brin 0 Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Disclaimer: There is no way that anyone can tell what my real motives may be. I may be a serial killer or a terrorist. I may have designs on mass destruction - you just don't know. If you try to duplicate any of the loads that I have listed here they may blow you and your rifle up along with half of your county. You would be foolish to try any of these loads yourself but as consenting adults (For the most part) that decision will be yours. Okay - that was for the lawyers out there. Next: I have looked around for a number of loads for .223. and, based upon what I found and the powder I had on hand I loaded up lots of ten each and then shot 2 five shot groups. While doing the reloading each individual load was weighed for consistency. I have a Saiga with the 21" barrel. On the two days I shot the weather was clear, about 45 degrees and wind in my face at 5-10 miles per hour. Shooting was at 100 yards from a rest and about five minutes was given the rifle to cool down between each five shot string while I walked up and checked the groups (Hey - I NEED the exercise). Not suprisingly for a Saiga, the rifle functioned flawlessly with no jams or mechanical problems. Scope was a Weaver 2-7 V7 set at 7x. Cases were Winchester. Keeping in mind that all rifles are different, here are my results: Powder weight Bullet Primer Group #1 Group #2 IMR 3031 25.0 55 gr VMAX Rem 71/2 BR 3.0" 2.5" W-748 26.3 55 gr VMAX Rem 71/2 BR 3.0" 1.5" IMR 4064 25.5 55 gr VMAX Rem 71/2 BR 3.0" 4.0" H-335 25.5 55 gr VMAX CCI 450 Mag 2.0" 1.5" VARGET 27.3 55gr VMAX Rem 71/2 BR 3.0" 2.5" IMR 4895 26.0 55 gr VMAX Rem 71/2 BR 2.0" 2.0" IMR 3031 24.0 60 gr VMAX Rem 71/2 BR 1.0" 1.0" VARGET 26.5 60 gr VMAX Rem 71/2 BR 3.5" 3.0" I also reloaded three different loads using the same criteria as above with the Sierra 69 gr BTHP match bullets. The Saiga did NOT like these bullets - groups were about six inches with the best being four inches. Based upon the above it looks like I will be using the 60 grain VMAX and 3031 powder. If I fiddled with the powder amounts I could maybe tighten up some of the groups with the other powders but for now I am happy with the 3031. I realize that two five shot groups with any given load falls far short of complete and exhaustive testing but it does give me a starting point. Your results may vary - be careful out there... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hoop762 0 Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 thats really impressive.... like you said, its just a starting point, but ive always said these rifle have much more potential than most people give them credit for..accuracy-wise Great work and thanks for sharing your results!! HOOP Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bvamp 604 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 well? you didnt say what you REALLY think of our peasant gun that we all have sworn to love???? whats the verdict? I bet you are out right now in the woods and rain in your damn deer stand with it, arent you??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brin 0 Posted October 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 If only I could. Recent shoulder surgery makes the .223 about as heavy of a caliber as I can shoot - the doctors won't let me hunt this year and Wyoming won't let you use a .223 on big game - HOWEVER, this commie piece of crap does a lot better then I could have imagined given the price and the prarie dogs are dying - (That's not hunting is it???) I'm afraid I'm hooked... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bvamp 604 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 i guess it isnt a commie piece of crap then huh? maybe you are just disheartened that you need to shoot to your injury? why dont you leave it outside in the puddle for a month, let it freeze over solid with a loaded mag with it chambered, and chop it out with a hammer, and take food with it with the first shot? then to boot, dont CLEAN or wipe it down and STORE it for a year or two chambere,d and then take some more food with it? heh heh. you just wait. you think yer hooked now? ??? you just wait.... (by the way, doing the conversion if you can afford it, might help ease your shoulder pain if you shoot in quantity, believe it or not.) heh heh...commie peice of crap. I am sure you will reverse that opinion in time. a 7.62x39 kicks pretty similar, by the way....enough for you to cope for some deer kills....and is outside the 25 caliber "no-go-for food" range as presented by heir game warden. hell, you can kill people with it, (the .223 or 5.56mm) but you cant kill a deer with it, cause its inhumane....that still makes me shake my head. what are hunter classes for, exactly? to tell you what caliber to use? unreal, if you ask me..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
brin 0 Posted November 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Went back to the range today for some new loads. Conditions were identical to my previous post except it was 65 degrees ABOVE which is fantastic for this time of year in Wyoming. I tried Sierra 52 grain match bullets with the following results: Powder Weight Bullet Primer Case !st 5 shot 2nd 5 shot 3031 25.5 Sierra 52 HP Rem 71/2 BR Win 2.5 3.0 Varget 26.0 Sierra 52 HP Rem 71/2 BR Win 3.0 3.0 H350 26.0 Sierra 52 HP CCI 450 mag Win 2.0 2.0 4198 22.0 Sierra 52 HP Rem 71/2 BR LkC 3.5 4.0 3031 24.0 60 gr VMAX Ewm 71/2 BR Win 1.5 1.0 The 60 grain VMAX was a second run after my favorable results the first time I went out and they still seem to be the best load for my particular rifle. If anyone else has a pet load which works well for them in the long barrell .223 Saiga I would be interested to hear about it. Remember my disclaimer (Isn't it sad that we need to worry about lawyers so much?) and be careful out there. Hope this helps someone... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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