REcently acquired a Ruger 77 .223 and planning to reload. Wanting to use Nosler 55 gr BT. Any suggetions on the kind of power, etc. Thanks.

I would first check the Nosler Manual and go from there.

I have found myself using H-335 for most of my .223 loads. Mine like 25 or 25.5 gr with a 55 gr bullet, but you should start lower and work up. Another good powder for .223 is W-748 with perhaps a grain more powder.

I agree with Calif Hunter, Never used H335, ( one of the few powders I haven't tried) However one good thing about a 223, is that it will do a decent job with almost any rifle powder you put in it. From 4198s, up to 4831 in a pinch.

Although some guys will complain as usual, I like to use H380 in a 223 at times. It is low pressure, lower than 748. But the reason I like it, besides accuracy, is if you use a lot of different bullet weights, with weights from 40 grain bullets to 60 grain bullets, their is very little velocity difference with H 380.
It only varies about a 100 fps according to my chrony.

Point of impact has none to little change at 100 yds. Also with the small neck opening on a 223, the ball powder of H380 is very user friendly.

My loads all get 28 grains and velocity runs from 3150 or so with the lighter bullets to about 3,000 with the heavier bullets.

It is also my powder of choice for loads with the 68, 69, 70, 75 and 80 grain target and hunting bullets. Velocity is still right at 3,000 with anyone of them, and accuracy is superb in all of my 223s ( 6 of them, all bolts, no autos at my house, don't need them)

I have an early Ruger Ultra-Lite and the wife has a Ruger MK-II SS. Both rifles are in .223 Remmington.
Because of the barrel's thinness on the Ultra -Lite I shoot 21.5 grains of Winchester-748 with a 55 grain PSP bullet.
The wife, having a standard barrel shoots 26.5 grains of Winchester-748 with a 55 grain PSP.
You can cover either of our groups [100 yards] with a dime.

Howdy Madison: Thanks for the reply. Thanks for taking the time to response. You and your wife must be excellent shots to place all in the size of a dime. I would like to be able to do the same. Would you mind telling me how this is accomplished. I am retired and 69 and would grealty like to shoot better.

Try 28gr of H-380. Used to pop crows with this load out to 300 yards.

The wife and I have both joined "THE OLD FARTS CLUB". She is 66 and I am 64.
[1]Find a good gunsmith and have him adjust the trigger pull to your liking/as lite is he will.
[2] Breath control and a crisp trigger pull is our secret.
The wife is a better shot than I am!!!
For about 12 years I got a 3 1/2 inch group with my Ruger Ultra-Lite. I started shooting SQUIB at about 1850 fps. I discovered that heat was my enemy and dropped the load from her 26.5 down to 21.5 and the group came in.

I use 26.5gr of H-335 with a 55gr, does 3250 fps in my 20" Colt.

H335 is a good powder. It meters well gives me very consistent results and itty bitty groups in my Encore / 223. I use it on 45-55 gr bullets. My fav is a Hornady 50gr SPSX with 26 grs of powder.
My groups at 300 yards stop the coyotes like the plague.

quote:

Originally posted by Major Caliber:
I use 26.5gr of H-335 with a 55gr, does 3250 fps in my 20" Colt.

I've found that to be "the load" in all my .223s with 1-12 or 1-14" twists. I pretty much use the Hornady 55 SX bullet. In the older ARs with 1-12 or the older Mini14s with 1-10" twists I use the Speer 52 HP. With the faster 1-9" twists and longer barreled bolt guns these days some of the varmint bullets don't hold together so I substitute the Sierra 52 HP there. These bullets are deadly on varmints to distant ranges and perform as well or better than the current crop of ballistic tipped bullets costing much more.

Larry Gibson

I really like the Speer 50 gr TNT HP. It does a number on ground squirrels, jack rabbits, etc. over either H-335 or W-748. It is an inexpensive bullet that you can buy in bulk from most online or mail order houses.

26.0 grains of Varget with a 50 grain V-MAX gets me under a half inch without any trouble and better than that sometimes.

-Matt

aa2230 at 25.5 grs with 55 nosler bt. aver. 3/8
"in my rem.700 vssf .223

27.5 grns w748 and a 50 grn nosler solid base.