# What powder do you use in .223



## firephil (Jul 11, 2006)

I am just starting to load 223 rounds. I am very familiar with handgun rounds and some rifle stuff but am at a loss where to start for 223 w/ a 55 gr. bullet. Powder is so high now I don't want to try very many to find a good one. What do ya'll like? This will be for an AR w/ a 1:9 barrel.


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## Rine_Everett (Jun 3, 2004)

I use IMR 4895 in a Sako 75 1:12 pushing 55 BT.


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## Capt.Thomas White (Feb 9, 2005)

I have been using Accurate 2230 with great results. I have loaded 55gr, 62gr and 69gr with it and have been happy.


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## cadjockey (Jul 30, 2009)

I'm currently running VV133 thru my ARs and an old Rem 40X I rechambered in 223 ...for no other reason than I keep a ton of it around for loading 6ppc. Very accurate but it's not as readily available locally and a little more $$. Also had excellent accuracy with BLC(2) (excellent 222 powder) and good accuracy with Varget and IMR4895 but never put much time into working up loads with these. There are other powders I've tried with similar burn rates that work equally as well but I'll have to check my notes...there is a milsurp WC powder I used at one time that worked good and was cheap...similar to the BLC(2). Bullets (FYI)...I've been shooting Midway bulk varmint and 55gr Vmax at pdogs out of everything from 22ppc (VV133) to 22-250AI (Varget) without any accuracy issues that would be noticable ouf of an AR.


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## Texas T (May 21, 2004)

H-322 24.3 grains or H-335 25.7 grains under a 55grain bullet will spit it out of an AR about 3000 fps. When loaded for a bolt action you have a little more latitude in your choice of powder then in the gas operated AR's. These loads would be a llittle hotter in a bolt action.


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## gm (Jun 26, 2004)

*1:9 RRA AR*

H335, 25gr with 55gr Hornady vmax. Varget as well, don't recall charge wieght but got no better groups than the H335, and the H335 seems easier to find.


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Well lets see I have tried H335, Varget, Benchmark, BLC2, and stumbled upon IMR4895 the other day and it shoots better than any of the first powders listed. Shooting a Barnes 53 Gr TSX. 25.3 Grains and COL of 2.175. Remington 7 1/2 benchrest promer

Charlie


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## bdriscoll (Jan 6, 2007)

I don't use anything but Varget for 69, 77 and 80 grain bullets. Varget doesn't vary much with temp, so the loads shoot very similar in winter and summer.

Brandon


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

My hammer load is N135 & Nosler 55Bt's. 

H335 and V-Max 60's shoots real well for me too. 

For 68's & 69's - Varget or RE-15. 

For 50's & 52's - N133.


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Ernest are you shotting these through an AR or bolt gun? I am interested in your N135/Nosler load if this is for an AR. 

I use Varget with my 75-77 grain loads. Still working on trying to find the magic N135 load for these. I found a really accurate load but they are slow and the brass almost just drops out of the AR instead of being tossed out. 

No loads for the lighter stuff yet. I haven't had time to even start on the 55's.


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Varget, H335, VV 135, VV 140 in my two 1X9 AR's

THE JAMMER


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

I have both, but this load is thru a rack grade AR with a 20 inch heavy barrel and a cheap trigger job. 

24.6 N135/LC brass/CCI regular or S&B primers/Mag length. I've likely shoot this load 500+ times, easily. 

Shot 49 of them a couple range trips back. 1 round to adjust scope and 49 for groupings. Averaged less than .6 MOA at 200 yards shooting 5 round groups (9 five round groups, one 4 round group). 

Same load same day also shot an outside to outside group of five measuring 2.125 inches at 300 yards. Spread was basically all horizonal with significantly less than an inch of vert. in the group. 

I'm never chasing the groups. Just shooting the same point of aim each time, and trying to shoot the same conditions each time. I struggle to see the bullet holes at 200 and definitely can't see any portion of the holes at 300 yards. All these groups were off sand bags (front) and a rear bag from a concrete bench. 

I was actually evaluating S&B primers for the 49 rounds with N135, and as a whole (25 rounds), the S&B's shot tighter than the CCI SR's by a hair. 

Best group ever from this weapon (off sand bags, 200 yards) was 25.3 H335/V-Max 60's/CCI's/PMC brass. Shot high .3's MOA at 200 yards. But, the variance in group size gives that load a slightly higher average (high .5's at 200 yards) relative to the N135 load (low .5's at 200 yards). The H335 load will likely shoot better with a hotter primer though. 24.8 H335 shoots real well for me too, and I know it will shoot better with a mag. primer. For the last year or so, I was long on SR primers, and short on mag primers, so I have not completed tweeking my H335 load. 

My LC brass is all '99, trimmed after first firing to 1.752, and resized to headspace 2/1000 less than max. size. Wylde chamber. PMC brass is just range pick up ***** that I normally shoot as foulers. Likely has smaller internal capacity than my good matching LC brass. 

YMMV, and always work up to these charges.


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

Any idea what kind of velocity you see with the N135? I was only at the 22.5 grain mark with Hornady 75 match bullets. My velocity was around 2500ish. I think this powder will do well but I was nervous about it being too hot. Now I know I can go hotter since the VV load data said 22 grains was the max load. They was being pretty conservative 

I have a bunch of LC brass all newer head stamp (05-09) and some older stuff from the mid 80's-99. They all weigh roughly the same ~92 grains +/-. I trimmed them all to 1.752" after the first shots and sizing. I am going to load some up this week to try out over the weekend. The area I am going to is pretty rocky so I don't want to beat up my good Lapua brass. I'll save that for the range. 

My regular load is 24.0 Varget in Hornady or Lapua brass with Fed GM primers at 2.500 OAL. It shoots around 2680 out of my AR with an 18" 1:8. Groups average .5-.8 MOA out to 200 using a fixed 4 power and bags front/rear. I haven't tried it on paper at 300, but it gongs steel plates with what appears to be a tight group looking at the splatter marks through my spotting scope. My ACOG TA01 BDC is almost dead on out to 500 yards before it's a little off. Shot good from 600 to 800 yards over the summer. I plan to get higher power glass for the longer range stuff. Inside of 400 this load is pretty darn accurate.


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

No clue as to velocities. Shoot my chrony years ago, and I never replaced it. 

I would suggest you try N540/Varget/Re-15/2520 on the 75's. I think N135 is a bit fast for the heavy weights. My experience is all four shot 68's/69's much better (accuracy and velocity, at least on paper, velocity) for me than N135 or H335.


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## Bantam1 (Jun 26, 2007)

I already tried Varget and RE 15. Varget performed the best. I have not tried the N540 because I can't find it anywhere right now. Same with Varget. I'm down to my last pound of Varget.


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## PrisonerOnGalvetraz (Sep 12, 2006)

X2.......I've had great luck using Varget for all weight projectiles.



bdriscoll said:


> I don't use anything but Varget for 69, 77 and 80 grain bullets. Varget doesn't vary much with temp, so the loads shoot very similar in winter and summer.
> 
> Brandon


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## THE JAMMER (Aug 1, 2005)

Ernest,

Well aint' that sumpin. My "hammer load" as you call it, for my Colt HBAR is 24.0 gr VV135 behind a Nosler 55 BT. OAL 2.25 Groups about .6"

24.5 GR OF VV135 also works behind 52 gr amax's out of my Stag.

I use H 335 for 55 gr FMJ'S

And I have just discovered 24 gr of VV 135 behind the new barnes 55 gr tsx. Grouped about .8 as I recall. That's out of my Colt HBAR. Details on this one to follow.

THE JAMMER



Ernest said:


> My hammer load is N135 & Nosler 55Bt's.
> 
> H335 and V-Max 60's shoots real well for me too.
> 
> ...


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

Sounds good Jammer. I love N135.


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## rvrrat14 (Sep 9, 2006)

I look and see if any existing powders I use may be acceptable, and try them first. I use AA2460 for my M1's and the Ruger M77 target. I will begin trying it in my Armalite M4 soon. This way I can use one powder for several different loads.


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## Africanut (Jan 15, 2008)

25.5 grs. RL-15 69gr. SMK in 1-9 twist < 3/8" 5 shot moves at about 2850fps in a 19"


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## Lezz Go (Jun 27, 2006)

25 grains of Varget, 60 gr V-max in a 1X9 barrel. Super accurate in my Savage 12FV.


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