Gidday masters of the reloading bench. �I sold my .22lr about a month ago as my love affairs with rimfires has come to an end. They are the most fussy firearms I have ever had anything to do with and as I am primarily a hunter rather than a target shooter or plinker I have decided never
to deal with them again. �This leads to my next project which is to develop an accurate reduced load for my Ruger .223 to fill in the gap left by the departure of my .22lr. �I am hoping to develop a load that will produce around 2000fps with a 50 -
55 grain bullet and produce groups of around 2 moa. �The only data I can find is in the Speer Reloading Manual no 13
with Accurate Arms XMP5744 which is not available here in Australia. �The 3 most readily available locally produced
propellants that may be suitable are close in burning rate to Unique, SR4756 and IMR4227. �I also have a fair supply of Winchester 231. Does anyone have any
tested data using these three powders that may fulfill my needs. �If anyone thinks that these propellants are unsuited
your opinion is also urgently requested.
Thaks in advance, Andrew Griffiths

Andrew,

Welcome to the forum mate.

You can use any pistol or shotgun powder to develop reduced loads in the 223. It is just a matter of getting the right combination of velocity and accuracy in your particular rifle.

One thing you might like to bear in mind is that very little powder increases are required.

------------------
saeed@ emirates.net.ae

www.accuratereloading.com

These loads might help you a little.
Starting and max loads (55gr) with respective velocity!

win 231 & red dot...6.6gr@1680..8.5@2020fps
IMR 700X...6.5@1740...8.0@1990
Green dot...7.0@1750...8.8@2080
Unique...7.5@1853....9.0@2080
Sr7625...6.8@1640...8.5@1900

Good luck

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"If guns are outlawed...only outlaws will have guns!

"We should not say the Greeks fight like heroes. We should say that heroes fight like Greeks"... Winston Churchill

[This message has been edited by POP (edited 07-18-2001).]

Hey Pop,

What kind of accuracy are you getting with these loads? What rifle(s) are you using, barrel twists, etc.? I'm thinking of the same thing as Andrew, and would like to use on small game. I have been undecided on a 22 Hornet, or low vel 223. Anything close to MOA would be fine.

Thanks for the Advice Saeed & Pop. Do you think a 55grain bullet would stabilise at about 1600 - 1700 fps in a 1:12 twist. If so I think the starting load of 6.6 grains of WST would be just perfect fro rabbits and hares out to around the 100 yards mark.
Andrew

I tried the Unique load and a 55gr Hornady FMJ at about 1700 fps. This was my turkey load out of a Savage Tactical 1:9 twist.

The best group at 50 meters is less than 1/4"! So I think you're being very pesemistic Andrew wanting only 2 MOA!

Works great on turky....NO recoil~

I guess the only way to find out if they will work is to load a few and try them. I think that your 1:9 twist barrel may be a better option for reduced loads than my 1:12 but I'll let you know how it turns out. One other question though, is it wise to keep cases used for reduced loads seperate from full power reloads?

I do not see the reason to do so. I never do!

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"If guns are outlawed...only outlaws will have guns!

"We should not say the Greeks fight like heroes. We should say that heroes fight like Greeks"... Winston Churchill

Thanks a lot Pop, now I have to get a 223! 1/4 inch groups are better than I would hope for. I have got to stop reading this forum, it's getting expensive! LOL.