Question: .224 Sierra Matchkings
 

Has anyone shot and compared the standard Sierra .224 cal - 69gr Matchkings and the new tipped 69gr Matchkings? The tipped Matchkings provide a higher BC. I've ordered a box of each and would like some results from anyone who's experimented and compared both at longer range such as 500 yards. Thanks in advance. :)

I have used both in my Tikka .223, and the TMK shoots slightly better in my rifle than the standard matchking. The only issue is that I can't seat the TMK to the lands with the standard magazine. However I have a Waters magazine that allows me to use a COL quite a bit longer, so I have no issues seating to the lands when using that magazine.

Below is a side by side comparison of the 69gr TMK and the 69gr Matchking.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...201_191026.jpg

Much appreciated elk. Thanks :)

I'm curious elk. I typically would seat a SMK 0.020" off lands with good concentricity. Did you get better results from seating to lands as opposed to a slight jump?

I settled on a .010" jump to the lands. Below is a five shot group at 100m.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...201_131053.jpg

You know it's a good group when people ask, where's the 5th?

Colin

The 5th was the single hole on the left. That group was fired on my very first outing with the rifle, and subsequent groups were also sub 1/2". That was with my first bullet/powder combination tested.

What is the ideal twist rate for the 69gr MK?

I have had good results with 1 in 8" and 1 in 9".

Mine is a Savage 12FVSS, heavy fluted barrel, 1:8" twist. It's in a Boyds Pro-Varmint stock, pillared and bedded. :)

Identical results.
 

I've picked up the 69gr. Sierra TMK's from Fly's Etc. in High River a couple of days ago. Proceeded with an identical load that I've used with the standard SMK's - that is 25.3 gr of Varget, BR4 primers, Lapua brass. I loaded them starting with a 0.020" jump to lands and incremental in 0.005" jump closer to lands (measured to the ogive, not the tip). My results were identical to yours elk. The 0.010" jump yielded 5 rounds touching. As I settled a bit closer to lands, the results improved. I'll shoot that same load and jump to lands at extended ranges up to 500 meters and see how it goes. But it is very promising. Your information was extremely comparable to my own results in spite of the fact that we shoot out of 2 very different firearms. :)

I am using CFE 223 with Lapua cases, and BR-4 primers, and my powder charge is .7gr from yous with Varget.

CFE 223 is a powder that I haven't tried yet. I've had such good results from Varget in a variety of calibers, all the way down from .222, .223, 7mm-08, etc. that I've stocked up on 10 lbs of it back when I bought an 8 lb jug for $244.99. I think that I'm down to 7.5 lbs of it. It'll do me for a while before I entertain jumping ship. :) I do however understand that CFE 223 is great at reducing copper fouling, but I don't let my barrels get to such a bad stage. :sHa_shakeshout:

This is the first time that I tried CFE 223 , and I don't notice any copper fouling at all. I get about 2950fps out of the 69gr TMKs.

I haven't chronoed the TMK's yet. But with the standard SMK's I was clocking 3014 fps. out of my barrel.