95 gr V-MAX Range Report

[rickOshay]

Tried out the 95 V-MAX with H335, H322, and XBR8208 according to the guidelines in the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center. I realize this has been covered before in here, but wanted to add my results.

All loads used:
- 2x fired Hornady brass trimmed to 1.520
- Bullets seated to 2.230 COAL (1.701 ogive)
- REM 7.5 primers
- 24" Satern barrel

H335
Load Average
(gr) Velocity ES SD
31.0 2991 49 20
30.5 2958 34 17
30.0 2906 24 10
29.5 2852 40 17
29.0 2798 61 26

Best group was the 30.5 gr. One shot jumped out of the group taking overall gourp to 0.729 MOA.


8208
Load Average
(gr) Velocity ES SD
31.0 2964 44 19
30.5 2893 50 21
30.0 2876 71 29
29.5 2797 53 21
29.0 2754 33 14

Best load was 30.0 gr which also had one shot ruin a nice group out to 0.944 MOA


H322
Load Average
(gr) Velocity ES SD
28.0 2798 31 12
27.5 2768 36 15
27.0 2715 61 23
26.5 2694 46 17
26.0 2660 42 18

Loads did not group well. The best was 27.5 gr at .904 MOA as shown

[Whelenon]

I tried the 95 awhile back with H322 and didn't get very good results. Maybe time to revisit it, both the H335 and 8208 looks promising.

[rickOshay]

Of course I will have to revisit these groups without the MagnetoSpeed hanging off the end.



My velocities are much higher than Hodgdon, but they don't give their barrel length. Based on the Velocity Estimator on p33 of the Reloading Handbook, they must have used an 18" barrel.

These loads could be pushed a bit more to the maximum Hodgdon listed, and achieve an average velocity over 3000 fps. The cases from H335 at 31.0 grains did show extractor marks.

[XcountryRider]

Thanks for the data!!

[sneaky one]

ricko-nice work. What is your bbl 's twist rate? Mine is 1-8.
Iv'e found that a few of the lighter pills thrive on a faster twist- Yet one forum member here-we trade bullets every year- has a finicky 1-9 twist bbl-

((we should all compare notes as per twist rate.== his will only shoot the lighter pills, the best. He is wanting for heavier pills to be accurate-does not seem possible. we tandem tried for a year-=no luck=Go Lighter! ))

I think L-52 has that in his head -w/ you guys for the second coming of the Grendel handload booklet?. The Grendel does best at 105-115, as mentioned to me from Bill A. - 2 yrs. ago.
95 works well also... Just keep it inside of 2900. Stay safe.

Nice rifle BTW.

[rickOshay]

Thanks Sneaky - my Satern is 1:8.75. So it will be interesting to see how it shoots 85 g to 130 g bullets.

The booklet is coming along nicely and will have lots of Horde load data - including the 85 - 100 grain pills.

[jself24]

I had great luck with the 95gr VMAX loads yesterday. I forgot my rear bag so I was using a tool bag and a wadded up shop rag. I wasn't expecting much and almost saved them for another day. It was almost dusk when I went ahead and shot these and I couldn't get my chrono to work, so I don't have any speed data. Here are the results:

Powder - IMR 8208XBR
Primer - CCI450
Brass - New Hornady
COL - 2.230 (very mild crimp)
Range - 100yds

29.5g - .294 MOA (first 1 hole group I've ever shot)


30.0g - .565 MOA


30.5g - 1.04 MOA


31.0g - .870 MOA


I pulled one shot low in the last group (only shot that was low out of the 16) or that may have been a one hole group as well. These have done better for me than 123g AMAX or 123g Nosler CC handloads. I can't get factory 123g AMAX to shoot but about 1.5 MOA. I've only had the gun out 3 times so my pool is pretty low, but my interest is peaked with these little VMAX bullets. I'm about to order another couple boxes. This load ought to be a coyote's nightmare.

[VASCAR2]

I tried the 95 grain V-Max with 30.0 grains of TAC with Remington small rifle primers 2.205 OAL. This load is accurate and pleasant to shoot out of my 16" Shaw barrel. My Chronograph showed 2635 FPS on a 85 degree day at 450' ASL.

I really like H-335 with 100 grain bullets and have had good results with 29.0 grains and CCI 450 primers with 100 grain Nosler BT, Seirra Varmint and Barnes TTSX. I also shot a few 85 grain Sierra Varmint's with H-335 with good results.