Anyone have a reliable load for this powder/caliber combination? I have a couple cans of powder, but only enough primers for 200 rounds. I'm using Hornady 75 grain HPBT bullets, the same as their Black 223 load. This is the most accurate load I found out of my rifle (AR 15). If load development is a must, so be it. I'd rather save the primers if possible.
IMR 4064 Loads for 223/5.56
- Thread starter DMW1116
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2ndtimer
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In my opinion, IMR-4064 is a touch on the slow side for .223/5.56 when used with bullets weighing 55 gr and under, but might work out well the heavy weights. I haven’t personally tried it, but Hodgdon shows a starting load of 21.0 gr and a compressed maximum of 24.0 gr with a 75 gr JLK VLD bullet. If you don’t mind weighing individual charges, it should work well. I got great accuracy with 25.0 gr and a Hornady 50 gr SX in my Remington 700 bolt gun, but gave up 300 FPS+ compared to other powders. For a 75 gr bullet, I would be tempted to start at 23 gr and work up and see how it goes. In fact, I think I will throw some IMR-4064 behind some 77 gr Noslers myself, just to see how they group. Thanks for the idea.
243winxb
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May need a drop tube for compressed loads? IMR 4064 should work better with a heavier bullet like yours. https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/anyone-use-imr-4064-for-223-rem.729570/
Yea I knew I'd give up a bit of velocity. When I got the powder it was the only thing on the shelf that would work in all my rifle cartridges. I bought all they had at the time. Accuracy is my primary concern for this load. I also have some H335, but not enough to load all the 75 grain bullets I have.
I have mixed brass, but a lot is Fiochi 223, Frontier 223, Lake City 5.56, Frontier 5.56. All the brass except about 1 mag worth was fired from my rifle.
If it's necessary I'd be willing to weigh every powder charge. For load development, it's not too bad. Once I get a load, I would prefer not to have to, but if necessary it's not a huge chore for the amount of reloading I do. I'd get a powder trickler, which I likely will anyway.
I'll be going through this process for 308 too with the same powder. I have enough large rifle primers I don't mind burning a few for load development.
I have mixed brass, but a lot is Fiochi 223, Frontier 223, Lake City 5.56, Frontier 5.56. All the brass except about 1 mag worth was fired from my rifle.
If it's necessary I'd be willing to weigh every powder charge. For load development, it's not too bad. Once I get a load, I would prefer not to have to, but if necessary it's not a huge chore for the amount of reloading I do. I'd get a powder trickler, which I likely will anyway.
I'll be going through this process for 308 too with the same powder. I have enough large rifle primers I don't mind burning a few for load development.
2ndtimer
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For your .308, 168 gr BTHP match bullets and 42.5 gr to 43.5 gr of IMR-4064 have worked great for targets in my rifles. In my son’s Savage 12FV, the 175 gr Nosler RDF with 41.7 gr of IMR-4064 is scary accurate since he dropped it into a chassis instead of the factory flimsy stock.
NMexJim
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I've come to like CFE223. Meters great. Good velocity. Shoots great out of my AR. I've used it for 55 gr to 70 gr with good success. I finally bought 8lbs of it.
As a new reloader, I'm convinced no good would come from me having CFE Pistol and CFE 223 in the house at the same time. I use CFE Pistol for my 9mm loads. It similar to the reason I don't think I'll get a 300 Blackout AR while I have a 5.56 version in the house. I know me and there is too much of a chance I'll mix things up.
I loaded the first test load from my Lyman manual, 22.5 gr. I am not familiar with a drop tube. These seemed to load fine. I'll definately look into a trickler. Adjusting charge with a spoon is more luck than anything. I have avoided compressed loads, but this might be the time to try. I have to start somewhere.
I loaded the first test load from my Lyman manual, 22.5 gr. I am not familiar with a drop tube. These seemed to load fine. I'll definately look into a trickler. Adjusting charge with a spoon is more luck than anything. I have avoided compressed loads, but this might be the time to try. I have to start somewhere.
Drop tube is basically an extension for your funnel. It allows the kernels to rattle into place.
Tapping on the case or funnel with your finger will get similar results.
The CFE cans are different colors. I understand the caution.
If you get the chance. 8208xbr, AR Comp, and H4985 tend to be much better choices.
I use IMR4064 because my finicky AR loves it.
I had already planned for 20 primers to be allocated for load development. I don't see a way to really get reliable information with all the different possible combinations, so I started with test loads yesterday. Right off the bat, I ruined 2 cases and primers by not realizing these had crimped primers, in spite of being marked 223.
2ndtimer
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To prevent that (and also know when to scrap brass with loose primer pockets), I ordered one of these:
https://ballistictools.com/store/reloading-products/swage-gage-small-primer-pocket
NMexJim
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I'm going to assume that you're in the early stages of your learning curve, and I'd recommend that you put some more time into the study of 5.56/.223 until you have a firm understand of the cartridges. 7.62x51/.308 gets the same recommendation. Buying new brass or de-primed and swaged brass could save money for you at this point. You can cut the swages out with a pocket knife, and I'm sure there are threads in this forum that'll help you. Dedicated tools can run from $40 to over $100.
Load development, unless you're much luckier than me, can take a lot of time and cartridges. Again, look for threads on load development. I had a .243 varmint rifle that took nearly a year to really make me smile. Prairie dogs at 300 yards can be hard to hit!
Good luck!
Load development, unless you're much luckier than me, can take a lot of time and cartridges. Again, look for threads on load development. I had a .243 varmint rifle that took nearly a year to really make me smile. Prairie dogs at 300 yards can be hard to hit!
Good luck!
I managed to trim them out with a countersink bit. Left a bevel on the inside of the primer pocket, but the rest of the primers seated ok. I'll definately be more careful when I start 308. I have one box of 7.62x51 that is crimped. The rest aren't.
That sounds like a great idea, but the "go" side is the same diameter as a SR primer. So if you can slide it in to the pocket by hand, you may already have a loose primer situation. At least that's how I see it. They should have made it a little smaller IMO.
4064 is in the same burn rate vicinity as Varget and Rl15, which are both ideal powders for heavier .223 bullets. The problem with 4064 is that its one of the worst powders to throw charges with. If you are weighing each, then it should work fine.
2ndtimer
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That is why it has the “no go” opposite end. If that end goes in a good way, the pocket is too loose and should be pitched. If the “go” end won’t go, then you either need to ream or swage the primer pocket.
NMexJim
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Oh no, Mike, I was here first! Send them to me!
Random 8
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IMR 4064 is a fine powder for heavy bullets in 5.56, and is my absolute go-to for all things .308 and similar in size.
I did a workup with IMR 4064, but my rifle and brass were special cases so I can't post the charges I used. I was using the H75BTHP per Lyman data. The outliers were the Black Hills Match brass I used which was lighter than others I sampled, and presumably of smaller interior capacity and .223 Wylde chamber. As I remember, I found best accuracy at about .5 grains below Lyman listed maximum.
Ended up using R15 for my service rifle match loads due to superior metering charachteristics, but would be good in the accuracy department with the 4064 loads I worked.
I did a workup with IMR 4064, but my rifle and brass were special cases so I can't post the charges I used. I was using the H75BTHP per Lyman data. The outliers were the Black Hills Match brass I used which was lighter than others I sampled, and presumably of smaller interior capacity and .223 Wylde chamber. As I remember, I found best accuracy at about .5 grains below Lyman listed maximum.
Ended up using R15 for my service rifle match loads due to superior metering charachteristics, but would be good in the accuracy department with the 4064 loads I worked.
That's good info. I finished my test loads last night, running right up to max charge of 4064 per my loading manual. It does not have a load for the 75 grain bullets I have, so I used the ones for the 77 grain SMK. Stopped at 25 grains which was lightly compressed I think. I heard a little crunching when the bullet was initially seated to full depth. My seating die put a little ring around the tip of each bullet. I guess I'll have to see if that effects anything. I may get to go to the range this Saturday but likely will have to wait until next week.
The ring doesn't terribly effect the accuracy. But you can get a different seater plug or modify that one to work.
papajoe222
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You haven;t mentioned the twist rate for either barrel. The heavy bullets may not be what would work best in either of them.
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