What powder for .223/5.56?
- Thread starter kludge
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223/5.56 powder
Pats Reloading in Massillon Oh has the best powder for .223/5.56. He sells G.I. WC 844 and 845 which are the powders the government developed for this cartridge. I have shot many sub 1/2 in groups using WC844 and 55 or 62 gr IMI G.I bullets
Pats Reloading in Massillon Oh has the best powder for .223/5.56. He sells G.I. WC 844 and 845 which are the powders the government developed for this cartridge. I have shot many sub 1/2 in groups using WC844 and 55 or 62 gr IMI G.I bullets
IndianaBoy
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Hodgdon BLC2 works well for me with 55 grain bullets. Varget fills the case awfully close to the top. I am using a progressive press and if you flick the indexing around too fast varget will sometimes spill out.
The burn rate of BLC2 and Varget is very close, and BLC2 is much less bulky. I am getting good results with 26.5 grains of BLC2 which is 1 grain under what my manual lists as maximum. My brass lasts a long time and I get excellent results without that last little bit of velocity and large amount of pressure to be gained with max loads.
The burn rate of BLC2 and Varget is very close, and BLC2 is much less bulky. I am getting good results with 26.5 grains of BLC2 which is 1 grain under what my manual lists as maximum. My brass lasts a long time and I get excellent results without that last little bit of velocity and large amount of pressure to be gained with max loads.
mallc
Member
Hodgdon H335
Nice peppy powder that should be available in most shops.
Scott
Nice peppy powder that should be available in most shops.
Scott
paulo
Member
Reloader 15
FlyinBryan
Member
i like extruded powders like h322, varget, and benchmark.
the varget has bigger granules, but it still drops pretty good from my measures.
the varget has bigger granules, but it still drops pretty good from my measures.
Bryan,
After the responses here and googling, I'm thinking Varget, due to compressed loads may not be for me, and now I'm leaning toward Benchmark (I don't have any problems with extruded powders, and I'm not using a progressive).
Do you have any further comments about Benchmark?
TIA.
After the responses here and googling, I'm thinking Varget, due to compressed loads may not be for me, and now I'm leaning toward Benchmark (I don't have any problems with extruded powders, and I'm not using a progressive).
Do you have any further comments about Benchmark?
TIA.
Benchmark for 55 grain bullets is a well kept secret (52 and 53 grain also). Just below max load works well.
Benchmark seems to be a little too fast for 69 grain bullets. It works, but just doesn't seem to get the best accuracy. That's where Varget shines. Varget under 69, 75 and 77 grain bullets works extremely well with mid level charges that are not compressed. Some powder measures don't seem to measure Varget very consistently, be sure to double check your charges. If the charge isn't consistent you will think that the powder is incapable of accuracy. With consistent charges it is very capable.
By the way, nothing wrong with compressed charges as long as you're going by a published manual.
It isn't dangerous. It won't explode on the press or anything. But you always want to start low and work up anyway. Don't go straight to max load where you find compressed charges.
Benchmark seems to be a little too fast for 69 grain bullets. It works, but just doesn't seem to get the best accuracy. That's where Varget shines. Varget under 69, 75 and 77 grain bullets works extremely well with mid level charges that are not compressed. Some powder measures don't seem to measure Varget very consistently, be sure to double check your charges. If the charge isn't consistent you will think that the powder is incapable of accuracy. With consistent charges it is very capable.
By the way, nothing wrong with compressed charges as long as you're going by a published manual.
It isn't dangerous. It won't explode on the press or anything. But you always want to start low and work up anyway. Don't go straight to max load where you find compressed charges.
neal7250
Member
H-335, and never look back
Birdhunter1
Member
Just about anything, H335, Varget, Blc2, H322, H414, Benchmark, IMR 4895, H4895, Reloader 15.. I think you get the idea.
rfwobbly
Member
A somewhat scienfitc assessment of 223 powders
Kludge -
A friend and I recently built a spreadsheet for 233 loading. Now of course, extreme accuracy could not be taken into account in a spreadsheet, but the only powders we considered were ones that had been recommended by other shooters as "good for the AR". That is to say accurate and clean burning.
We looked at burn rate, cost, cost per load, loads per pound, and wear & tear on the gun. We had absolutely no "favorites" going in. We needed a recommendation on a powder that we both understood would be new to us. Alliant Reloader 10X and Reloader 15 could not be included due to the lack of reloading data on Alliant's own website. (They have not returned our email so far. Should they respond, their information certainly will.)
However, at this point, the clear winner among 14 highly recommended 223 powders is (drum roll please).... Ramshot TAC. We were also very pleasantly surprised to find the TAC was also useful with nearly all 223 bullet weights, as well as in several other calibers. And TAC is a ball powder making use with mechanical powder dispensers easier.
I'll let you know how it goes after our order arrives.
Hope this helps!
Kludge -
A friend and I recently built a spreadsheet for 233 loading. Now of course, extreme accuracy could not be taken into account in a spreadsheet, but the only powders we considered were ones that had been recommended by other shooters as "good for the AR". That is to say accurate and clean burning.
We looked at burn rate, cost, cost per load, loads per pound, and wear & tear on the gun. We had absolutely no "favorites" going in. We needed a recommendation on a powder that we both understood would be new to us. Alliant Reloader 10X and Reloader 15 could not be included due to the lack of reloading data on Alliant's own website. (They have not returned our email so far. Should they respond, their information certainly will.)
However, at this point, the clear winner among 14 highly recommended 223 powders is (drum roll please).... Ramshot TAC. We were also very pleasantly surprised to find the TAC was also useful with nearly all 223 bullet weights, as well as in several other calibers. And TAC is a ball powder making use with mechanical powder dispensers easier.
I'll let you know how it goes after our order arrives.
Hope this helps!
matrem
Member
Thousands of rds through .223 with 748.Very good!
Clark
Member
H335 for velocity
Blue Dot for ground squirrels.
It is really hard to find a powder than does NOT do well in 223.
Blue Dot for ground squirrels.
It is really hard to find a powder than does NOT do well in 223.
SteveW-II
Member
Another vote for 26.5 grains of BLC-2 under a 55 grain bullet.
matrem
Member
"Great I just bought some.
Mind telling your load & bullet weight? Barrel twist"
Specific loads need to be "tailored" to specific rifles.
A good manual will start you off right.
Mind telling your load & bullet weight? Barrel twist"
Specific loads need to be "tailored" to specific rifles.
A good manual will start you off right.
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