223 55/60/62 gr fmj and vmax. What's everyone's favorite load with h335,cfe223,andblc2

My rifle shoots best with 62-64 gr bullets.

The 64 gr Winchester PSP has taken 17 deer.

All loaded with BL-C2. May or may not be the best, but it is the only powder I have used for .223.

Hornady, Sierra, Nosier, and Winchester bullets, 24.5 gr BL-C2. All performers in both my rifles.
Bolt action is sub-MOA.

Same bullet weights in factory ammo perform just as good.

My 1:9 twist AR's like the lighter pills 52gr and 55gr. 27.7 gr CFE-223, LC , #41 @ 2.210" OAL w/Hornady 55gr FMJ-BT (cheap). With the 52gr SMK I use TAC, which shoot like lasers out of my 24" barrels. My 1:7 twist AR would not shoot any thing lighter than 62 gr. Shot the barrel out of it trying to find something it liked.

My standard 55grn FMJ load forever has been 24.5grn H335 in LC brass with a #41 or CCI450 primer. I've since moved to the 62grn BTHP (OTM, whatever...) bullet over the same charge; the 62grn bullet works better with my 1:7" twist Colt H-bar without the expense of the 69grn target bullets.

Charlie98 said:

My standard 55grn FMJ load forever has been 24.5grn H335 in LC brass with a #41 or CCI450 primer.

Click to expand...

Yep I use the same set up. 55 grn FMJ and 24.5 (or 24.4) grains of H 335 in LC brass using CCI 400 (SRP) OAL is 2.200. Labradar says average FPS in 20 inch barrel is 2984.

Recently used some CFE same setup except 26.6 Grains and it Labs at 2942.

As usual you must test YOUR rifle.

For some reason, I don't have any recorded data with the 55grn load, but with the 62grn I get 2850fps out of my 20" AR (brand new barrel.)

I use 24.7 grains of H335 with 55 grain FMJ projectiles and Winchester SRPs. I also have a load with CFE 223 and CCI 400 SRPs using Hornady 55 grain soft points. I need to check my notes before posting the charge weight. My shooting buddy uses BL C(2) but he just uses it for blammo and loads the minimum charge.

I have been using 25.1gr of H335 with a 55gr fmj. That load worked best in my rifle. I currently have some test rounds loaded up to test 62gr fmjs with H335.

Hornady FMJ 55gr
25gr TAC
26gr BL-C(2)

Sorry....no shortcuts.

Every barrel is different. Work up the load in your barrel.

www.hodgdon.com for reloading data.

Those three grain weights are all for plinking purposes (or loaded and stashed away for shtf) these days (for me) although I have a bunch, a lot, of milspec surplus M193 and M855 in those weights ... and I've loaded a bunch, ammo cans full, in those grain weights and stashed/cached it away.

IMR4895, Varget, RL15, N133, TAC and N140 ... I've used them all in those grain weights. Not so much H335 although I used-to ... I saved my last couple of pounds of H335 for variety's sake. I've never used CFE 223 but I have some on backorder. BL-C(2) I usually save for heavier 30 cal projectiles. I'm down to a couple of pounds of that.

Pie plate accurate to 300 yards out of your barrel should be plenty good for you in those grain weights. If you can work-up a load, in your 16" barrel, pushing those 55s to 2900 fps and those 62s 2800fps and keep them pie plate tight out to 300 meters then you're good to go imho, with H335. One thing I remember about H335 in .224 was that it likes lighter pill weights and longer barrels. I saved what I had left because it is so versatile in 30 cals.

I've heard good things about the CFE 223 it's just that I have so much powder and so many options and the VihtaVuori powders are my favorites ... but I'm completely out of N133, N140 and N540 so I am going to give CFE 223 a try when it arrives.

I tend to load heavier, 69-77 grain, projectiles these days for accuracy and long range use out to 500-600 meters. MK262 Mod1-C clones. Your barrel length would probably love it if you went thwt route once you get settled-in and comfortable with your future options.

A side note about the "every barrel is different" comment above. It's true, every barrel is different but those 55 & 62 grain weights are tried and proven in most all barrels to be self-defense and varmint friendly weights. They're conducive to mass production. If you go mid range on listed chwrge weights out of reputable books/tables and do your part ... COAL, proper primer seating, do your prep work, pay close attention .... it's hard to go wrong with H335 in those projectile weights.

Good luck!

If you haven’t tried CFE 223 I think you’ll like it. I’ve used it in 308 and 223 and have good accuracy and minimal variation across an array of charge weights. I hear good things about the Vihta Vouri powders and would like to try them but I have enough powder for now.

27.5gr BLC2 under a 55gr fmj and 27.0gr BLC2 under a 62gr fmj has been very accurate out of many different AR barrels.

25.0gr H335 under a 55gr fmj is another proven load.

Whatever they put in CFE223 makes me cough to the point of vomiting when it burns.

Wow. That’s unfortunate there. I’ve shot some BL C(2) that smelled very distinct but not bad.

25.8 gr. BL-C(2), 55 gr. FMJ, V-Max, or Ballistic Tip Varmint, CCI 400, LC Brass.
With the last 2 bullets, they are mine and my son's deer loads, and our all-purpose load with FMJ.

25 gr of H-335 and 55 gr Hornady FMJ and JSP in all of my AR’s. That combo is tried and true