
My Sierra manual only lists up to 85gr bullets for 6x45.
Lee lists up to 100gr. There is only data here for Hodgdon powders. If you watch carefully for pressure signs, it will at least give you a ballpark starting load:
BL-C(2) 24.5-26.5
H4895 22.0-24.0
H380 26.0-28.0 compressed (no help here)
H414 26.0-28.0
H335 21.5-23.0 Looks like the smallest powder volume of all of those listed.

As to if it will fit in a .223 mag, you'll just have to try it. Semis are often really picky about feeding issues, for me, that's uncharted territory. I'd be very interested in what kind of accuracy you get with that platform and problems you encounter.

"Boolit" refers to a cast, not jacketed, projectile.

Ask on Reloaders Guide and Cast Boolits fora, too.

[shadeecatsunee2]

8/21/07--Tuesday

Thank you versifier for sending load data from your lee manual. The 107 gr. hpbt is a vld and shows longer in the illustration, so am fairly certain it will not allow adequate space to load and still have a COL short enough for the mini-14 mags.

Thinking now the 21.5 to 23.0 gr. load of H335 you supplied should manage in the 223 case. Going to start with a 100 gr. bullet if possible. Less wind drift. And should hit a bit harder.

www.MidwayUSA.com has user comments, e.g. the effectiveness on game using the Sierra 100 gr. Pro-Hunter and GameKing bullets.

www.accuracysystemsinc.com making the platform. From a circa 1999 mini-14 ranch. It should be done yet this fall. They test their 6x45s with 95 gr. bullets and guarantee MOA, 1/2 MOA or sub 1/2 MOA. Said is okay to send them handloads with other-sized bullets to test as well. Will keep you posted on issues and results. Thanks for your help.

[versifier]

I load the Sierra 100gr GameKing for a friend's .243 @ a MV of 2800. He took a liking to the bullet after using it in Federal Premium ammo. He has killed several large deer (200lb & +) with the handload and it has performed very well, no second shots needed. I have no idea what kind of velocity you will get from the 6mm/223 though. A call or email to Sierra will tell you the working velocity range of any of their hunting bullets.

[shadeecatsunee2]

8/24/07--Friday

A tech, Dave, from Sierra bullets emailed some 6mm-223 loads for bullets up to 90 gr. with COL of 2.260 inches. The original mini 14 mags look to hold a COL of 2.300 inches. Said could also load 100 gr. bullets but to keep an eye out for signs of excessive pressure. Said trajectories can be found at www.exteriorballistics.com

[shadeecatsunee2]

8/24/07--Friday

Thank you very much, versifier, for suggesting to contact Sierra bullets. They seemed to be the most knowledgeable and helpful.

Hopefully will be able to test .243 cal., 100 gr. bullets in the rebarreled 1:8 mini 14 ranch and let you know, when the results are locked in.

Probably shooting mostly 100 to 200 yards.

Is your 30 cal-223 going to be for "whisper" types of loads?

Thanks again for your help!

[versifier]

No, I want to hunt deer with it at rifle ranges, that's why I want the larger case, and there's plenty of fired .223 available at my range to form them from. I want, ideally, a very light bolt action deer rifle that goes well with .30cal 125-150gr boolit/bullets, and works off the Mini-Mauser (scaled down 98 action), just as the Mini14/30 is a scaled down Garand/M1A. I had thought about a Mini 14 action chambered for it long before the Mini30 came on the scene, but its introduction certainly put my plans on the back burner permanently. I had long felt that the little Mauser action couldn't offer very much to a varmint hunter, who would want a heavier action, not a lighter one. But, as a deer hunter who much prefers bolt actions to lighter lever actions for their ruggedness as well as their accuracy, the little Mauser and the .30/223 seem the perfect match. The lighter recoil makes it usable by many who have found the recoil of a light lever action .30-30 to be painful.
The balistics of the round is better than the traditional .30-30 (due to higher permissible pressure levels), and much better than the 7.62x39, giving you with a lower-recoil load that will easily handle decent sized deer at 150yds and be more than up to the job in New England, where shots are seldom more than 50yds.
I will probably play with it first in a Contender Carbine, as I now have all the pieces and just need to rent the chambering reamer, then fire up the lathe and put them together. I may have time to do it this fall. In a perfect world ....

[shadeecatsunee2]

8/25/07--Saturday

versifier,

Thanks for the update. Sounds like a plan!

Mostly will be shooting paper targets, at least to start. Have a friend who lives two counties north. He and hunting friends selectively harvest deer from his farm, so can get deer without hunting them. Three deer two years ago and two last season. Drops them off at the processor for me and so can just pick up the order when they are ready. Just have to pay the processing fee. Most all of the meat ends up being used at my church for making taco meat or as brats for the youth group functions.

This is a shotgun state for deer hunting. Heard Indiana is having their first rifle deer season this fall. But restrictions on the calibers/length/straight walled-- allowed. Carl at www.accuracysystemsinc.com guarantees sub MOA or less from the rifles he modifies/builds. Says he has a 6x45mm deer load that customers have been using with success. Have no need to hunt them myself since can get the meat from other hunters.

The deer population has grown in the cities and DNR has been allowing special bow hunts during fall/winter to try to thin the population down. Some complaints as some hunters dress deer in someone's back yard then leave the waste behind ...

Also the wild turkey population has flourished. DNR started trading turkeys to Missouri for some of their river otters to plant here a few years back. Haven't hunted turkey but is a popular sport. Have hunted pheasant, which were introduced back in the 1920s when the native prairie chicken habitat disappeared.

Best regards, Bob