Powder for both .223 and 30-06

[sectional_density]

I'm looking for a powder that would be suitable for reloading both .223 rem and 30-06. I've seen that H335 and Varget are both listed as candidates by Hodgdon. I want to buy 8lbs of powder to save some money, and would just assume have a powder that will work for both rifles. Does anyone have experience with using one powder with these two cartridges? I realize that I'd have to be making some compromises, but am looking for some recommendations. Also, Hodgdon website lists loads for 30-06 w/ H335, but my Sierra manual doesn't. Thanks

 

[usp_fan]

H4895

Pretty much my universal rifle powder.

--usp_fan

 

[Khornet]

Two I use

748 and 4985. Both work fine. There are surely others.

 

[gunny1022]

748

 

[snuffy]

H4895

Pretty much my universal rifle powder.

--usp_fan

Yup! Or the IMR variety. I just got 8# of surplus IMR 4895, been using it in .223, 7-08 .308 and 30-06.

 

[NavyLCDR]

I use H335 in .223, 30-30 and 8mm Lebel.

 

[Mark Rosenbaum]

IMR-4320. I've used it in .223, .308, Garands in .30-06, and .303 British, with uniformly good results. It meters well, and burns a bit more consistently than IMR-4895 once loads reach the upper half of the usable range. Conventional wisdom alleges that IMR-4320 is a fairly slow powder, but Hodgdon/IMR shows it as having a burn rate right between IMR-4895 and IMR-4064.

 

[cheygriz]

748 and H335 are nearly identical, and both will work well. 4895 was designed for the .30-06, but works well in the .223. 4064 is another good candidate.

BlC#2, and AAC 2460 should also be in the right range.

 

[ftierson]

H335/BL-C2/AA2460/W748/WC846/IMR-3031 all work well for 55-69 gr 5.56x45mm to 150gr .30-06...

The lots of IMR4320 that I have used (admittedly, from DuPont days) were a little too slow for M193 type 5.56x45mm loads (but still usable)...

Forrest

 

[Slamfire]

IMR 4895/H4895/AA2495. AA2495 is the same burn rate as IMR 4895. IMR 4895 type powder work well in .223, 308, and 30-06

 

[redneck2]

Might depend on a few things...

do you want stick powder that tends to be a little more forgiving (temp and burn rate), or powder that's the easiest to measure (ball)?

what bullet weights? If you look at a burn rate chart, the above listed powders are probably all pretty close and would work, but what's best for a 40 grain bullet in your .223 would be different than the right one for a 77 grain.

 

[BsChoy]

IMR 4064 or Varget work great in my 30-06....varget in 223

 

[gezzer]

Varget. I use it in 223, 308, 30/06

 

[Lennyjoe]

I tried Varget in my -06 and didn't like the results. It did not perform anywhere near the IMR 4530 I use.

I do use Varget in my 22-250 though and some loads in .223.

 

[Mule]

IMR-4895 or AA2230

 

[sectional_density]

Might depend on a few things...

do you want stick powder that tends to be a little more forgiving (temp and burn rate), or powder that's the easiest to measure (ball)?

what bullet weights? If you look at a burn rate chart, the above listed powders are probably all pretty close and would work, but what's best for a 40 grain bullet in your .223 would be different than the right one for a 77 grain.

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I'm relatively new to reloading (and shooting, for that matter) -- never knew how much fun both could be. Not sure which of the above mentioned powders I'll be trying, but looks like I've got some good choices.
For now anyway, I've decided on 63 grain bullets for the .223 and 165 grain bullets for the 30-06. I'd like to go with some 50 and 180 grain bullets too (good excuse to buy a few new rifles for the different loads!? )

I've got a Redding powder measure that works like a champ w/ H335, but haven't tried any longer grained powder in it. So something that meters relatively uniformly would be my primary interest. Not really gonna be pushing max pressure w/ my loads.

 

[Lennyjoe]

My top notch load for my -06 is 59gr of IMR 4350 and 165gr Sierra Gameking bullets. Have taken 3 deer with this load so far and it knocked them dead where they stood. Also gives me .75"@100yds acuracy.

For my AR-15 I use H-335 and 55gr bullets.

 

[NavyLCDR]

"(good excuse to buy a few new rifles for the different loads!? )"

And all this time I've been doing it backwards - You mean I am supposed to buy rifles tailored to specific loads? And to think I've been tweaking with bullet and charge weights all this time....