Looking do get some loading done for my .223. What are some favorit powders? I will be using 55gr Vmax's. Thanks in advance!

You know, the darned .223 Remington is so flexible that most any reasonable powder works well. It is not a finicky cartridge to load for. Look at a couple of good loading manuals and go from there.

I used H335 in my .223 for a long time, but then, I used 40 grain bullets. I have had very good luck with 748 when shooting 50 grain bullets. But, in a personal decision, I have decided not to use any more ball powders.

I have found LOTS of variation on the chronograph when using ball powders at different temperatures. And, all the bullshit aside, I do not buy the crap about ball powders giving less flame temperature and therefore less barrel wear. I have seen just the opposite. I can show you barrels that are WELL worn with loads using 748 and others of the same type that are still pretty darned sharp after thousands of shots with H 4895.

Which brings us to H 4895, a good .223 Remington powder in itself, especially with heavy bullets. Just look at Ken Waters Pet Loads.

I had pretty good luck with Accurate Arms 2015 powder till I ran out of the lot I had on hand. When I bought a new lot I experienced a 250 fps decrease in velocity with the same charges. So much for lot to lot consistancy.

Right now I am using Vihtavuorri N 130 in my .223 Remington and my buddy is using N 133. We are having great success with these powders.

So, the .223 Remington is not hard to load for.

Check some good manuals and go from there. Once again, Ken Waters book "PET LOADS" is a wealth of information.

R F

This is not a suggestion for best powder, just an observation.

28 grains of H 380, with a 40 grain bullet will give a velocity of 3100 fps. With a 75 grain bullet the velocity is only down to 3000 fps.

The two good things it offers a 223 loader, is that you can use about any bullet you want, and the point of impact is not going to change at 100 yds.

Another thing about H 380 for 22 caliber shooters, is that it sure is Reloader friendly for those small necks.

So if someone was looking for a single powder, that is my first recommendation. It is consistent and the accuracy is as good as any of them in my book.

Cheers and good shooting
seafire

In my opinion anyone who loads for a .223 should not fail to work up some loads using AA2015 and VV N-133, I consistatly get the best accuracy and velocity with
these two. At least try a can of each.

Ray

Good advise here, I'll have to try AA2015BR (got 8 lbs), my N133 I'm saving for my .17 MachIV or I'd try it as well. My personal favorite in .223 used to be WW748 and that was in a number of .223's, that changed when I tried Benchmark. It's faster more accurate all of it, at least in my current CZ .223.
Great cartridge, as mentioned user friendly to the MAX!!!

I also have a Tactical .20 based on the .223 case it's got the same "feed me anything attitude" , sure makes life simple.

Right now I'm having a ton of fun loading 52gr Hornady A-Max bullets with Reloader 10X powder. I know of 2 other shooters using the same combo and it's working for both of them as well.

Rick

I have been useing wcc844 a surplus powder for a few years now many a 8 lb jug has gone down range. Cheap good, accurate, measures nicley every thing you need in a powder.

I like easy success, and the .223 gives it.
It works with most powders and most bullets.
The only thing is long bullets in slow twist barrels doesn't work, but other than that, it all gives groups that most of the other rifles in the safe can only dream about.

So if it is not fussy about powder, look at surplus powder.
I am still using my 32 pound shipment of IMR4895, but what looks like the powder to get these days for .223 is


http://www.hi-techammo.com/
http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html
http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/
http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm


WC680 $59/8# = $7.37/lb, equivalent to AA1680
WC844 $64/8# = $8/lb, equivalent to AA2230
WC846 $64/8# = $8/lb, equivalent to BLC2


If one goes to the powder valley site,
http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/
click on "powder"
Click on "Accurate Arms"
the 2230c is $63/8#, while the 2230 is $99.50.
The 2230c is slower.

So far, the best combination I've found in my 10FP 223 is 25 gr. Benchmark with about any quality 55 gr. bullet. As has been stated, "your milage may vary"

I'm shooting the 55 VMAXs with 24grs. of Benchmark, very accurate,1/2moa or less, and it flows through my Hornady measure as well as "ball" powders, Jay

Thanks guys! Much appreciated..... Now I need to get down and get a few cans of powder

I agree with a few of the posters here about Benchmark. I was using W748 in my .223 NEF. It shot very well. I thought that I would try a different powder..BenchMark. This stuff is great. It is more accurate and cleaner in my NEF than W748. I can honestly put 5 shots in 3/8" !! This is at 60yds in my backyard range. I am very pleased with my single shot shooter......

Sorry, but I will throw one more option into the list.....IMR 4198....with 40 gr. V-Max, I'm getting 3560 over the chronie and great little groups at 100 yds.

In my savage 10fp the best powders that I have used so far with 45,52,55 and 62 grain bullets are,Imr 4198,Imr 4895 and 2230C.I like the 2230C is that you can get 8 lbs for under $70 bucks.And you can shoot a long time with it in a 223 case.A friend gave me a lb of his 2230C and I tried it with the 55 gr sierra,shot pretty good for me.

On the www.nationalmatch.us site they had a poll of people who are mostly top target shooters. By far the most popular .223 powder was VARGET.

Varget is good for 69grs. and higher, but not in the lighter bullets. Jay

I've been using WW748 for a few years in three or four different 223's. I shot my 22" Sako AI Laminated sporter 223 today and ran it over the chrony.Velocities with a 50 gr moly VMax and 28.5 grs of 748 are only 2900-3000.Accurracy is not bad,but I'd like to get more speed.With these velocities I may as well shoot a Fireball..hey that's not a bad idea!What about H335?

Sanman, RL 10X and the 52g AMax sounds interesting. Would be curious what velocity you are getting and what length barrel you are using. Does the 10X seem to be temperature sensitive?



For anyone, can you discern a difference in barrel heating between a smaller charge of a faster powder and a full charge of a slower powder when each are shooting similar velocity (say 50 fps difference)? (Hope you understand what I'm asking, one may fill 2/3 or 3/4 of the case while the other fills almost all of the case)

Thanks, Clark...that 2230c is a steal!

PS they don't call it 223...0 for nothing.

Now, i bet you did not know that 2230 is the BEST powder for loading the 458 Win Mag...or did ya? Any way the 2230c being a bit slower might even be better.

The wife and I have .223's with 1 in 12 twist, that we shoot 55 grain bullets. Our powder is Winchester 748.
Her standard barrel shoots 26.5 to 27.5 grains
My Ultra-Lite requires 21.5 grains. I also use 25.0 grains with a 60 grain bullet.
All these loads group less than a dime.

Hogwild, you have a PM.

Rick

One more powder to add to the list..........

I have had exceptional results with Accurate Arms 2015BR.

Ol' John