LubeckTech
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Looking for a powder that would be good for .223 55gr plus .303 British, .308 and 7.62x54 125gr bullet loads.
Looking for a powder recommendation
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243winxb
Member
IMR 4895 or H4895
ranger335v
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I could not begin to make a better suggestion than to follow the recommendations of your loading manual, that's why you paid for the thing. Pick the powder that produces the highest velocity for your cartridge and bullet weigth. ??
You don't necessarily want the highest velocity, you want the one most suited for you needs.
If you want just one powder for all four of those bullets, I might guess you are looking for flexibility and economy above accuracy or all-out speed.
Varget is a very flexible powder. You could look up the loads for those cartridges to see the recommended loads for them. I tried Varget out and it worked well for 55g .223 and 150g and 168g .308. I currently use H335 (commercial version of WC844 military powder) for both 55g .223 and 150g .308.
Fortunately in your case, if you want to load 125g 30 cal bullets along with .223, you will have more options than if you were to want to use 150-175g 30 cal bullets.
You should check out H335, IMR 3031, Win748 or Ramshot TAC for powders which can be used in lots of different cartridges.
As a reference
From the Hodgdon reloading site:
7.62x54R:
125 GR. SIE SP Hodgdon H335 2.715" 50.0g start 2997fps 36,500 CUP 53.0g max 3193fps 45,100 CUP
125 GR. SIE SP Hodgdon Varget 2.715" 51.0g start 2967fps 37,400 CUP 55.0g max 3139fps 45,700 CUP
If you want just one powder for all four of those bullets, I might guess you are looking for flexibility and economy above accuracy or all-out speed.
Varget is a very flexible powder. You could look up the loads for those cartridges to see the recommended loads for them. I tried Varget out and it worked well for 55g .223 and 150g and 168g .308. I currently use H335 (commercial version of WC844 military powder) for both 55g .223 and 150g .308.
Fortunately in your case, if you want to load 125g 30 cal bullets along with .223, you will have more options than if you were to want to use 150-175g 30 cal bullets.
You should check out H335, IMR 3031, Win748 or Ramshot TAC for powders which can be used in lots of different cartridges.
As a reference
From the Hodgdon reloading site:
7.62x54R:
125 GR. SIE SP Hodgdon H335 2.715" 50.0g start 2997fps 36,500 CUP 53.0g max 3193fps 45,100 CUP
125 GR. SIE SP Hodgdon Varget 2.715" 51.0g start 2967fps 37,400 CUP 55.0g max 3139fps 45,700 CUP
NCsmitty
Member
H4895 is probably the most versatile powder in my collection. From reduced charges in youth loads to full power loads in 8mm Mauser, 223 Rem, 308 and 30-30 Win, it always performs for me.
Being an extreme powder from Hodgdon, it is decidedly less affected by temperature changes than many IMR powders.
NCsmitty
Being an extreme powder from Hodgdon, it is decidedly less affected by temperature changes than many IMR powders.
NCsmitty
BsChoy
Member
This is good stuff....also varget or H335 would probably do ok too
gamestalker
member
I as well wouldn't use high velocity as your criteria. Pick the combination that suits your expectations.
ranger335v
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"I as well wouldn't use high velocity as your criteria. Pick the combination that suits your expectations. "
Then you would be overlooking the single powder most likely to suit any expectations. What other powder "combination" is likely to do better than the most efficent powder ??
Then you would be overlooking the single powder most likely to suit any expectations. What other powder "combination" is likely to do better than the most efficent powder ??
If I understand what your saying. Help me understand how/why.
You know this to be true that the powder you get the most speed from is the best powder. I have seen in manuals where they list X powder got the best group for xx bullet but I have never noticed if it was the fastest. What you say sound reasonable so if this is true I would like to know why.
A question to go along with that is why do I not get better groups when I push my bullets with Max load instead of normally about 2-4gr less then max? I normally find the best groups about 1-1.5gr over starting load.
Kernel
Member
That's the ticket.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
What I would like to know is why so many reloaders want to use only 1 powder for such different calibers? Most times you will get better accuracy and performance from a powder more suited to that caliber. If there were only 1 or 2 powders that would do well with such a wide spread of calibers there wouldn't be over 100 powders on the market.
If you load 4 calibers and use a average of 2 lbs of powder a month what's the difference if that 2 lbs is from one jug or two jugs? You are not saving any money buy buying only 1 powder unless you find a way to use a lot less of that powder so buy the powder that will perform the best in the caliber you're shooting. (IMHO of course)
If you load 4 calibers and use a average of 2 lbs of powder a month what's the difference if that 2 lbs is from one jug or two jugs? You are not saving any money buy buying only 1 powder unless you find a way to use a lot less of that powder so buy the powder that will perform the best in the caliber you're shooting. (IMHO of course)
LubeckTech
Member
Let me clarify my post as I really didn't pose the question well. Right now I am using IMR 4895 and when I am out of that will probably get some H4895 to replace it realizing it is a different powder and I will have to change my loads to accomodate it. I would like to experiment with a faster burning powder that would be suitable for lighter bullets in the mentioned .30 caliber cartridges and something I could possibly use in .223. I have not reloaded .223 yet and have a pound of H4198 I got for .223 but have found it not to be very useful in larger cartridges with 125gr bullets. I am not looking for a one size fits all powder nor am I opposed to using multiple powders just looikng for a versatile, faster bruning powder to checkout.
I'd try this one,
http://www.imrpowder.com/8208xbr.html
http://www.imrpowder.com/8208xbr.html
ArchAngelCD
Member.
It's my opinion 4198 is too fast a powder for use in the .223. I wouldn't go any slower than H335 or IMR3031.
you will never go wrong having varget on your shelf.. if it isn't the best it is very close for many of the cartridges you listed, depending on bullet weights. in 223/556, I would not consider anything else. 308, 243, I only use varget..accurate and clean
If your loading 223 and 308 for semi-auto rifles, I would suggest IMR 4895. To fast, or slow burning powders can cause damage to the operating system. Good rule of thumb, nothing faster than 4895, nothing slower than 4064. Varget in the middle and an excellent choice, as well...
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