Help with a new second hand rifle.

[Oldbloke]

Sounds like a lemon. Ill offer you $250.

[goldiexxxx]

No have not had it to a gunsmith yet, would like to shoot it a bit first so I get a feel for what its problem may be if anything. I will get plenty of chance this long weekend as I'm going bush and plan on setting up a little 100m range to do some more ammo testing.

I was not able to get the 45gr projectiles I was after but instead settled on a pack of Sierra 45gr .223s intended for the older Hornet chambering. How do you think these will shoot in a barrel which is intended for .224? Again, I've loaded 50 rounds with ten each starting at 20gr AR2207 and working up to 22gr in half grain increments.

[Wm.Traynor]

In theory, if those Sierras really are one thou too small, then you should get horrible groups. The proof will be in the shooting, so Good Luck

[goldiexxxx]

So I had some success with the lighter handloads. Here are the results @ 100m:

10 shot groups of 40gr Hornady V-max charged with ADI AR2207:
20gr - 2.17"
20.5gr - 2.66"
21gr - 4.63"
21.5gr - 1.5"
22gr - 2.13"

5 shot groups of 45gr Sierra Hornet (.223) charged with ADI AR2207:
20gr - 2.73"
20.5gr - 2.65" & 1.25"
21gr - 1.98" & 0.93"
21.5gr - 1.63" & 1.5"
22gr - 1.87" & 2.6"

The 45gr Sierra's results were a little more inconsistent than the Hornady V-max, but it still showed a lot of promise for when I can get my hands on some .224 45gr projectiles. I think it proved that the .223's did not suffer greatly from the 1 thou less in diameter.

So I think I have a successful load for 40gr V-max and I'm keen to get a bipod mounted and shoot those again from the prone position to confirm (I don't really shoot well at the bench). I have a feeling that I may have even greater success with 45gr when I can get them and will be running 50 rounds of them for a test also. I will look into getting the crown checked too.

[Gwion]

Getting there!

[goldiexxxx]

Alright, so I've got it sorted out now thanks to the help provided by you blokes.

1. Firstly, shimming the receiver and thus getting the barrel floated made a huge improvement. I know its still not the same as a proper bedding job, but its working well. The stock on this rifle not only supports the action, but the full length of the barrel. This obviously has huge affects as the barrel heats up.

2. The suggested load info provided also was invaluable and turned out to be spot on the money.

3. I mounted an aftermarket sling swivel stud and then attached my bipod to help make a better shooting platform. That, combined with the concrete shooting bench at the range, was far more stable than my blow-mould camping table used last weekend. (but at least that session gave me the info to progress forward with the handloading)

4. I dropped to three round groups rather than five as suggested also, which helped to remove doubt created by the heating of the light sporter barrel.

5. I sorted the brass so that it was consistent within each load type.

It was pretty quiet at the range today so I had plenty of opportunity to settle down and get some groups on paper. Here are the results with a bit of breeze:

40gr Hornady V-Max
Powder AR2207 - 21.5gr
Fiocchi Brass
COL - 2.245" (0.02 off the lands)
Average group size - 1"

45gr Sierra Hornet (.223)
Powder AR2207
PPU brass
COL - 2.148"
3 x 3 round groups average -20.5gr - 1.7"
3 x 3 round groups average - 21gr - 0.95"
3 x 3 round groups average - 21.5gr - 1.37"
1 x 3 round group (one of each) - 0.42" ODD!!

50gr Hornady SP
Powder AR2207
PMC Brass
COL - 2.240" (0.02" off the lands)
1 x 3 round group - 19.5gr - 2"
1 x 3 round group -20gr - 1.4"
2 x 3 round groups average - 20.5gr - 2"
3 x 3 round groups average - 21gr - 0.62" (one group was .39")
3 x 3 round groups average - 21.5gr - 0.86"

Just for comparison which helps to highlight the obvious
FIOCCHI 50gr V-Max Factory ammo
1 x 3 round group - 1.37"
Hornady 55gr SP (Steel cases) Factory ammo
1 x 3 round group - 3.7"

So there it is; My now permanent load for this Zastava M85 .223 (once a .222) is a 50gr bullet, charged with 21gr of AR2207, giving just over 1/2" group average with further tweaking if I get bored one day.

Thanks very much fellas, it has been a fun learning curve for me over the last few weeks and now I am armed with a whole lot more info to re-evaluate my .308 loads too.

Cheers, Goldie

[Oldbloke]

Sounds like a lemon. Ill offer you $250.

Are you sure? I can do $255.

[Gwion]

Woohoo!
Well done.

[Oldbloke]

Woohoo!
Well done.

+1

[duncan61]

Might have to float the .222