Good general-purpose powder for loading .223/5.56 ??

[FlaBoy]

Hey guys,

I just built my buddy an AR platform rifle in .223/5.56 for his birthday, and in return he bought me a set of dies for reloading (he comes over and uses my reloading rig more than I do sometimes). We're going to the gun show this weekend, and are gonna grab some components to start reloading for his AR. What's a good general-purpose powder to grab for reloading this cartridge? All I have currently is Win 231 (all I load so far is pistol) so obviously need to get something suited for rifle. We're gonna be topping it with 55 gr boolits or a little heavier. For now we're just looking to make some plinking range ammo, but would like to get something capable of working up power/accuracy loads later. I have browsed through my load tables to see what options are out there, but figured I'd consult the experts and see if there is a favorite for loading for ARs.

Oh, I have the lee auto-disk pro powder measure. I don't have the double-disk kit yet, but wouldn't mind getting it if need be, so large-volume powders requiring the double disk kit are fine.

Also, its a standard direct-impingement AR (not one of the gas-piston types) so would be nice to use a powder that wasn't TOO filthy burning.

Thanks guys!

 

[RevGeo]

You might try BLC(2). Great powder.

 

[MtnCreek]

If you don't mind an extruded powder, 4895 is hard to beat.

 

[LiveLife]

I have the lee auto-disk pro powder measure.

H335 ball powder. Meters well in Pro Auto Disk/Perfect Powder Measure.

 

[highlander 5]

Ww 748

 

[rcmodel]

W-748 is all I have used since 1970.
No reason to change now.

rc

 

[X-Rap]

I'll go with the H335 for a GP powder, it is all I use in a dozen different 223/5.56 guns and is suitably accurate in them all.

 

[FlaBoy]

Wow, thanks for all the quick recommendations. I'll have to look them up. I am just getting into the reloading game, so not familiar with most of these powders offhand.

One thing I forgot to mention, I will also be setting up to reload 7.62x54R soon for my Mosin Nagant and my PSL/Dragunov. So if there are powders that would also work well for larger heavier cartridges, those would be ideal. No need stocking up 2 powders when one will do.

again, thanks guys!!

 

[LiveLife]

Hodgdon website is showing load data for 7.62X54R for H335 in 110/125/150 gr bullet weights.

If I had to use one powder for both cartridges, it would be either H4895/IMR4895.

 

[SlowFuse]

My go to for 55-62 grain is H335. Anything heavier I use Varget.

 

[Walkalong]

The good news is lots of powders work well in .223.

H335, AA 2015, N130, N133, W748, AA 2230, TAC, Varget, IMR or H4895, BLC-2, among others. I am using an old surplus powder (SRB-118) for my plinking ammo in .223.

If you are shooting 55 Gr FMJ bullets, the powder is not a big factor, as the open/erratic based FMJ doesn't shoot very well anyway.

 

[REL1203]

if you want it to meter well, 100% go with TAC or H335, i use them both, but prefer TAC as its usually a tiny bit cheaper it seems.

 

[dap22]

My main powder is H335 (for 55 g) which was for sale awhile ago at Widners (8# their number 844) and is, from what they say, identical. For anything heavier, as was mentioned, I use Varget. I like the way H335 meters.........Varget not so much.

 

[cfullgraf]

For 55 FMJ, I use AA2230. For 69 SMK target loads I use Varget.

But any of the powders listed so far will serve you well.

 

[LoonWulf]

For the .223 family of rounds (including my 6x47), i like w748, BLc2, and Imr 4895.
Honestly if i had to use only one powder for most things it would be 4895, works well all the way up to the 06.

 

[kreidel]

Ramshot Tac is cheaper than H335 so that's what I use. They both burn clean and meter well.

 

[Micha2u]

H4895 works pretty well and is a very versatile powder.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I've been loading my 55 grain .223 rounds with H4895 from day one. I'm very pleased with its performance, great velocity, great accuracy. H4895 is all I will use for .223.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO a charge of 25.0gr Hodgdon H335 under a 55gr bullet is the "classic" .223 load. Hodgdon BL-C(2) and Winchester W748 are also good powders for the .223. All are ball powders and will meter well in your Auto-Disk but I think you will need the double-disk kit.

I use 25.0gr H335 under a 55gr bullet for all my semi-auto .223 ammo and Hodgdon Varget for my bolt action rifle ammo.

BL-C(2) will work very well for your 7.62X54R ammo so if you want only 1 powder to do both that might be the one for you. I would buy both powders because I feel it's better to buy powders that do the best job that can be done instead of trying to do everything with only 1 powder. (unless you have no choice or powders aren't available)

 

[Waywatcher]

I'm late to the party but will toss in my opinion:

I have tried:
Varget--Too slow burning for general purpose. Only applicable to heavier bullets.
H4895--Good burn rate, but difficult metering, and compressed charges.
Benchmark--Easy metering and accurate, but velocities were not what I wanted. Also only applicable to the lighter bullets.
Tac--Easy metering and consistent good groups, good velocity, clean burn. Burn rate is nearly identical to H4895, which means the bulk of bullets are fair game.

Of those that I have tried, Tac is definitely what I would call Good General Purpose in .223 for AR use.

 

[Redneckly33]

WC 844, WC 748, H 335 any of these meter well and can be very accurate with the right bullet.

 

[J_McLeod]

Can't go wrong with BL(C)-2 or H335. Currently my favorite is CFE-223. Meters well and gets lots of power.

 

[Brian10]

TAC is my general purpose powder of choice. Good results and meters very well.

 

[rbernie]

I use TAC, mostly.

 

[zxcvbob]

I'm trying to decide between ordering 2 jugs of WC-844 or SMP-842. (the logical choice would be one of each, so that's out )

So far all I've tried is Varget, and it works great but it's expensive, and it goes *crunch* when I try to throw it with the powder measure.