Minimum Charge Selection for 223 Remington

[DMW1116]

I may have found enough primers to begin reloading my supply of 55 grain fmj bullets. However, I find minimum charges all over the place. The Hornady app starts at 20.9 for H335, which is the powder I have on hand. Hodgdens site starts at 21 or 22 depending on bullet. My Lyman 50th Edition manual starts at 24 grains. This minimum is above the maximum in the Hornady app. Can all these be correct? I'm tempted to just use the minimum from the Lyman manual, as that matches the velocity on the factory stuff I've been using.

 

[blackd24]

Start low and work up. Worst thing that could happen is your bolt doesn't cycle. Well, i guess the worst thing that could happen would be a squib. You have to remember the manuals list different types of bullets which all have different profiles. Some may have been tested at a longer/shorter OAL, which would explain why the minimums/max overlap.

What brand of bullet are you using? You may be able to get some info on this forum for the OAL of the bullets listed in your Lyman manual. You can use that to compare to your bullet. Remember, pressure is impacted by the space (or lack thereof) between the power and the bullet.

 

[DMW1116]

I'm using Hornady bullets, so I'll probably just go with their data the more I think about it. They do use a 2.20 OAL. The Lyman manual uses a 2.26 OAL.

 

[FLIGHT762]

I've used H-335 for several decades in the 223. My standard load with a 55 FMJ for use in an AR-15 has been 25.0 grains. Work up to this, I've gone up to 26 grains, but settled on the 25 grain load. Look around, this is a universal load that many use with H-335 & 55 FMJ.

 

[lowcountry308]

I started at 23.0 gr and went to 25.0 gr when i worked up H335 with a 55 FMJ.

25.0 gave me the best group.

 

[mmb617]

The lowest load I tried with H335 and 55 gr FMJ was 22.7 gr which averaged 2600 fps through my M&P 15 Sport II with 16" barrel. It always cycled the action.

 

[Charlie98]

Much of it has to do with platform and cartridge. There is the inevitable 5.56mm vs .223 comparison, along with commercial (bolt gun, etc) vs gas gun (AR, etc) loads. Sadly, Hornady, of all people, don't include 55grn bullets in their service rifle (gas gun) data... go figure.

I'll just echo what everyone else said... I would start at about 23grn H335 and a Magnum primer (ball powder...) and work up from there. Also, you didn't mention what you were shooting these in... and what the barrel twist is, but for general use they should be OK no matter. Just be careful when you near the top of your data, I've never been able to exactly match factory velocity, even in my 20" AR, without being at absolute max load data, which isn't my favorite place to be. YMMV.

 

[gifbohane]

I settled at 24.5 grains with the same bullet in my AR. Not too hot...not too cold.