Hodgdon BenchMark

[RugerOldArmy]

What are your impressions of BenchMark? I bought 8lbs of this to experiment more in .223 Rem, 6mm BR, .22-250, and possibly .308 Win. It's been too cold to do much work with the chrony, but a few test loads with 55 and 50 Gr bullets in .223 Rem looked like it might be a light bullet alternative for what I've tried with TAC/H335/Varget and W748.

It seems like it meters pretty well (better than Varget/4064/RL15), and might be less temp sensitive than TAC/BLC2/H335.

Experiences? Impressions?

 

[ants]

The rest of you should avoid it. RugerOldArmy and me will shoot up all the Benchmark in the country, just to save the rest of you guys from the agony.

(Psst ROA: I tested it with 52g Nozler and 53g SMK HP at 300 yards against 4895, Varget, 3031, and H335. This was in a 16" AR with M4 type barrel for USPSA 3-gun match. Benchmark came in second at a charge of 25.1 grains. 3031 was the winner, but the large granules are hard to get consistent in the powder measure. So I settled on BM and I've won my share of stages. But don't tell the other guys, I don't want a run on BM at the store. Thanks for keeping it quiet.)

 

[Walkalong]

It's good, but nothing special.

 

[cpttango30]

I have tried it in my 223 and 308. For me it was nothing to write home about.

I prefer 748 for my 223 winter loads and varget for my summer loads.

Still working on my 308. Not sure how that is going to go yet.

 

[Sommerled]

I'll be useing it because I can no longer get AA2230C (it metered so nice).

Benchmark is readily available in 8lb kegs in my area and I hope it lives up to it's advertised "Extreme" moniker. I went with it because of the fact my good hunting buddy will use nothing else, and I only want to keep one rifle powder for winter coyotes in Minnesota sometimes at -20 deg. F, and prairie dogs in South Dakota at 90 deg + temps.

In reality, modern powders seem to all be of good quality or better.

 

[Ol` Joe]

I like it very well in my 223 with 53gr and lighter bullets. Varget seems to do a little better with 55gr and 60 gr.
You might find different....

 

[mrawesome22-250]

36gr of Benchmark pushing a 50gr VMAX out of my 22-250Rem is my fastest and most accurate load. Average velocity out of a 26" barrel is 3950fps. Varget and IMR4064 are a tie for a very close second.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

Good stuff. So the consensus is that it favors the lighter bullets?

 

[Roccobro]

Just how light a bullets are we talking about? I've got some 33gr HP .224's coming for silly fun.

Justin