Powder for 223 ?

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LBEE

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Just Bought a 223 Varment Barrel AR, I have never loaded 223 caliber in the past would like to know the Favorite powder for this Caliber that would be accurate with A 55 Grain Bullet...does anyone have a Favorite load ?
Thanks, LBEE ( MO.)
 
H335 has been very good to me for the last several years, in both a 16" AR and a 26" Savage 12FV.
 
Currently, I am using Accurate 2230 but I have also used Winchester 748, H4895, and Varget, all with good results.

One of these days, I will try CFE223. I use it in my 204 Ruger ARs with good results but have not gotten around to trying it in the 223 Remington.

Lots of other powders work well, check your loading manuals.
 
335 is what I use. I'm seeing it back on the shelves now too. 748 works great too..
 
I haven't played with H335, but I did find Varget and RL-15 to work with that 55gr. The RL-15 is generally used for the heavier bullets in .223, but it was in the heights of the panic and the RL-15 was still on the shelf. I picked it up and made due with what I had. Turns out, it is quite the shooter, out of both ARs and bolt/break guns.
 
I like IMR 3031 quite a bit. I like to weigh all of my rifle loads any way so I generally like stick powders for that application and for me I have had no issues finding it anywhere.
 
If you shoot 223 alot then ball powder would be my suggestion. If your measure will throw a fairly accurate load: you could have a digital scale right beside, charge the brass with the "spot on" charge, then dump every "slightly off" charge directly back in the hopper. This is my method for ball powder. It is fast and effictive.
 
I use Varget for anything from .223 to 30-06. It works well for everything I've put it in.

Saves me from buying a certain powder for every caliber.

With that said, my absolute best groups in .223 have come from a Benchmark/Hornady A-Max combo. Not much tighter than Varget though.
 
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So many to chose from (in the loading books/on-line data). So what do you have or is available local.

I have used:
3031, 748, Blc2, H335, H4895, IMR 4895, Varget and some others over the years. (in alphabetic/numerical order)

All of the above have performed well. I do prefer for various reasons, 748 with a close second being H4895 (H4895 doesn't meter as well as 748).
Varget does very well but to me it has a greater concussion than the others. This is my perceived measurement, not measured with any instrument and being fired in barrel lengths from 16 to 20 inches.
This doesn't make sense as 748 is right next to Varget on most burn rate tables. If you don't mind the concussion, it has given me good results. I shoot about 15 yards from my house and don't like the concussion that I think it gives.
 
I like AA2230 with lighter bullets, including the 55 grain ones. I like Varget with the heavier bullets.
 
I shoot Benchmark and my brother uses Varget. We both kill lots of prairie dogs with them, using both 50 and 55 gr bullets. As most reloaders do, we strive for accuracy and consistency. We achieve that with both powders. Another friend loads with H4895 and has equally good results. There are lots of options with the .223.
 
IMR 4895 has been my go to for quite awhile. The fact that I have an 8 lb jug is part of the reason. WW 748 & H 335 have also worked very well. For accuracy 748 has been the best. YMMV.
 
I use IMR 3031 for my AR-15. Mostly because I found an 8# jug in stock. It did shoot better then the Benchmark I've tried.

Sierra 53 grain hollow point on top of 23.5 grains of IMR 3031. 4 shots at 50 yards was .5".

Probably not the best for long range varmints but mine is a plain Jane ar-15.
 
I haven't done a ton of hand loading for the .223 but when I have, I've had good results with both IMR3031 and Varget. My loads were used in a single shot though so it may not translate to your needs.

I know that fallout mike on here uses BLC-2 for the round in his AR and has been very pleased with it (I actually saw several pounds of BLC-2 in stock at the local Bass Pro the other day).
 
I like BL-C(2) but I've only used it with 65gr+ bullets. It may work great I don't really know. IMR 4064 works ok, not the best choice for 55s'. IMR 3031 is a good choice for 55ish loads. I haven't used H335 in so long I forgot how it shoots.
 
I never tried 4064 for .223. I use in .308. I have used 748 in both. 748 works
well in my lyman 55. I am now looking for a powder for 7.62x39. Hopefully 748 will work here too.
 
I use H4895 (25 grains gives me about 3100 with a 22" barrel shooting 55gr Vmax bullets).
 
Late to the party and it looks like all of my favorites have been mentioned. But I'll add my vote anyway. ;)

Under 60gr bullets in .223: I like 748, H4895 and am now using H335 and finding it works quite nicely as well. Seems cleaner than what I remember from 748. H4895 gives me good accuracy with 55s but burns on the dirtier side IME.

Over 60gr bullets: Varget, RL-15 and H4895. I've played with 748 and 69gr Sierras and let me say, the stuff is just too temperature sensitive. Burned through a number of primers and ate an AR-15 firing pin learning that I was never going to get the speed and downrange accuracy I was after. Switched to Varget and have never looked back. RL-15 gave me results equal to what Varget did, almost charge weight for charge weight.

I have used Varget with 55gr FMJ slugs with so-so results. They shot OK, not great, and Varget uses up most of the case volume of the .223 with the listed charges for those bullets.
 
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