Accurate 4964 for .223 Rem?

[papajoe222]

Does anyone have experience using this combination? Western Powder doesn't list it for use in .223, but I've read somewhere that it can give excellent results. As my two favorite powders for that caliber are not available, I'd like to give it a shot, but don't know where to start.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Does anyone have experience using this combination? Western Powder doesn't list it for use in .223, but I've read somewhere that it can give excellent results. As my two favorite powders for that caliber are not available, I'd like to give it a shot, but don't know where to start.

I think you meant Accurate 4064.
Look at IMR4064 and you’ll see why it’s not listed
A compressed load is less than 25.0gr. There’s just not enough room in the case for enough to match what other powders in same burn range will get.
However, from personal experience with IMR4064, it will give good accuracy, just slightly lower velocities than others.

 

[Random 8]

I have loaded IMR 4064 in 5.56 Nato with good results. Velocity is not maximized, but accuracy was. My application was 300m match loads with 75 HPBTs, so maximizing velocity was not paramount. It seems to be a better fit with heavier bullets. I worked it up as an experiment, but went with a different powder due to IMR 4064s metering charachteristics (poor). I may be back to this load for the upcoming match season as R15 and H4895 are unobtainium. You're off book here, so you do you...there is ample data for IMR 4064 from which conclusions could be drawn at your own risk.

 

[2ndtimer]

Accurate listed loads for Accurate 4064 in older manuals, so it is safe to use in the .223, but as others have noted, 4064 will not reach the full velocity potential of the .223 cartridge compared to other slightly faster burning and less bulky powders. It does better with the heavier bullets, but is capable of very good accuracy, even with bullets as light as 50 grains. For what it’s worth, the Accurate version of 4064 is a slightly shorter cut extruded powder than the IMR version, so it did meter slightly better in a powder measure but nothing like a fine ball powder like TAC, H-335, W-748, Accurate 2230 or Exterminator.

 

[NWcityguy2]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

The first Accurate manual I see with AA4064 listed is the 1998 version. Checking that version, along with the 1999/2000/2001/2002/Edition 3.3/Edition 3.5 shows no load data listed for AA4064 in .223/5.56.

I have used it for 62gr BTHP and 69gr BTHP bullets. With 25grains of AA4064 I get 2600fps with the 69gr BTHP and 2630fps with 62gr BTHP. This is going to be in comparison to the approx 2800fps I can get out of the same 16" barrel with factory 223 pressure 55gr FMJHP.