.223 question

[Swift]

I just started reloading .223. I've loaded .220 Swift, .243, 22-250, and .45ACP for quite a few years. I've used primarily ball powders that meter quite well. I started loading .223 yesterday. I don't even have the rifle yet. I'm loading 26.5 grains of Varget behind a 50 grain V-Max. This is the beginning load on Hogdons website. The max load is 27.5 grains. The cases are full with 26.5 grains. I don't see how I could get one more grain in there. All the shaking and tapping I do barely make room to seat the bullet. The cases are once fired, some from an AR and some from a Savage bolt rifle. They are mixed headstamp but it doesn't matter which case I use they are pretty full. I don't know that I'll need to raise the charge any, but it seems odd that the case would be full at the minimum charge. Any suggestions?

 

[sappyg]

it could be that the 27.5 gr. charge of varget is a compressed load.

 

[soloban]

Put your finger over the top of the case and set it on top your tumbler. It will jostle the powder down.

 

[243winxb]

223 Compressed Charges are Marked on the Hodgdon website.

it seems odd that the case would be full at the minimum charge. Any suggestions?

Use a different powder. Get a drop tube. Go to a more heavy bullet using Varget. Go to the Hodgdon site,http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp the C means the charge is compressed.

I don't even have the rifle yet.

I hope your sized brass will fit the chamber, or you have a bullet puller.

 

[Swift]

I've only got twenty loaded. They're full length resized and loaded to specs for overall length. I've got a bullet puller if the need arises. I didn't notice the C on the 27.5 grain load on Hogdons site. Thanks for the help. Any suggstions on a different powder? I'm planning on getting an AR for plinking. I've got the varmint rifles for the long range precision stuff, but I'll probably decide that I need to develop a precision load for the AR eventually. I can see this becoming an expensive rifle by the time I'm done.

 

[rfwobbly]

There are lots of good 223 powders available. I'm presently using Ramshot TAC because it's very inexpensive on a cost per shot basis, meters well, shoots clean and covers the full 223 velocity range. And because I'm just plinking too.

 

[Damon555]

I purchased an 8 lb jug of WC844 (H335) for high volume loading. It works great in several different cartridges. A good dose of that and some bulk 55 grain SP bullets make for a great blasting round.

There is an 8 lb jug of Varget on my shelf also. It is probably my all time favorite powder.

The .223/5.56 isn't particularly difficult to load for. Pick out a nice all around ball powder and you'll be happy.....you're powder thrower will like it too.

 

[rcmodel]

A compressed charge is perfectly fine if thats what the data calls for.

On the otherhand, I prefer ball powder (W-748) for all my .223 loading.
(It doesn't have to be W-748, as there are lots of other ball powders that will do as well.)

It flows through a powder measure, and also through the small .22 case necks like water, with no chance of bridging or sticking anywhere.

rc

 

[RVenick]

I like AA2230 it is also a ball powder and meters well I load 24.2g and it comes to the bottom of the neck.

 

[M1key]

I use max loads of Varget (my new favorite powder) for my AR. All of them are compressed loads. Shoot the heck out of it.


M

 

[ralph2]

I like ball powders because of easy metering and the one I have had the best combination of
accuracy and velocity is BL-C(2).

 

[243winxb]

A compressed charge is perfectly fine if thats what the data calls for.

Very true, a little compression is fine. But if the maximum load is spilling powder out of the case on filling, i would change powder.

 

[Blackrock]

Varget makes a good load for a long barreled .223 but I don't know how it would perform in a 20" or less barreled rifle. So far this 26.5g Varget loadis working well in my 26" bolt gun. At 26.5g it does fill the case.

 

[Walkalong]

Get a drop tube.

Works better than just jostling the case after dropping a charge.

 

[rsrocket1]

Shoot the ones you've already loaded and see how they work. If you get good groups at 26.5 there is no reason to go to 27.5. Besides, Varget is supposed to be one of the most batch to batch and temperature consistent powders around. My first pound of Varget gave good groups at 25g w/55g fmjbt so that's what I stayed with for the remainder of the jug.

 

[Hondo 60]

Varget performs beautifully in a 20" barrel.
I have a 1:9 twist on my AR.

Just today I loaded 26.0 gr of Varget under 55 & 62 gr bullets.
with the 55s 26grns is middle of the road
with 62 gr it's on the higher side, but still below max.

The difference is in the cannelure. The 62 gr OAL is longer than the 55 gr.

The 55s are very accurate. I'm still working on the 62 gr.

 

[MrOldLude]

I use AA2230 for my AR, varget for my bolt gun. AA2230 dumps faster and easier, so it works for me with higher volumes.

The thing about Varget, is that it's such a bulky powder, that it's almost impossible to overload it.

 

[Walkalong]

N130 shoots great in .223 with 50 & 55 Gr bullets (with plenty of room in the case), but it's too pricey for blasting ammo.