BL-C2 powder for .223

[AFDoc]

Good evening,

I tried a search, and I did not get any results. I am new to reloading, and I am going to start with .223 Rem. Looking through the Hornady manual, it seems the BL-C2 powder shows up on just about every bullet weight and therefore might be a nice powder with which one may start.

Do any of you have any thoughts or experience with this powder?

Thanks,
Travis

 

[rcmodel]

It works great.
Or at least you could do worse.

It's a little on the slow side for very light bullets up through 69 grain.

You might do better looking at H-335 for middle of the pack, or most bullet weights.

rc

 

[NCsmitty]

Take a look at www.hodgdon.com for the most up to date load data available.

My experience with BLC2 is in my 222 Rem where it worked well with near max loads. As rcmodel mentioned, it's a bit slow for the 222-223 class rounds, but fuctional especially when ignited by magnum primers.
If your using an AR style rifle, there are better powders to use, as mentioned.


NCsmitty

 

[matrem]

It's an "OK" starting point. My experience has been that it's a bit slower than ideal for .223 or 5.56.

 

[PigButtons]

I have no experience with that powder. I have read however that the original military powders for the 5.56 were very similar to IMR 3031. I've used 3031 with several bullet weights from 45 gr to 68 gr with excellent results. YMMV

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If I were also loading the other NATO round I might use BL-C(2) to make thing simple using 1 powder but if I were only loading the 5.56 I would use H335 or it's surplus equivalent of WC844.

 

[Grumulkin]

After trying at least 5 different powders including things like RL-15, H380 and H335, BL-C(2) ended up being what I use with 55 gr. Sierra Varminter bullets. My load uses 26.0 gr. of BL-C(2).

With 77 gr. match bullets, RL-15 has worked the best for me.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I've had outstanding results with 55 gr bullets and H-4895, give that a shot! H-4895 works great with all bullet weights in .223, to my knowledge.

 

[northark147]

I use around 25gr of Varget, but of course I do load for that other Nato caliber.

 

[AFDoc]

Thanks for your thoughts. I greatly appreciate your help.
RC & Arch, i will add H335 to the "short list." Grum, what did you not like about H335?

If I may, let me ask you gentlemen about Varget and Benchmark. They seem to be advertized as consistently-performing, temp-stable powders. What are your thoughts about these two powders?

Thanks again,
Travis

 

[MtnCreek]

Varget and Benchmark

Varget: Meters pretty good, very accurate @ higher pressures, one of the best for full power 'heavy' .223 loads.
Benchmark: Meters great, very accurate with many loads, performs best with lighter bullets, showed pressure signs in my rifle before reaching book max.

I've had outstanding results with 55 gr bullets and H-4895, give that a shot!

IMR or H either would be a great powder to start with. I typically use IMR, but I think H meters better if that matters in your setup.

Edit: BallC2 burned like coal dust for me (and not even that 'clean coal' they talk about; dirty, nasty low grade coal).

 

[Grumulkin]

Thanks for your thoughts. I greatly appreciate your help.
RC & Arch, i will add H335 to the "short list." Grum, what did you not like about H335?

If I may, let me ask you gentlemen about Varget and Benchmark. They seem to be advertized as consistently-performing, temp-stable powders. What are your thoughts about these two powders?

Thanks again,
Travis

It's not that I don't like H335 but it didn't give me as good accuracy as BL-(C2) did with 60 grain and lighter bullets.

By the way, I also tried Varget and Benchmark and for me BL-C(2) did better than those as well.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Ditto Grulmukin
I use BLC2 in the .222 and .223 with bullets 50gr and heavier.
For 40-45gr I found the IMR and H4198 worked well.
I couldn't get either of the 3 lot#s of H335 that I tried to shoot better than BLC2. One lot was quite accruate, but it was 100-130fps slower than equivalent loads of BLC2.
My favorite load is 26.9-27.2gr of BLC2 with a 55gr Bullet.
Another powder I like a lot is Acc2460. It is very close to the performance of the H335.

I too use RL15 in 60gr and Heavier loads with the .223. Both BLC2 and RL15 are powders that I keep on hand as they always work well in most medium-large centerfires. (non-magnum).
Varget on the other hand has always dissapointed me. Especially in the .223. For the .308 I much prefer BLC2 or H4895 or even IMR4064, especially for the .30/06...

 

[kelbro]

Varget for heavies. Benchmark for lighter bullets. H4895 works for both. It gets too hot down here for ball powders.

 

[Slamfire]

I prefer stick powders, my main use of ball has been AA2520. If AA2520 is representative of ball powders, the stuff shoots well, once you hit the sweet spot, but the sweet spot is not as wide as stick powders. I found the stuff to be peaky, blows primers in hot weather without any warning. And AA2520 leaves a lot of residue in the gas system of my AR's.

The 223 works exceptionally well with powders in the 4985 burn rate. IMR 4895/H4895/AA2495 are excellent powders to use in the .223.

I know lots of competitive shooters who used Varget, it is an excellent stick powder.

I have used N140 with great success.

 

[AFDoc]

This has been really helpful for me. Let me get specific. I live in South Texas where the temp can be anywhere from 30-110deg. I hunt squirrels and small hogs. I fire a stock Mini-14 Ranch with a stock 1:9 twist, 18" barrel. I would like to load the Hornady 40gr V-Max as well as the Hornady 75gr BTHP.

You guys obviously know a helluva lot more than I do, so please recommend a powder for each application.

 

[wingman]

I use Reloader 7, H322, H335, H4895, Varget and Bl-C2 all perform well in my 223, I will tell you the most accurate bullet for me is the Sierra 52gr match or Berger 52gr match I have never had the same results with the heavy bullets (68gr+) in a 1/9 twist barrel although others will tell you they have, but I do doubt your mini-14 will have much accuracy with a 70+ gr bullet having said that the truth is hard for anyone to say how your rifle will shoot loads we prefer, trial and error, but that is part of the fun for me.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If I may, let me ask you gentlemen about Varget and Benchmark.

Even though I was using mostly H335 for my 223 ammo I recently tried Varget and I am glad I did. Lyman's #49 manual lists a starting charge weight of 25.0gr Varget under a 55gr bullet as their potentially most accurate and it is a very accurate load in my bolt action rifle. The velocity was low on that load so I tried 26.0 the next time and the accuracy was just as good as the 25.0gr load. Those loads produced sub 1/2MOA accuracy @100 yards.

I haven't tried Benchmark...

 

[alsaqr]

I've used 3031 with several bullet weights from 45 gr to 68 gr with excellent results. YMMV

Another vote for IMR 3031. Use it exclusively in my .223 handloads. In 1968 i worked up loads using every powder suitable for the .223; settled on IMR 3031 and never looked back.

 

[Greg Mercurio]

BL-C(2)

You do your part it will do its part. 16" Del-Ton upper. It does similar things with my 14" COntender.

 

[Eb1]

BLC-2 is a great powder. Shoots good in .223, 30-30, .303 British, and many, many more calibers.
H335 is the same.
H4895 is my best accuracy with 69 grain SMK in my older AR-15, and H335 shot the 75 grain Hornady (Not the A-Max) best.

There are so many powders that will work in a slough of rifles. You just have to try some, and finally settle. For me it was H4895 for most of my rifles. It can be downloaded and it shoots good with full power loads in the .223, 30-30 and my Lee Enfield.

I also like IMR 3031 with lighter bullet in the 30-30.. Man, there are just so many powders that work in the .223 it is hard to say which is best. Only you can make that choice for the accuracy you're comfortable to settle on.