trouble working up benchamrk in .223

S

Shadow9mm

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I'm trying to get some .223 loads worked up using benchmark and my velocities seem low. I'm using 55g hornady FMJBT out of a 16" barrel. factory loads, American Eagle averaged at 3003fps on a 20rnd test, PMC Bronze averaged 2938fps on a 20rnd test, both out of the same gun. I believe 25.6g is max listed for this caliber. I would really like to get between 2950 and 3000fps as those are the velocities I am getting with factory ammo. Do i need to find another powder?

Benchamrk
23.0 2665 fps
23.5 2657 fps
24.0 2735 fps
24.5 2800 fps
25.0 2853 fps
 
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You are within 100 fps and you have .6 grains to go. Whats the question? Showing any pressure signs?

And as mentioned above, do you NEED to reach factory velocities? Doubt it. Unless you are shooting some kind of minimum power factor or velocity dont worry about it. Shoot, enjoy, save money.
 
For velocity it really bugs me. I guess I just always though handloads should be able to equal or out perform factory ammo, both in accuracy and in velocity. What is the point in hand loading if you cant even match the performance bulk factory ammo. As for accuracy, the consistency of handloads should be an improvement regardless, and i am going to be working on seating depth to help improve from there. It didnt make sense to load up a bunch of rounds if they were way low on velocity (which my first ones were, at 2665, about 335fps below factory). i wanted to get in the ballpark before i started fine tuning, and im still low. 0.5g more and i'm at max for the load.
 
When you've still got over 1/2 gr to go and you're within 100 fps of other loads, I don't see any sort of issue.

I'm a velocity chaser, believe me. I have a Pressure Trace unit and use it and QuickLoad to push my .204Ruger 200+ fps above official data.

BUT, you don't need it in the least. Yeah, 500 fps would be a big deal in some circumstances but 100, or probably like 25 by the time you get to max loads? I mean, 100 fps is maybe an inch at 500 yards.
 
Welp, if you are dead set on it then work up the next .6 and watch for pressure signs. If you dont make the speed of a factory load I really wouldn't get hung up on it. You are REALLY close so far and aside from that chronograph, which btw should be considered imperfect, you will never be able to tell the difference vs factory ammo thats doing 97 more fps, coyotes will still fall, rabbits will stll explode, steel will still ring at 500 yards. Ive seen many a guy get bent out of shape because their magnum pistol loads dont reach bufflo bore velocities, they get all hung up on the numbers.

On that note, again being very careful to watch for bad JuJu, try a different primer, shorten the OAL just slightly, sort your brass and only use 556. DONT make all of these changes in one batch, you could go over pressure.

Benchmark is a fan-flippin-tastic powder btw. :cool:
 
yeah, I'm going to work up to the max and see what kind of velocities I get. I had no signs of pressure with the loads I already tested. I will try some other primers, I know my local store has winchesters in stock. I tested the factory loads same day same setup as the hand load data I have. All loads were in 5.56 casings with a crimp. next range trip i will probably load up 25g of benchmark with different primers since I already know what I got with the CCI primers.
 
Issue is that Federal doesn't publish the barrel length they used in their tests to get those velocities. Probably not a 16" barrel though.
Hodgdon's site start load data was out of a 24" barrel. PMC used a 24" barrel too. No way you'll get the same velocities out of a 16 incher.
However, ballisticsbytheinch.com(add the W's and click on ('calibers/cartridges'.) shows Hornady factory 55's are running 2886 fps MV out of a 16" barrel. Of course, Hornady doesn't publish the load they used(neither does any other manufacturer), but your velocities are about the same, so it's not your load. It's the short barrel.
I think your velocities are fine. Velocity isn't as important as consistent accuracy anyway.
 
American Eagle velocity is little over 3200fps with Hornady 55gr FMJBT so with 16" barrel lost almost 200fps over what they publish.

Hornady has loading data for their 55gr FMJBT in 223 with Benchmark max is 24.5/Benchmark @ 3100fps with 26" barrel.

I use reloading data vs factory and find most accurate.
 
I went based off of the front of the Benchmark can, which lists the max with a 55g bullet as 25.6g, which is the same as Hodgins site. I had no signs of pressure at 25g. I was loaded to MAX oal 2.260.
 
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If you are using the references listed by benchmark I am afraid you may not get the velocities you want with benchmark as they used a 24" barrel and your is 16 inches. I believe the velocities you are getting are correct for that length of barrel.
 
im not expecting to get listed velocity, but when i run factory ammo through my gun over a chrony, and my handloads are significantly slower and im still close to max, i have to find a way to fix it.
 
I don't think you've got anything to fix. You'll be right at the low end of those velocities when you get to max load.

Except for the one load which shows a decrease in velocity (which can be a pressure sign), you have around +90fps/grain. If you go another 0.6gr, you can expect anywhere from 35-60fps more, which is right in line with what I see with most cartridges. I expect you'll be right around 2,900, maybe a bit higher.

I wouldn't be concerned in the least (and remember, I love to chase velocity). If it's accurate, I'd use it. If it's not, I'd go looking for another load even if that one was 3,150.
 
To each his own, but.....I'm not sure that obsessing over velocity, vis a vis factory ammo velocities.... is very rational. What difference does it make ? You don' t have access to the same powder as the factory loads, let alone any way to tell what powder(s) they are. It is quite possible that, in order to get where you want to go, especially when accuracy is factored in (which I will assume does matter to you)....you may have to try a number of powders and lots of different loads with each. Tremendous amount of work, for a result that won't really accomplish anything anyway. When accuracy is factored in, the number of loads you may have to test could be tripled...or more.

Doesn't make any sense. Sorry....but there it is.
 
OP lost 227fps with American Eagle (3240fps) ammo so that base line (3003fps)for reloads.

This is spec PMC Bronze

Specifications: 223A
Caliber: .223 Remington
Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket Boat Tail Projectile
Bullet Weight: 55 Grains
Muzzle Velocity From a 24" Barrel: 3200 fps
Muzzle Energy From a 24" Barrel: 1250 ft/lbs
Muzzle Velocity From a 16" Barrel (Indicated on Box): 2900 fps
Muzzle Energy From a 16" Barrel: 1027 ft/lbs

That ammo is spec 300fps less with 16" barrel.

Hodgdon max load for Benchmark is 25.6gr @ 3264gps and looking at your data going to 25.6gr you may or may not get to 2900fps.

You might want to try different powder that give little better velocity.
 
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