anybody have a good starting load? Or what are your competition loads and I'll down load from there.

I used to shoot 36gr of varget with that weight bullet shot really well

Second the 36.0 grain load. It produces the best groups with 120 gr. bullets in my 3 silhouette rifles.

I found that to be the starting load in the Hodgedens site. I'll go with that since the rifle will only be shot at silhouettes and bullseyes to 200 yd. Thanks

I use 38.5 grains of Varget with the 120 grain bullet. I use 36.5 with the 142 grain bullet. Very tight groups.

Joaquin B wrote:Second the 36.0 grain load. It produces the best groups with 120 gr. bullets in my 3 silhouette rifles.

If 36.0 gr to 36.5 gr Varget does not group well with the 120 gr MK visit your 'smith.

That is a very standard load because it works so well in so many rifles. The 120 gr MK is not at all fussy about seating depth. I would suggest not jamming it in the lands because it is not necessary and if you need to extract a loaded round you might leave the bullet and dump powder in the action which is a mess and will put you out of commission until you clean it up.

Just load 36.0 gr and shoot.

Rick

RBriscoe wrote:

Joaquin B wrote:Second the 36.0 grain load. It produces the best groups with 120 gr. bullets in my 3 silhouette rifles.

If 36.0 gr to 36.5 gr Varget does not group well with the 120 gr MK visit your 'smith.

That is a very standard load because it works so well in so many rifles. The 120 gr MK is not at all fussy about seating depth. I would suggest not jamming it in the lands because it is not necessary and if you need to extract a loaded round you might leave the bullet and dump powder in the action which is a mess and will put you out of commission until you clean it up.

Just load 36.0 gr and shoot.

Rick

My only advice is to not use 120's SMK in windy conditions at turkey distance but use instead the 123 or 140's instead with the same powder load. 120's are just not accurate enough at turkey distance when shooting them in higher than normal windy conditions but if you do not believe me try them yourself and let us know if I was right or not.

Tony, do you have special turkey loads just for windy days then? Do you load up 50 or so rounds with the heavier bullet and take them to the match as well just in case you get a windier than normal day?

Very true, Tony.

Using a 139 gr/142 gr bullet (with the 260 Rem or 6.5x46L) on the turkeys can easily make a difference of 3/4 MOA to 1 MOA difference in wind drift. That can easily be the difference between a hit and a miss, especially if the wind is blowing toward the tail.

I do not know that I would purchase 120 gr MKs. I think the 123 gr MK is a better bullet, but, if I had some, I would not be hesitant to shoot them, especially at the short line...gee, I discovered a stash of six or seven hundred of them so I guess I will.

Cheers

shakes wrote:Tony, do you have special turkey loads just for windy days then? Do you load up 50 or so rounds with the heavier bullet and take them to the match as well just in case you get a windier than normal day?

Jason, where I shoot there are more windy days than not so I load for my 260 Rem. 33 gr of VV N133 or Benchmark with 123 Lapua bullets, this year for the Nationals I loaded 34 gr of VV N135 (ran out of N133) and 123 gr and used the loads for the first three targets.

If I was shooting with you guys at Pe Ell I would want to use 107's or 108's at the first three distances, if you like Varget use 35-36 gr and for windy conditions same powder charge with 123-140 gr bullets.

Good answer and appreciated Tony, but Shakes = Matt.

Sorry Jason, I used the wrong name I meant to write Matt on my last posting.

Understandable mistake, as I'm often the one pestering you with questions.

Thanks Tony. I shoot the 107 moly coated with 37grains of Varget currently with no problems. The heavier bullet for turkeys in the windy conditions is a good idea, I'll have to load some up when i go over to Montana to shoot he IronMan they have.

shakes wrote:Thanks Tony. I shoot the 107 moly coated with 37grains of Varget currently with no problems. The heavier bullet for turkeys in the windy conditions is a good idea, I'll have to load some up when i go over to Montana to shoot he IronMan they have.

Matt, yours is a very good mild load, Agustin used the same load to win several nationals before I started loading for both of us the last two years (we are being sponsored by Lapua and VV so we only use their products). The 107's shoot well even in the wind but I like the idea of loading heavier bullets like the 123's with less powder 33-34 gr of a fast burning powder to keep the recoil down.