cheap .223 powder?

[straitnate14]

Whats the cheapest powder in bulk that is good for .223? I'm loading BLC 2 now and I want to get a bunch of powder so I dont keep on paying out the you know what for 1lb cans. I want to get some 8lb jugs to keep cost down but none of the fun stores around here sell anything at anywhere near a good price.

 

[rcmodel]

http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

Ramshot TAC seems the cheapest, but I have never tried it.

rc

 

[straitnate14]

I dont know how I never new about that website? they have some realy good prices for $126 I will just keep loading BLC 2 and they even have good prices on bullets, and wolf .223 primers for $25? I am going to make a big order

 

[rcmodel]

Powder Vally is Midways wholesaler/shipping point for primers and such.
So when you order from Midway, you actually get it from Powder Valley.
How about them apples?

rc

 

[EddieNFL]

http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

Ramshot TAC seems the cheapest, but I have never tried it.

rc

I've gotten good results with TAC under 69s and 80s. Not as good with lighter bullets.

Midway had a special on TAC a couple years ago; $9.99 per pound and $9.99 shipping so I bought 40 pounds. I'm hoping they do it again soon.

Powder Vally is Midways wholesaler/shipping point for primers and such.

LOL. I noticed the shipping label said Kansas, so I called Midway and asked for the name of their supplier. The CS rep wouldn't say so I mentioned PV...all I heard was crickets chirping.

 

[Slamfire]

AA2520 is $122 per keg. I have shot HM scores with that powder with 68's and 69's out to 300 yards, and at 100 yard reduced course matches.

 

[Jubjub]

If you are shooting light bullets, Blue Dot works great in the .223. Charge weights are about half of what you would load with slower rifle powders, so a pound goes a long way. They aren't quite full power loads, but a 36 grain Barnes Varmint Grenade can comfortably hit 3100. Of course, the possibility exists to double charge a case, so care is needed.

 

[rcmodel]

Seems like a good way to beat a gas-operated rifle to death.

rc

 

[Jubjub]

Probably would. It's got to be a sharp pressure spike. They shoot great in a bolt gun, though. Don't hardly heat the barrel at all. Great for plinking or prairie dogs.

 

[interlock]

here in the uk we are paying towards £40 per pound of powder in some places. drives me crazy when i see what you guys pay!!!!

 

[NorCalRanches]

Liking Ramshot TAC in my .223's.

Been using Benchmark in my coyote gun because I have a good load for it already and don't shoot that many rounds/ year through it-plus I like that Benchmark seems real stable whether it is -10 or 90 degrees, which is the range I see shooting coyotes.

For higher volume ground rat shooting I really like TAC. Meters well and is cheap. Very accurate in my rifles. 40 grain and 50 grain Nosler B Tips or V max bullets.

Been ordering from Natchez, as I can order a bunch of powder and bullets all in one order. Natchez seems to be the same on powder and cheaper than anyone on bullets.

 

[straitnate14]

right now I'm just shooting 55gr fmj plinking loads with 26gr of BLC 2 and wolf primers if I drive about an hour I can get BLC 2 for 16.85 a pound but they never have more than 4 pounds in stock and he said he wont order it in bulk since I'm the only person he said that buys it so I'm stuck with either driving up there and getting a little at a time or paying a little bit more and getting a bunch, also if I buy it in town the cheapest I have found it is like $25.00 a lb so it's not even worth buying I think i'm going to try some TAC from ramshot

 

[straitnate14]

On a side note, anyone ever buy brass from these guys? I got 1000 45acp brass from them and it was the best looking brass I have ever had, it looks like new brass when you get it from them because the way they clean it it cleans out the inside of the case to where it looks like brand new brass. I'm waiting on some .223 brass to show up so I can load the rest of my 55gr bullets up. Here ya go http://www.capefearammo.com/

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I like BLC-2. 28.5gr with a 40gr v-max = a very fast and accurate p-dog pill out of my Savage and Stevens .223's.

 

[billybob44]

I dont know how I never new about that website? they have some realy good prices for $126 I will just keep loading BLC 2 and they even have good prices on bullets, and wolf .223 primers for $25? I am going to make a big order

strait, I have made several orders with Powder Valley-they are Top Notch. Excellent Co. If you do it right you will order a large enough amount to off-set the HazMat fee. It may pay to pool your funds with friends to save $. I like BL-C(2) in my .22-250 loads, and IMR-4064 in my 70gr. 6MM loads..

 

[FROGO207]

I have been working up a load with 40 gr and 55 gr 223 with X-terminator from Ramshot. So far it looks promising. It was on sale at Midway for $12.29 a pound last month.

 

[DWFan]

Keep an eye out here...
http://www.gibrass.com/index.html
His inventory varies and prices are very reasonable.

 

[rfwobbly]

I did a fancy spreadsheet up about a year ago, using 2900fps / 55gr loads of all the popular AR powders as found in the Sierra RLM. Of the 16 or so powders researched, Ramshot TAC was the cheapest to shoot. Now understand, this was based on the cost of 1 lb cans. All prices were taken from the Powder Valley web site. That was about as apples-to-apples as I could get.

Obviously, a deal on a Mil-Surp keg from Pat's would alter things.

Additionally, some of the other "more popular" 223 powders were maxed out at 2900fps. Other powders did not have a wide array of uses. TAC seemed to have uses far beyond 223 and had good reports with all.

I've found TAC to measure well and shoot clean. For the little plinking I do with it, I'm very happy.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I don't buy powder based on price/round, I go for performance. I've found that IMR4895, while not delivering top velocity with the 55 grainer's, the accuracy is top notch. I was lucky and scored 16 lbs of it from Widener's last fall. It came out to $22/lb after the hazmat and shipping.

 

[straitnate14]

I dont load for top notch shooting, just high volume plinking with freinds out a budys house so I'm only making 150yd shots at the most, if it groups an inch at a 100 I'm happy since we pretty much shoot at what we can pull of the curb, lawn mowers, and such, thats about the extent of what we shoot with .223, I will use my AR for 3 gun in the spring summer but thats it, no long range shooting as of now

 

[straitnate14]

thanks to everyone for the warm reception, I have been a long time reader of the high road and this is one of my first threads and I cant say enough to how helpfull this website has been

 

[freakshow10mm]

TAC is excellent in .223 for 55-77gr bullets. I use a lot of it myself, also in .308. Same or faster velocity than Varget but lower cost and meters a lot better, being a ball powder versus short grain extruded.

 

[BsChoy]

I found TAC too smokey with 55gr bullets and the velocities were lack luster. I would think it better suited for heavier bullets. I like H4895 or Varget. I have used Reloder 15 and that was really good with 60gr Vmax's. I was thinking of trying exterminator but I am doing well finding H4895 locally so I'm staying.

 

[X-Rap]

I'd shoot what works, if you are buying in bulk the difference in cost to experiment with a new load and powder will wipe out any saving you could achieve.

 

[TooTaxed]

Your BL-C is pretty good, if you can find a source for bulk reclaimed powder. I use reclaimed IMR 4895 for everything from .223 to 8-mm Mauser, and light .300 Win Mag loads. One of the oldest and most versatile powders!