.223 load with .55 gr. Hndy spire point

[newreloader]

Looking for advice for loading my mini 14 .223. Purchased some Hornady .55 gr. spire point bullets and wondered what would be a good powder to use and starting loads? Appreciate any advice. Thank you, and safe shooting.

 

[45lcshooter]

55gr is about the most standard load for a Mini 14 or a AR-15 chambered in 223.

Powders that go in my 223 are AR-COMP, H335, H380, IMR4895, Varget. But there are many many powders for 223 out there.

Your also looking for starting loads. Any manual with in the last 40ish years, has load data for "start" and "max data". If you have no manual, please make that your next purchase. Some powder companies have load data for their powder online, but that does not take the place of a good manual.

 

[GT1]

I guess the best way to decide is what powders you have/can get.

H335 is usually the favored ball type, Varget and IMR4895 seem to be popular on the other side. Starting loads are listed on any manufacturer's website, or check your loading manual.

All I load in .223 is 55 gr. I like A2230, H335, CFE223 because AR loading is like pistol, way too many rounds needed and ball powder meters great on the press.

 

[PJSprog]

Absolutely, what everyone else said ... buy a manual (at least one). It should be your next purchase, before you buy any powder or primers or anything else. Read it cover to cover before you load anything. Also, I know Hodgdon has a good listing on their website.

Welcome to reloading! Be safe, and enjoy.

 

[Lennyjoe]

I use H-335 for my 55 gr loads out of my AR's. Depending on what your LGS has, but the powders listed above are all good choices.

 

[newreloader]

55 gr spire pt.

Thank you every one. Good advice, and I am looking into powders recommended now.

 

[kayaks]

I use 26 grains of BLC(2) with 55 grain bullets for .223. Have also tried IMR4895 in the past. If we could get CFE223 in Alaska, I would try it. Been using BLC(2) since my first .222 caliber rifle.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

http://hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html

Anything on that chart from about 69 to 103 should work OKAY (and a few others that weren't around when the chart was published) but it will depend on what bullet weight you're using. But the sweet spot for most semi-autos will probably be between 76 and 96. I would look for anything in that range first. You'll just have to experiment with a few different powders until you find a combo that you and your rifle like. BUT ALWAYS FOLLOW PROPER WORK UP PROCEDURE AND USE PUBLISHED DATA. I always use a combination of at least 2 manuals and the website of the powder manufacturer, you never know if there's a mis-print unless you can verify a load with another source.

 

[horseman1]

I use that load as well, Kayaks.

 

[jlucke69]

I load this bullet with 26.5g of Varget. Worked well in my Mini and AR. Now I use the same load in a Rem bolt. Nice thing about Varget is it is very versatile and will load multiple calibers. This allows me to buy bulk and save money.

 

[flipajig]

I'm loading IMR 8208 XBR in my contender and working up loads for my AR useing the same powder.
Flip

 

[7mmsavage]

Thanks for linking that burn rate chart and the tips on semi autos Sasquatch.

 

[newreloader]

55 gr spire pt. for 223

Yes, thanks Sasquatch and to all for the advice. Im writing this down now. Much appreciated.

 

[newreloader]

.55 gr spire point powder

I found some IMR4198 powder at a local street sale, $25.00 a lb.

 

[SpentCasing]

Buy a Hornady load book first. Look at the listed data. Then buy a powder based on what is available at your LGS and in your book. Personally, I use CFE223 and am very happy with its results and ease of metering. Good luck!

 

[[email protected]]

The 4198 should cycle your mini 14. You wont get the highest velocity by the time you max out on the powder charge. I loaded some of the same bullets on top of a little more than 19 grains of IMR4198 ( I think 19.6grains). It cycled my ar15, but it didn't seem like it would take much less for it not to cycle.

 

[Ray P]

BLC-(2) works very well under 55 gr BTFMJs from Hornady for my .223.

 

[cfullgraf]

I use Accurate 2230 with 55 grain bullets in 223 Remington.

I have been wanting to try CFE223 but have not had time and Accurate 2230 works so well for me.

An aside, I do use CE23 in my 204 Ruger loads.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I use almost nothing but H335 in semi-auto .223 ammo. I like the 55gr bullet too. In a bolt action rifle I have found Varget to be extremely accurate.

 

[newreloader]

55 gr spire pt

Thanks for the tips everyone. Great site and advice. I pretty much get what ever is around, the way it is these days. I do have a Lymans 49 manual. Pretty new to all this, but slowly getting there, especially with the help from you folks, and others. Safe shooting.

 

[TexasShooter59]

I have used Winchester 748 around 24 grains with good results with that bullet.

 

[2ndtimer]

These days, you have to settle for what you can find when it comes to powder, primers and bullets. Fortunately, there are lots of different powders that work quite well in the .223 Remington. On the minus side, they all seem to be in high demand and don't last long on the shelves. My current favorites are Ramshot TAC, Accurate 2015 and 2200, Hodgdon CFE-223, and IMR-8208XBR. Others I have used and had good luck with are:
Accurate 2230, 2460 and 2520, Hodgdon's H-335, BL-C2, Varget and H-4895, Reloder 15, IMR-4895, 4064, and Winchester 748. Ones I haven't tried but should also work: Alliant Power Pro 1200-R, Varmint, AR-Comp, Power Pro 2000 MR, Ramshot X-Terminator, Hodgdon's H-322, Reloder 7 and Reloder 10. I would try any of these before I used IMR-4198 or H-4198. I just didn't get any decent velocity with the 4198's and accuracy was no better than any of the other powders I have used. Good luck finding some. They are starting to show more frequently in my neighborhood, but are still hard to find in some areas.

 

[CMV]

24.2 gr H335 + CCI #41 + 55gr Hornady SP is my standard plinking load. My 16" & 20" ARs like it. Right at 3000 fps from the 20" on a hot day. Very similar to your bullet but I use the HRN2266 which has the cannelure.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Every rifle has it's preferences but I've found that almost all .223's I've loaded for "liked" BLC2.
One Mini-14 I loaded for (friends 1st run of Ruger Ranch Rifles, had rubber butt-pad, rather than later plastic like regular Mini-14) and with some pre-new production H322 (original lot# that bench resters covet) It would shoot around 1.25" for 5-shots. Most everything else was 2-5"....

I've shot thousands of 55gr Hornady 55gr Spts w/c over 26.9gr of BLC2.(what fixed cavity measure throws). I've tried many, many other loads and nothing consistently beats this for velocity and accuracy. H335 comes close, but is typically 100fps slower, even though charge weights at ~1.4gr lower make it a bit more economical.

AA#2460 is very good too. Very close to H335, as many, many others such as TAC.
One that perplexes me is Varget. I've never seen the velocities listed by others, and neither have I been able to approach the charge weights others list. Even with Winchester commercial cases, I've never been able to get the amount of powder listed in the cases. Even using a drop tube and rubbing a ribbed screw driver on the side of the cases to settle the powder.

With a 55gr bullet, the max load of BLC2 is about all the powder you can get in the case w/o compressing the load.
Spherical powders aren't supposed to behave well with compressed loads according to the producers.
It's also a bit more available than the current favorites RL15 and Varget.

 

[2ndtimer]

I agree with Goose Gestapo on his Varget comments. I have loaded a lot of .223 Remington with 55 gr or heavier bullets, but I don't get the same velocity I get with ball powders like CFE-223. Accurate 2460 or TAC. I don't even try to use Varget with bullets lighter than 55 gr. Just can't get enough in the case to get decent velocity.