Loading for the 69gr. Matchking

[Damascus]

Hello everyone! This is my first post here, just joined. Been reloading for a year or so now, and just started loading for my AR's a couple months ago.. Reloading for : S&W M&P15T (my favorite, w/ Timney drop in trigger), DPMS LR-308 (w/ Badger Ordnance stabilizer HG, JP Tac. trigger, Magpul PRS stock, Nikon Monarch 4-16x44 SF), Bushmaster XM15-A3 20" Hbar (my wife's rifle).
I am most interested in long range target shooting, and right now I am loading 69 gr. Sierra Matchkings with Ramshot TAC and RL-15... currently, I haven't started loading TAC yet, and right now, my most accurate load so far is 69gr. MK, 25.3 gr. RL15, Fed 205, Lake City brass - shooting .74 MOA. I keep loading hotter and hotter until I get pressure signs, I am aiming for a load that can push the 69 gr. MK out of a 16" barrel @ 2875+ FPS.
Do any of you guys load for the 69MK? What load are you using?
Thanx!
-D

[Paulinski]

I had good results with 25.3 gr of Varget, winchester brass loaded to mag length 2.260.

[TomD]

If you can use that load in your rifle, OK but it is (IMO) smokin' hot. When I was shooting HPR, I loaded 25.0 gr RL 15 with moly coated bullets.

[PALADIN-hgwt]

xxxxx

[HolyRoller]

I use 24 grains of Reloder 15 for 77 OTM (open tip match, more accurate description than "hollowpoint" match) and 25 for Hornady AMAX 75s. Primers are flat but no problem in either my match musket or S&W carbine. I suppose 25.3 for 69gr bullets would be OK, but very near max.

I know "why" questions make people defensive, but why stay with 69gr when 77gr match bullets are about the same price and have a higher ballistic coefficient? That's all I load--77s for up to 300 yards and 75s for 600.

I'm just getting to know my DPMS LR-308. No complaints so far. I put a Geissele service rifle trigger in it and now I'll have to get one for my 556 carbine.

[chrisbrozFLARfan]

I just started (a month ago) reloading for my AR with its 16" faux M4gery tube (1 in 9)...I',m developing two loads at present..20 rounds each - no sense in loading more than that for test purposes - 55 gr Remington FMJ over 25 grains of AA2230 in American (A-MERC) headstamped commercial cases and the same in LC (mixed dates) military cases; my second load is 26 grains of Win 748 in the same mix of cases - i.e.; 20 commercial & 20 military. I'll be goin' to the WPB, FL Sheriff's range with my Gamma Master Shooting Chrony, checking velocity, accuracy (as best as I can) and signs of excess pressure...I'm usin' the powder on hand...goin' back to my old standby - my Rockchucker I bought at the Illesheim Rod & Bottle Club in Germany in 1972...very slow, but I can't afford (for now) the pieces/parts I need for my Dillon RL550B...Thank God I dragged that press around all these years and between all the moves...Any comments, criticisms. observations??? I'm new to the list, but not to reloadin' - except possibly that this is my first experience with .223/5.56...normally I reloaded pistol ammo - 9 mike mike and .45 AC...I've been lookin' fort suggestions like these - I want to move up to a heavier bullet (heavier the 55 grains) and am glad to find this thread...

Broz

[Damascus]

I know "why" questions make people defensive, but why stay with 69gr when 77gr match bullets are about the same price and have a higher ballistic coefficient? That's all I load--77s for up to 300 yards and 75s for 600.

...I'm just getting to know my DPMS LR-308...

The reason I stick with the 69 gr. SMK is because my barrel is a 1x9" twist, which is designed for 62-70 gr. bullets... My rifle still shoots heavier bullets fine, but I'm getting right at .5 MOA with the 69MK, I tested Black Hills 77 match and Hornady TAP 77 gr. when I bought the rifle, and they were around the .75 MOA range. I rarely shoot anything over 500 yds. with this rifle anyways, so the 69's perform great.

I forgot to ask something else - Do you guys use magnum primers with your .223/5.56 loads?? I started with plain Federal small rifle primers, because my manual said so.... now I've found other manuals recommend magnum primers. Reason being that the SR primers are so soft, a slam fire can occure (let your BCG slam shut on a round, then eject it, and see the mark the firing pin left on the primer), so the stronger cup of magnum primers are useful.
So far, I've had no problems with the Fed. SR primers, but yesterday I got some CCI SR Magnum primers and have loaded several, so we'll see... Most are recommending using Rem 7 1/2 primers (also magnum), and CCI BR4 Benchrest primers, which aren't magnums, but are a lot harder and can stand more pressure than regular ones.. What do you guys use?? Thanks for the replies so far!

EDIT: forgot to add - @HolyRoller, you'll love that AR10. I bought one a few years ago, a DPMS LR-308, w/ SS bull barrel, I added a Magpul PRS stock, Badger Ordnance stabilizer FF handguard, JP trigger kit, and Nikon Monarch 4-16x44 SF. It shoots an average of .52" @ 100 yds/5 rds. I can sometimes get .4" three round groups. You might find my pet load useful - 168gr. SMK, Lapua cases, CCI BR2 primers, 44.6 gr. RL15, C.O.L. 2.814" (that's a .08" jump in my chamber). Here's a good long range deer hunting load: 165gr. Nosler BT or 165gr. Hornady SST, CCI BR2, any case, 45.5gr. RL15, C.O.L. 2.810". Hope this helps!

[LonghunterCO]

I have not used Varget, but my current load in my Colt HBAR 20" 1/7" twist is H335. Range of powder is 23.8gr-Max down to 21.2gr Min.
My load is 22.5gr

[HolyRoller]

Damascus, you could try some 77 handloads instead of factory rounds and see if you can find one that's accurate. My carbine is 1:9 and my match AR is 1:8 and they both shoot the overlength 75s fine, much less 77s and other mag length projectiles. But there are still some who do just as well with 69s. Also, some nice-price 75 OTMs have been surfacing lately, so check around.

My LR-308 came with a 16" medium weight fluted barrel and a flashhider and I don't expect it to drive tacks as well as a heavy match barrel. Next time I have a few hundred, I'll swap barrels. Also the previous owner put on an Ergo-Grip, very nice, might get one for my 556. It did come with a free-float rail, so I couldn't resist adding a TangoDown bipod. The optic is a Leupold Mk4 3.5-10x40 with illuminated mil-dots in a LaRue SPR-E, which Ben Lennett himself sold me for a very fair price. Next will be a better stock and a Micro T-1 offset. I'll let you know how it does in F-Class in a couple weeks.

[Damascus]

I'll probably try some heavier bullets after I get myself a pet load for the 69 gr. round. Also want to try to develop a good heavy (68 - 77) load for medium sized game (deer). Barnes is probably my best choice there.
Yesterday, I got my 69 MK load down to shooting half inch 5 shot groups, and in a 16" chrome lined M4 profile barrel, that's the best I've ever shot... I'm so happy with this, I just can't contain it! I don't know if I just got the luckiest I've ever got and bought a rifle that is insanely more accurate than others of the same model, or else the S&W M&P15T is just a great do-it-all rifle!
@HolyRoller - Yes, let me know how that rifle does in F-class, I'm interested in seeing how a 16" fares at that range. I shoot F class with a rifle that started as a Remington 700 SPS Varmint .308(same barreled action as 700P and variants), has 26" heavy barrel, I added a Bell&Carlson A5 tactical stock, Timney trigger, custom cut crown, and Nikon Monarch 4-16x42 SF scope. Good budget precision rifle. Shoots .4 MOA all day long on 168 MK's, and .42 MOA on 175 MK's.
I use RL-15 for all my loads, but since you're shooting with a short barrel, I would recommend you trying out Ramshot TAC - I hear that it's getting rave reviews with .308's needing a faster burning powder than Varget and RL15.