Your Best Handload --- .223 Rem Recipe

[LRaccuracy]

When I am not shooting 22 L.R. rifle matches, I shoot a lot of .223 for precision shooting up to 500 yards with .223 Remington. What is the best recipe you have found for handloading .223 Remington for your AR type rifle?

I know many shooters like the Sierra 52 gr. Match King for 200 Yards and under. And other shooters like the A-max line of bullets.

What has been your best load?

 

[jackdanson]

Might want to move this to the reloading section.

I've had good luck with the 52 gr. Sierra match kings. I also shoot hornady 68gr. match hollowpoints.

I vary powder, don't shoot well enough to tell a substantial difference between them.

 

[rangerruck]

I am no pro, but I would think that at 500 yds, you would want a minimum 70 to 75 grainer, for max b.c. and wind deflect.

 

[LRaccuracy]

you would want a minimum 70 to 75 grainer

rangerruck,

Yup, I agree. I normally use 80 and sometimes 90 grain bullets for the longer distances with a twist of 1:7. I guess I am looking for other shooters recipes. You know, brass, powder charge, primer, bullet etc. I know the same load does not shoot the same in all firearms but at least knowing other "good" recipes will give me a starting point with what others have been successful with.

One example of a great load that works well for me (and I do mean exceptionally well) in all (7) of my AR type rifles is the following:

Remington brass
Remington 7 1/2 bench rest primer
26 gr. of AA 2520 powder
Sierra 52 grain Match King
Adjust OAL to .003" hop to rifling.

This has been a tack driver out to 200 yards for me and most of my friends.

I am a member of LoadData.com and have hundreds of loads I can try but that still does not give me others experiences.

 

[Krakkon]

55 grain v-max with 24.5 h-335 loaded mag length puts em in same hole at 100 with my rra predator...

 

[Bruno2]

First you need to be aware of the twist in your barrel . The 52 gr match king is probably the best bullet that I have ever shot through my gun (Howa 1500 ). My gun has a 1 in 10 twist and it likes the lighter bullets . Most AR's have a faster twist somewhere in the neighborhood of 1 in6 - 1 in 9 . These faster twists seem to like the heavier bullets , at least 68 gr . I personally prefer Sierra over the others , but , these other manufacturers Berger , nosler , Barnes just to name a few are excellent products . I know people that shoot Win and Rem bullets and even Midways brand dogtown and they get good groups . A shooter that is interested in shooting bench rest will need to explore a lot of different combinations of bullet brands and powder brands , not to mention various power rangs and velocities . Some guns dont like some powders and some bullets . You need to get your bullet weight in mind and then just start trying some different combinations .

 

[something vague]

55 grain v-max with 24.5 h-335 loaded mag length puts em in same hole at 100 with my rra predator...

Believe it or not but that has been my go to load when I get tired of trying different combonations and never quite equalling the performance of this load you listed. I use this exactly as you listed it, 55gr V-Max's with 24.5gr H335. This is coming out of my bolt action though. Thought it was odd that I found someone else loading my exact Pet Load for this bullet.

 

[LRaccuracy]

24.5 h-335

55 grain v-max with 24.5 h-335 loaded mag length puts em in same hole at 100 with my rra predator...

I'll load 10 of these and try them out..

LR

 

[Rancho Relaxo]

I have had very excellent results with a 50g Sierra with either 26.0 or 27.0 grains of H335. I know that 27.0 is at or above max for some manuals, but I had a CZ that I just couldn't get to shoot at all and groups shrunk from 1.5" for 5 shots at 100 to .3-.8". My heavy barrel 223 likes 26.0, but I shot my very best group with a 50g Nosler and 24.5 grains, though I wouldn't use that for much past 200 yards or so. I've only shot a few times over 300 yards with either rifle and they held together pretty well, but I never shoot in much wind.

 

[hokeyplyr48]

55 grain v-max with 24.5 h-335 loaded mag length puts em in same hole at 100 with my rra predator...

That's funny because that's my exact same load as well. Was using varget powder at one point but switchted to the H335 and have been using it since.

 

[jaholder1971]

55 grain Nosler BT, 25 grain H335 2.260: OAL
CCI BR 4 primer, Lake City case

For faster twists
24 grains RL15 or Varget, 77/75/80 grain Sierra or Nosler Match OAL 2.26 for all but the 80 grain loads, those are seated .015" off the lands.
CCI BR4 primer, Winchester case.

 

[LRaccuracy]

Thanks for the great information. I will try the above loads.

I have compared data from hundreds of loads in different manuals. While some manuals tell you that a certain weight of powder is a maximum, other manuals go well beyond the maximum of another manual. Like many hand loaders, I work conservatively while trying out a new load in any particular firearm.

So when I work my way up to the loads that you have suggested, I will be prudent and watch for signs of high pressure.

 

[ants]

For Nosler fans: 52g Custom Competition HP BT, 25.5 grains Benchmark, prepped and matched cases, Wolf or Win SR primers.

Works in 16" and 20" AR barrels 1/9 twist, or 24" at 1/8 twist.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I prefer a 55gr bullet (either Nosler ballistic tip, or Sierra FB or BT) over 26.9gr of BLC2. Very fast, and accurate through many different rifles I tried it with.

 

[RugerOldArmy]

The 'best' handload depends on the bullet used...

I have a few standard loads I'm very happy with:


50 Gr V-Max - LC Case - CCI BR4 - 25.5 Gr Benchmark
52 Gr SMK - LC Case - CCI BR4 - RL-15 ***
55 Gr B-Tip - LC Case - CCI BR4 - 25.0 Gr Benchmark
69 Gr SMK - LC Case - CCI BR4 - 26 Gr Varget
75 Gr Hornady OTM - LC Case - CCI BR4 - 24 Gr Varget
77 Gr SMK - LC Case - CCI #41 - N540 ***


*** - Denotes a charge near Max. I won't list it or somebody won't load up to it, and it may be hot for their rifle.

I have 5 .223 rifles. Two 1-9", Two 1-8", and a 1:7". The first two loads shoot VERY well in ALL rifles. The 75 Gr OTM and 77 SMK loads are shot with the faster twists. Use care with the mag-length 77 SMK, pressures seem to go up quickly.

 

[LRaccuracy]

I prefer a 55gr bullet (either Nosler ballistic tip, or Sierra FB or BT) over 26.9gr of BLC2. Very fast, and accurate through many different rifles I tried it with.

50 Gr V-Max - LC Case - CCI BR4 - 25.5 Gr Benchmark
52 Gr SMK - LC Case - CCI BR4 - RL-15 ***
55 Gr B-Tip - LC Case - CCI BR4 - 25.0 Gr Benchmark
69 Gr SMK - LC Case - CCI BR4 - 26 Gr Varget
75 Gr Hornady OTM - LC Case - CCI BR4 - 24 Gr Varget
77 Gr SMK - LC Case - CCI #41 - N540 ***

Thanks for your input. I have added the above loads to my notebook. I will get around to testing them before the end of the summer.

Thanks again, LR

 

[ZXD9]

I have a 1:8 twist RRA. I've found the following to work quite well.

55gr Hornady FMJ - 25.0g A2230
60g Hornady VMax - 24.0g A2460
69g Sierra MatchKing - 25.5g Varget

 

[something vague]

What is everyone's experience with AA2460 in the .223 with somewhat smaller bullets (50gr.-55gr.)? I'm looking for an accuracy load but would like to have some decent velocity numbers. Or do you think I would be better served with AA2230 with that weight of bullets? I truley can't get enough of H335 with those weight of bullets, but do love to try different things and try to match my H335 loads. I have not yet succeeded though.