need some powder suggestions before i order

[-tmo-]

hello, i have just started to reload (haven't even started yet actually... )

need some help picking powders for 223, 308, 45 and 9mm.

for the 223, the rifle is an ar15 with 1/7 and 1/9 barrels. I will be shooting 55 gr FMJ and ss109 bullets primarily

the 308 is a Patriot ordnance factory (ar type) I have 175gr FMJBT, 168gr BTHP, and 145gr FMJBT (ordered from wideners)
wideners is out of H4895 and varget which were my first choices.

For the 9mm (have 115 gr fmj and 121 IPF bullets) using a G34 and G17
i haven't bought bullets for the 45 yet, it will be used with a g21
I would like to use the same powder on the handgun cartridges if i can. Would HS-6 work well? plenty of load data for 9mm and for the 45.

I am trying to order everything from wideners (getting my primers there) I might need to order a few 8lb containers of varget in the future when it becomes available again.

Is Benchmark a good choice for the lighter 223 loads and lighter 308 loads?

any other suggestions?

thanks in advance

t

 

[farmmer dan]

For the 45. and 9 mm I would use winchester 231 powder.It may not be in your load book but it is on hodgdons website I think. The hs6 will work just fine but I think you will be happier with the 231 because it meters better than most other powders

 

[RustyFN]

I like Titegroup for 9mm. I am just starting to load for 45 so I am still working up loads with Titegroup and HS-6. For 223 I like W748 and H335 powders. Both shoot and meter very good.
Rusty

 

[JDGray]

I like power pistol in 9mm, and clays in 45. HS6 meters great, and have used in both calibers, but is a little dirty at lower pressures, worked better in my 357. 231 is also a good powder for both calibers.

 

[strat81]

Power Pistol or Titegroup for the pistols.
H-335 or BL-C(2) for the rifles.

 

[Schleprok62]

For the .223 and .308, consider Varget for both... I use it for both .223 and 7mm-08...

Titegroup or Accurate #5 for .45 ACP

 

[-tmo-]

thanks for the suggestions.

I have read (dont know where) that varget is not so great with light weight 223 bullets, starts to get good at 70gr and above. is that info correct?

Ideally I would like to have 2 powders, one for pistols and one for rifles.

t

 

[Slamfire]

You will not find a more flexible and consistant stick powder for the .223 and 308 than IMR 4895. I have been told that H4895 is shorter cut, and if so, go with that.

When I did load testing in .223 match rifles with IMR 4895, the group sizes I got were outstanding. IMR 4895 is still my primary powder in 308 Match rifles. It shoots sub MOA with 150, 168, and 175's SMK's

The versatility of IMR 4895 is that I download it to 39.0 grains with a 168, and it will clean the target at 200 yards, still will do it at 300 yards (but it is a bit slow). If I bump the charge and go 41.5 grains it will clean the target at 300 and 600 yards. (Though I have never cleaned the 600 yard target, come close...) If I want a bit more wind bucking ability I will use 40.5-41.5 grains with a 175 at 600 yards. The last load will also stay supersonic at 1000 yards.

As a general rule, I have preferred the stick powders to ball powders. Stick powders seem to have a bigger "sweet" spot than Ball powders.

Some have recommended BL-C, that is exactly the same stuff as Win 748. Which is a ball powder.

Varget is a bit slow, so if you ever want to use it in a 308 gas gun, it is just on the line of being usable. It is too slow for some 308 gas guns.

In a bolt gun it is a fine powder.

As for 9 mm and 45 ACP. Bullseye or Unique.

 

[USSR]

You will not find a more flexible and consistant stick powder for the .223 and 308 than IMR 4895.

+1.

Don

 

[lgbloader]

You could get by with Bullseye for the handguns and Varget for the rifles.

That said, I like:

N320 (if you can find it) or Power Pistol for 9mm (Bullseye if I run out of both)

Bullseye or Titegroup 45acp (whatever's on sale)

Varget for .223

and for 308, I like to mess with various weights of Sierra Match HPBT bulllets and these powders:

BLC2

IMR4064

Varget

IMR4895

IMR4320

N550

Stay cool...

 

[VARifleman]

For .45 I like VV N320 for light loads (170 PF with a government model), N340 for hardball power loads (186 PF with government model, 165 with a 3.5" V10). Both using 230 gr JHP.

 

[-tmo-]

hmmm... i have a pound of varget and i will try that first. I will be using it in a gas piston AR 308, might not be the best powder for me then.

thanks for the info.

 

[shu]

for 308 and 223, varget works well.
for 9mm, power pistol.
you could probably do with power pistol also in the 45acp, but if you are ready to get into a third powder try bullseye or titegroup for the 45.

 

[evan price]

I love Varget in rifles, it's my go-to powder. Meters very well, very consistent, not affected by temperature changes (like 4895 is).
I use Titegroup for everything pistol. Again, not position sensitive, not temperature sensitive, a little goes a long way, clean when loaded right.

 

[-tmo-]

thanks for all the input. I had been leaning toward varget as my powder of choice because i do a lot of shooting in the winter (live at 9000') and the summer in the desert. the temp ranges from -20 to 100 or more sometimes. I would rather not have to think about the temp variable. is varget ok with 55-69gr 223 loads? would be shooting them out of a 24" 1/9 and a 16"1/7 barrel. from what i have been reading it seems that its not the best choice for 223 with that weight

I guess i will just give it a try and hold off my purchase till it gets back in stock. the game of primers in stock and the powder in stock is a hard one to time....

 

[jlficken]

Look here for Varget in .223 http://accurateshooter.net/Downloads/sierra223ar.pdf

I use Varget w/ 168gr and 175gr in my DPMS LR-308 without issue and have put about 500rds through it. It doesn't meter worth a crap though. I use Hodgdon H335 in my .223 because it meters well in my Dillon.

As for handgun have a look at Hodgdon Universal Clays. I use it in .40 S&W and my friend uses it in .45 ACP. It burns clean and meters well in my Dillon and there are lots of loads for the 9mm as well.

Also, take a look at Graf's if you want as I think they have everything you want in stock right now.

 

[-tmo-]

Thanks, I wont ever do business with Grafs. they sell your contact info to spammers without telling you, or offering an option to decline that "service". You have to specifically call them up and tell them not to sell your personal info. thats borderline criminal in my opinion when you are dealing with firearms and accessories sales.. if you want a list of people who buy gun stuff just give grafs a call, they will gladly sell it to you.

 

[K3]

IMR4895 has been excellent in a wide range of cartridges for me. It even does well with 50gr bullets in .223.

If you were to have only one rifle powder on your bench, IMR4895 would be the best choice IMO.

 

[-tmo-]

thanks for the help. ordered 32lbs of titegroup and h4895, mught try to pick up some varget if i can find it locally to try that out too.

cant wait to get it and get started

 

[Jim Watson]

I used a good deal of AA2520 til I found that Varget was noticeably more accurate in 2 out of 3 guns tested. But if you are shooting military type autos with FMJ bullets, the difference will not be noticeable and the convenience of Ball process powder is great.

 

[mswestfall]

For .223 I like H4895 and Varget.

I'm trying W322 and maybe some W748 for the first time tomorrow. I'll let you know how it shoots.

 

[Dannno]

Glad to see there are a lot of IMR 4895 fans here... I'm still a noob to reloading (about 6 weeks and 1350 rounds down the yellow brick road) and just started .223. Looking through several reloading manuals (Lyman's 48th, Hornady as well as the powder and bullet MFR's online manuals), I settled on IMR 4895. First 50 ran flawlessly (24 gr IMR4895 behind a 55gr Hornady FMJ-BT.

Question I have, is what is the relationship between IMR and Hodgdon? IIRC, the IMR website took me to a Hodgdon website for the reloading info, and the where Lyman's gives data for aIMR 4985, the Hornady manual shows a similar load for "H 4895". What gives? The dosages are consistent (~23.5 - 25.0).

Is this a misprint or is Hodgdon and IMR interchangeable?

Seems so in this case, but does it hold true in the general case?

TIA...Dannoo...

 

[tkcomer]

Right now I'm using Ramshot's Tac for 223 and 308. Excellent results in both calibers using Sierra Matchking bullets. I use Ramshot's True Blue for pistols, but I don't currently load for the 9 or the 45. If I did, and I may start for the 9, that would be the powder I'd go with.

 

[-tmo-]

From what i have read the IMR 4895 tends to have a bit higher pressures, i am not sure why. Also the H4895 is a slightly smaller granule (not sure that is the correct terminology) and is much less temperature sensitive. and easier to measure in a powder throw. I have not used either yet it is just from what i have read.

Powders from different manufacturers with the same # designation are not interchangeable. they offer very similar results , but are not the same powders

It seems to me that hodgen and IMR are separate but owned by the same corporation, there are only a few big companies that own dozens of firearm related companies now.

 

[USSR]

Question I have, is what is the relationship between IMR and Hodgdon? IIRC, the IMR website took me to a Hodgdon website for the reloading info, and the where Lyman's gives data for aIMR 4985, the Hornady manual shows a similar load for "H 4895". What gives? The dosages are consistent (~23.5 - 25.0).

Is this a misprint or is Hodgdon and IMR interchangeable?

Hodgdon bought the IMR line, and they are keeping their similar lines of powder separate. They are not exactly the same, and you should not interchange reloading data. While there is not alot of difference with the 4895 powders, there is a big difference with the 4831 powders.

Don