**-OAL and Max Load for .223-**

[wdallis]

I have recently purchased some Nosler Ballistic Tip (varmint) 55 grain ammo. I read where someone recommended using 27 grains of H335 for a .223 loaf, but I don't want to push my luck. I am loading 25 grains currently. If it is safe to load 27 grains, what would you guys recommend my oal should be?

 

[Axis II]

Check your book and hodgdon loads for max. Don't play around with someone else's stupidity going over book max. Way too much at stake. I shoot a lot of 223rem varmint rounds and I've killed big, fat, soy bean eating woodchucks with body shots out to 200yards with medium charges of h335. No need at all to burn up the barrel and throats with 27gr.

For oal, color the whole bullet with a black sharpie and load to book oal and chamber if you have scratch marks seat deeper. start at book low and always work up loads. My medium load could be hot in your gun so do not take chances.

Also, when changing bullets the bullet maybe longer than say a Sp and maybe seated deeper in the case so use book oal and low charge and do a workups.

 

[243winxb]

At Nosler

25 is max.

 

[Walkalong]

Hodgdon online data shows 25.3 with a 55 Gr Spire Point @ 2.200 OAL with a WSR primer.

So no, I wouldn't go to 27.0.

 

[JO JO]

Stay in Nosler’s load data and be be safe , you can go a bit longer OAL if you want but mag length is your limit if your shooting an AR ? if you load shorter OAL pressure will go up,
Don’t go off internet loads especially ones over max ,
Always best to use published data , either Nosler or Hodgdon

 

[Ironicaintit]

Develop a load that is as accurate as your rifle can be with them. It probably won't be a max load.
I prefer to load them stoutly, and find the node that's sitting at the upper limits....but then I stop. It's a fools errand to push the pressure limits in a chase for velocity.

 

[spitballer]

I've always used accuracy as a goal, and often as not I find that the most accurate loads are on the low end of the scale, i.e. starting loads. FWIW I've found that fouling is the one variable that is often overlooked when it comes to getting good groups.

 

[Blue68f100]

I've always used accuracy as a goal, and often as not I find that the most accurate loads are on the low end of the scale, i.e. starting loads. FWIW I've found that fouling is the one variable that is often overlooked when it comes to getting good groups.

Yes, I have also noticed that some guns take several rounds to get temp in them before they settle down, too. The only time I clean the bore is when accuracy starts dropping off. With my simi-autos I do clean the bolt/action up regularly.

 

[Bartojc]

I shoot several 55gr loads in .223 and H335, and am not close to 27gr with any of them.. As others have said go with published data to start and max load and work up a load for your rifle. It's the best way, and you get more shooting time. Be safe !

-Jeff

 

[dirtman]

I Think that Jeff made a mental typo and was really saying start with the min. load and then work up from there. i gotta agree with spitballer on his take also... dirt

 

[hdwhit]

wdallis wrote:
I read where someone recommended using 27 grains of H335...

"Someone, somewhere, said..." is NOT proper load development. For all you know, that "someone" was a sadist wanting to cause someone like you to acquire the nickname "lefty" or "one eye".

You need to obtain a reloading manual, read the section at the front on "How to Reload" and follow what it says.

If you already have a reloading manual, then why aren't you following what is says to do? Why are you instead asking people to opine on whether or not a particular load is safe in a rifle they have never even seen, much less fired?

If you are currently loading 25 grains, and IF the manuals or the powder manufacturer's data provide for a higher load with the same components as you propose to use, then proper load development would be to increase your current load by a fraction of a grain (0.1 grain, 0.2 grain, 0.3 grain - depending on how much difference there is between your current 25 grains and the maximum load) and test fire the incremental load looking for accuracy and pressure signs; increasing subsequent loads by a another fraction of a grain and testing again. Stop if you encounter pressure signs (cratered primers, pierced primers, ejector marks, defaced case head, etc.) even if you are below the published maximum.

 

[dirtman]

"Someone, somewhere, said..." is NOT proper load development. For all you know, that "someone" was a sadist wanting to cause someone like you to acquire the nickname "lefty" or "one eye".

in todays world, very good point.....

 

[mjsdwash]

I have never gone that high, though I have come close, with no signs immediate signs of pressure -see the sentence in caps. I was getting well over 3200 FPS from a 20' barrel, and with some brass I could hit 3250 out of a 16' below 27grains (chrony F1) I HAD THREE CASE HEAD SEPERATIONS IN A LIGHTER LOAD THAN THAT, the one published in Lyman 49th. I now do 25 grains. Low mileage case failures (in chambers that do not have excessive headspace, not even close) are about the most undeniable sign of overpressure there. Just a warning from someone who tried. important to note, I worked up the load to near max looking for signs of pressure, that did not appear, then on loading number three, the cases started going, so be careful EDIT to add, I ran OAL at max -.05 for the ogive variance. NATO chamber rifles, no issues with length in aluminum magazines -20 round pmags bound up though.

 

[Dudedog]

Hodgdon data for a different 55
55 GR. SPR SP Hodgdon H335 .224" 2.200" 23 3018 40,800 CUP 25.3 3203 49,300 CUP
Start 23, Max 25.3
Lyman 50 Data
Sierra SPT 55gr H335
Start 24.3 3142 fps Pressure 35,200 CUP MAX 27.0 3270fps Pressure 49,100 CUP

27gr is a MAX load according to Lyman and you would need to work up to it slowly if you wanted to use Lyman's data.(which is for a different bullet)
Different bullets will give different pressures, different brass, different rifle = different pressures.
What is a safe MAX load with one type of combo might be unsafe with a different type of combo. (bullet, brass, chamber, barrel, OAl etc)
Note that the Hodgdon data shows 3203fps with 25.3gr and the bullet they used, Lyman shows 3270fps with 27gr (MAX loads) and the bullet they used. 1.7gr more powder could easily get you into an excessive pressure area.
You didn't mention the rifle you were using.
5.56 is allowed to run higher pressures than .223, but note for example Sierra shows lower charge weights for Semi Autos than for bolt guns.
http://accurateshooter.net/Downloads/sierra223rembolt.pdf 23 to 27.5gr H335 with a 55gr bullet.
http://accurateshooter.net/Downloads/sierra223ar.pdf ----23.6 to 25.7gr H335 with a 55gr bullet

At Nosler

25 is max.

If you are using Noslers makes sense to use their data.

So if you feel you really need more velocity you could start working up say maybe .2gr at a time from 25. I wouldn't go higher than 25.5 and that might be to high for your combo.
I am shooting Semi autos so if it was me I wouldn't consider going higher than 25.5 with any 55 and would work up to that.
Depending on the bullet (55gr) I found about 24.7 gr of H335 shot well for me. (need to check my notes but as I recall I stopped at a bit over 25gr)
You didn't mention if you worked up to 25 or just started there.
If you didn't work up and check accuracy I would start over at say maybe 23.5 then go 23.8, 24.1, 24.4, 24.7 25, 25.3 and see what shoots the best.
I would trade 50-100fps for a more accurate load all the time, paper won't know the difference, and even hunting 50-100fps won't make that much difference. (unless game is at long distance and you are on the edge of what it takes to make the bullet expand, in which case you need a larger caliber anyway)