How's Benchmark in 223

[Redneck with a 40]

I'm looking to buy an 8lb Keg of powder, can't find Varget or H-4895, Benchmark seems to be the next best thing, what say you? I'll be loading 55 grain, 62 grain, and a few 69 grain bullets.

 

[NRA-Highmaster]

I`ve had very good results using it with a 52 SMK. Here`s a link to their load data (in case you don`t have any)
http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

 

[ants]

It's a fast rifle powder, very good for 50 - 52 - 53 - 55 grain bullets but not good for 62g and heavier. May even be useful for 40 and 45 but I haven't tried it. I get great 300 yard performance with 52 and 53 grain match bullets (Nosler and Sierra). Lyman lists an accuracy load for 52 grain Sierra MK.

As a fast powder, it is wholly different from Varget. Where Varget shines with 60g and heavier bullets, Benchmark won't. I get best performance with Benchmark as the powder charge approaches maximum, but not max or higher. Right at 98% of max load.

 

[NorCalRanches]

Most accurate powder in one of my Rem 700's with 50 grn bullets.

I've used it in my squirrel gun with 40 grn bullets with excellent results as well, but switched to TAC mostly because it meters a bit better, is cheaper which is all important for high volume shooting.

 

[freakshow10mm]

Works pretty good from what I've read. No personal experience. Seems to be one of those powders that gets skipped over but it has its fanboys.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If you can find some of that new IMR8202 XBR I would suggest giving it a try in the .223.

 

[kelbro]

Like others have posted, it works very well with the 50ish bullets. Very clean shooting too.

 

[cougar1717]

I use it. I've only shot 55gr bullets with it, but it works well. Every gun is different, but the max load was the most accurate for me - the group kept getting smaller in a very linear fashion until I got to the max load, but work your own load up since your rifle may like something else.
I did have one problem with a load combination, though. At some point in the middle of the loading data spread, about 1 out of every 10 would pierce a primer. Maybe it was a bad batch of primers, but once I got the higher end of the load data, the problem went away.