Remington 700 BDL Varmint Special - .223 Rem

Published on June 26, 2022
Duration: 11:52

This video details the process of reloading .223 Remington ammunition for a vintage Remington 700 BDL Varmint Special. The instructor, drawing on his grandfather's notes, tests three different powder loads (Reloader 15, Reloader 10x, and IMR 8208 XBR) with Hornady 53 grain HP match bullets. The video covers case preparation, powder charging, bullet seating to a specific overall length, and live-fire accuracy testing at 100 yards, providing valuable insights into load development for this rifle.

Quick Summary

Reloading .223 Remington for a Remington 700 BDL Varmint Special involves specific loads like 25.8 grains of Reloader 15, 22.5 grains of Reloader 10x, and 24.5 grains of IMR 8208 XBR with Hornady 53gr HP match bullets. The optimal overall length is 2.252 inches. Modifications include a light Rifle Basix trigger and a bedded Boyd stock, contributing to impressive accuracy.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction: Remington 700 Varmint Special .223
  2. 00:17Rifle History and Modifications
  3. 01:06Grandfather's Load Data and Bullet Preferences
  4. 01:40Reloading Plan and Load Data
  5. 02:23Reloading Process: Case Prep and Sizing
  6. 03:39Case Mouth Deburring and Priming
  7. 04:06Bullet Seating and Overall Length
  8. 05:24Case Fill Observations
  9. 05:48Heading to the Range
  10. 05:52Range Setup and Rifle Ergonomics
  11. 06:23First Shots: Reloader 15 Load Test
  12. 07:22Reloader 15: First Group Results
  13. 07:57Reloader 15: Second Group Results and Ballistics
  14. 09:18Reloader 10x Load Test and Results
  15. 09:48IMR 8208 XBR Load Test
  16. 10:46IMR 8208 XBR Ballistics and Accuracy
  17. 11:02Overall Accuracy and Rifle Enjoyment
  18. 11:24Future Testing Considerations
  19. 11:34Conclusion and Rifle Storage

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the recommended powder loads for a Remington 700 Varmint Special in .223 Remington with Hornady 53gr HP match bullets?

For the Hornady 53 grain flat base hollow point match bullet in a Remington 700 Varmint Special, recommended loads include 25.8 grains of Reloader 15, 22.5 grains of Reloader 10x, and 24.5 grains of IMR 8208 XBR. These were tested with new Lake City brass and Remington 7.5 primers.

What is the optimal overall length for reloaded .223 Remington cartridges in this Remington 700 Varmint Special?

The target overall length for the reloaded .223 Remington cartridges in this specific Remington 700 Varmint Special is 2.252 inches. This length was chosen to be 0.015 inches off the lands, aiming for optimal accuracy.

What modifications have been made to the Remington 700 BDL Varmint Special for improved accuracy and shooting experience?

The Remington 700 BDL Varmint Special features a Rifle Basix L3 trigger for a very light pull and a Boyd stock that has been bedded and pillared. These modifications enhance both the shooting experience and potential accuracy.

What were the accuracy results for different powder loads tested in the Remington 700 Varmint Special .223?

The Reloader 15 load achieved a 0.44-inch group, IMR 8208 XBR yielded a 0.54-inch group, and Reloader 10x produced a 0.89-inch group (excluding one outlier shot) at 100 yards, demonstrating good accuracy potential for the rifle.

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