Preferred powder load for .223

T

txbikerinpa

Inactive
I have been gifted a couple of thousand primed 223 cases and a couple of hundred 55gr Sierra. I want to reload them and am looking for suggestions of powder to use.:confused:
 
Many good choices for the .223 with 55 gr. bullets. When I loaded up several hundred rounds of 55 gr. 223 for prairie dogs, I used H335. It flowed well through my powder measure and gave good accuracy.

However, it's supposedly not as good as other powders with regard to ambient temperature variations. I loaded to about 1 gr. below maximum levels and had no problems with loads developed during the late winter/spring and used to up-end prairie dogs during the summer.

I've more recently started working a little with Benchmark and IMR 8208. They both flow well through my powder measure and should be more resistant to changes with temperature.
 
H335, Varget and TAC are my go to 5.56 powders but there are a number of other powders that do the job as well.
 
Bearing in mind that I've only been reloading .223 rem for about a year:

IMR 8208 XBR has been my go to powder for .223 rem. Delivers good velocity and in my experience very good consistency and accuracy. Also flows through my Lee perfect powder measure better than any other powder I use (handgun or rifle), with consistent drops +/- 0.1 grains (for reference, I've loaded a little over 4,000 .223 rounds to date).

Supposedly this powder is very temperature insensitive (I live in AZ so temperature and humidity aren't very relevant).
 
I like H335, CFE223 and IMR3031 all are extremely accurate and shoot under 1 inch at 100 yds.
 
I have tried benchmark in a few different calibers with good results, almost seems like a new go to powder like varget..
 
I personally had really good luck with x terminator (i.e. accurate 2230). It's not the best measuring in a lee loader, but it was clean and accurate.
 
14 gr Blue Dot and 100 shots per hour are possible without getting a hot barrel.

If you get more than 100 shot opportunities per hour, switch to rimfire.
 
In order of choice.

H335 is my first choice for a go to with 55 grain bullets. I have to as of yet not seen a rifle that would not give MOA or better with that combo.

Next is IMR4166 across the board for bullets from 50 to 75 grains it is the most consistent I have used so far. Not the best, far from the worst. Nothing tested gave worse than 1.5 MOA at worst. Best were sub MOA.
 
The .223 is an awesome round to load for because it is not very picky at all. I load for a 1-12" and a 1-9" rifle that I own and they like different loads. The best powder with a 55gr pill in the 1-12" rifle that I have had the best accuracy with is IMR 3031. In the 1-9" rifle with 55 gr bullets I can get 1/4" or better accuracy @ 100yds out of Hodgdon Benchmark, Varget, and BLC-2. I have gotten really good results out of many powders but those 3 were the best in my rifle.
 
H335, Win 748, 4064, 4895 & Re-15 have all worked well for me shooting over the Nat'l Match Course in CMP/NRA competition at 200, 300 and 600 yds. I shoot a Colt H-BAR with a Colt barrel on it. Any of the above, with any of the Sierra or Hornady Match grade bullets will do a MOA from my AR.

I never tried for the last fps of velocity however. I shot 69 gr Sierra MK's at 200 & 300 and 80 gr Sierra's at 600 until the 77 gr MK came along. I now use that for the match or two a year I now shoot. Any of those powders will do very well with Sierra or Hornady's 52-53 gr Match bullets as well and are generally cheaper than Varget here locally.

HTH's Rod
 
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