On my range trip today, I was using H335. Started off at 24 grain and worked up .5 at a time until I reached 27 grains. The accuracy at 27 grains was still not what I was looking for. I had not pressure signs, no sticking bolt, no flat primers, brass looked good. How much higher could I go and still be safe? This is on a 50 grain Winchester Power Point Bullet, and my load data came from the Sierra Loading Manual, 27 grain being their max. Thanks for any help.

Every rifle is different, you may get away with a bit more, may not. I have a .243 Win. that seems to have an oversize bore or something. Every combo I've tried runs very slow and max. loads according to the manuals are very mild by the look of the primers and other signs. As far a accuracy with H335, it may work well as lots of people swear by it. My guns swear at it however. I've had better luck with Benchmark. Lots cleaner, and temp. tolerant too.

I've use 27 gr of h335 & a 50 gr or 26.3 gr H335 & a 55 gr for years. Never had a reason to change the load.

As anyone with experience will attest, every rifle is a rule unto itself, so one load cannot be reliably interchanged between rifles.

I like H-335 a lot in my .223's (and .222 and two .222 Magnums), using it almost exclusively. In my Sako .223 I use 27.5 grains with a Sierra 55 grain bullet and get no pressure problems and generate velocities in the area you would expect from a 23.5" barrel -- about 3200-3250 fps. The accuracy you achieve likely has more to do with seating depth, loading technique, and gun/scope issues than with the type and brand of powder you are using.

In my opinion, it would be a rare .223 that wouldn't safely digest a tad more than 27 grains of H-335 with a 50 grain bullet. But you'd best have a chronograph available when moving above book "maximum" (whatever that means) in order to affirm what you're seeing (or not seeing) in pressure indications.

Tip: If you are concerned about possible excessive pressure wiht a given load, simply load a single case repeatedly with the suspect load. If you don't find the primer pocket loosened in three for four firings, then you're not exceeding the pressure capacity of the brass, which is almost certainly below the pressure capacity of the action.

I use 26.5 grains H335 behind 52 grainers in my Mini Mauser, sub MOA.

Before I give up on H335 in the .223 I'd try some known quality bullets. Like a Berger or Sierra match, or Nosler BT. Then I would think on the loading tecnique I used and seating depth. Matching brass and primers, no other excuse, and then condemn the powder. Powder should be the easiest to control variable in a load, because of the ability to vary it's quanity so greatly.

I've had great results with BL(C)-2 in the .223 but have also used H-335 as well and it works good for me.

At 27 grains of H-335 IMO you're maxed out with the 50 grain bullets.

Hi
I have found that ADI AR2206 gets great performance and is certainly the cheapest powder in New Zealand.
I have a tikka t3 .223 and use 25grains of AR2206, my favourite projectile is the Hornady 55gr spire point with cannelure. The best three shot group is .192" at 100yds. I have found that the fancy v-max bullets were not grouping as well as these budget ones

I shoot 25 grains of H335 behind a 52 Sierra, haven't shot over a chrono, but the biggest group with it has been .400. I shot it today and 5 went into one hole .242 in. center to center. This is a 700 VLS with a 12X Leupold using LC brass. The military brass normally uses a bit less powder than Rem. brass.

I tried H335 a couple of years ago and did not get satisfactory accuracy. Switched back to W748, but am thinking of trying H4198.
Pete

I do a lot of testing of powders in 223s... I have several Remington and Rugers in 223, heavy barreled factory ones.. and just got a new Savage 12 BVSS so I am testing it out...

It is amazing how many powders really do well in the 223...

I haven't used H 335 for a very long time.... since a lot of other stuff worked well....But did try it out with a batch of bullet weights...

I certainly was Impressed! And I am kinda picky, at least to some others at the range when they see me refer to groups as not being as good as I expect....

With 55 grainers I have loaded it to 27.5 grains with excellent accuracy....IN all three brand of rifles.....

With 50 grainers, I run it to 28 grains...those are out of the Sierra NO 5 manual....

Lake City Brass has gone 10 loadings with the 27.5 grains/H 335 and 55 grain SP Winchester bulk bullets....after 10 loadings I normally toss out the brass then...I keep them separated into lots of 50 each...

Benchmark has proven to be an accuate powder.. but seems best to me with bullets under 50 grains and also, seems to be the most accuate at near max load....

H 335 has proven to be a lot more flexible in my book....

H 4198... I'd lean toward IMR's 4198 instead...
More accuracy consistency with all bullet weights....

I prefer Rl 7 if, I had to name a favorite....

But as I said.. it is harder to find a BAD powder in a 223 than it is to find one that works pretty well...

Cheers
seafire

I have tried many powders in my savage .223 and H-335 is what I am sticking with. I use Winchester cases and primers, 26.0 gr. of powder, 50gr. Nosler BT seated at 2.240 col and they will group under .5" all day long.

quote:

Originally posted by ole_270:
I have a .243 Win. that seems to have an oversize bore or something.

In a 243 Mod 700 Rem I found the shoulder dimension to be 0.469". A full 5thou bigger than standard 0.454".

That rifle needs several grains of extra powder to get to loading book values. The case volume was almost equal to a 243AI. Check your chamber and bore dimensions.

Some oversize chambers and throats will greatly
lower pressure.

On one particular 25-06 I found loads to produce
100ft less velocity than another 25-06. That is accross the board with any load. In this rifle I found an oversize chamber, oversize throat and the bore 0.0015" oversize.

So you never know what is what until you take some measurments, if velocities are out of whack.
Fred M.

I am one of those guys that H335 will not group for me in any of my 223s. I have had awsome luck with H4198. Finding a good load is like finding a good woman, it takes a lot of work and money to find the one that you want to stay with for the long haul.

quote:

But as I said.. it is harder to find a BAD powder in a 223 than it is to find one that works pretty well...

Cheers
seafire

That is the same experience I had. Varget was also a superb powder in this caliber.

Heres a pic of my best group from my .223 Tikka T3, 55grain Hornady Spire Point, 25 grains of ADI AR2206, Winchester primers, Speer Brass.
3 Shots @100yds

Steve_s, not bad. I also am having a good run with 2206 in a 223, but use 26gr to keep the steam up for pest shooting.
Also useing bulk SP Hornady 55gr over anything else, but I didn't get any cannelures?.

By memory the best group I've got was 3/8" but that's good for me, and a cheap Zustava, and a very light barrel, and no makeover except a light trigger.
John L.

Every .223 I've tried has liked H-335, but each one is different. I would try different bullets. Speer 50 gr. TNT Hollow Points, Nosler Ballistic Tips and Hornady V-Maxs have all worked with that load. I go up a grain with the 45 gr bullets.

The only drawback to H335 is the tremendous muzzle flash out of the shorter barrels. This will really light up the night and blind ya for a little while. Not the powder to use if you are shooting in low light situations.