[Hot Sauce NARC]

After the stuck case incident i bought the lyman 49th edition i think reloading handbook, its a good book, but im having problems finding load data for specific bullets. 69gr sierras are about as hard to find as ice water in hell. I have ordered some berger 70 and 75gr Boat tail VLD's, but i have no i dea where i can find data to make loads with those bullets.

o and whats the best way to measure my chamber so when i do start making ammo i can make it sit on or just off the lands?

[robocop10mm]

Hodgdon has a bunch of data on the VLD heavies.

Lock-N-Load comparator.

[BILLYBOB44]

Originally Posted by Hot Sauce NARC

After the stuck case incident i bought the lyman 49th edition i think reloading handbook, its a good book, but im having problems finding load data for specific bullets. 69gr sierras are about as hard to find as ice water in hell. I have ordered some berger 70 and 75gr Boat tail VLD's, but i have no i dea where i can find data to make loads with those bullets.

o and whats the best way to measure my chamber so when i do start making ammo i can make it sit on or just off the lands?

Now I won't harass you over not having a Lyman Manual! RoBo is right on his rec. The Hodgdon site has their powders as well as W-W and IMR. As far as your .223 OAL, you are going to be more restricted to magazine length than anything else. I may be wrong, but I think rounds that are just short of your chamber will not feed in the mag. The AR guys should step in anytime to let you know for sure. I bought a RCBS case chamber Mic for my 6MM, did all the measuring, seated the bullets to .010" from the lands==Would not fit in the mag.well of my 700 VLS. They will single shot ok, but too long for the mag.well. You may have that same trouble?? I just went back to the recommended Cartridge Overall Length for the bullet I was loading, out of the book. Hay Sauce, you're coming right along-before too long you will be burning powder with your own "Home Made" loads! If you are like most-you will not want to go back to Factory Loads.

[1hole]

'im having problems finding load data for specific bullets. 69gr sierras are about as hard to find as ice water in hell. I have ordered some berger 70 and 75gr Boat tail VLD's, but i have no i dea where i can find data to make loads with those bullets."

Treat the 69 as a 70, neither you nor your rifle will ever know the difference. Ditto the Bergers as what they are. Much seems to be made of trying to obtain specific data for specific bullets but it's all fanning the wind, means nothing in the final analysis.

I'll say this again, many who contest otherwise are disregarding that no component change we can make is as significant as changing the rifle they are fired in. Just follow the admonition to "start low and only move up if no excess pressure signs occur." That ONE rule allows us to use any bullet of a given weight, any primer, any case, any powder lot and any rifle. Ignore that rule and no data is "safe".


"whats the best way to measure my chamber so when i do start making ammo i can make it sit on or just off the lands?"

I'm sure you will get several methods posted, they all work plenty well enough. What I would ask is, "Why do you wish to do that?" Few, if any, factory rifles and off the shelf bullets shoot best at or even close to the lands.

I'd suggest you start at the book OAL and find a good load. THEN, adjust your seating both in and out in 10 thou increments until you find what shoots best in YOUR rifle. And I can (almost) guarentee it won't be at the lands, more likely to be from .025" to as much as .125" away.

[Hot Sauce NARC]

again guys good info

i guess i will just start witht he factory oal and adjust it when ifind a good charge/bullet combo