Can't find powders for .223's

[mugsie]

I am having a terrible time finding somone that stocks powders for 223. I've tried several gun stores in the area all with no luck. Looking for AA 2230 or N133 and finding zipo. What are you guys using? I prefer a ball powder as it meters more accurately. Is it that .223 ammo is becoming cheap and no one reloads it? I've always found my accuracy more consistant than with factory powders so I'll continue to reload - I just don't want to pay the haz mat fee if I don't have to (I think it's just another way to make our lives difficult anyway. Do they take my extra twenty dollars and hire a special truck to transport my powder? I don't think so.).
Thanks guys....

 

[Oohrah]

It isn't ball powder,but I use 4198 with 55 gr bullets. This
powder gives pretty good results with other calibers also.
The shipping charges are a bummer, and now UPS even charges
a fuel tax on top of their over priced monopoly!

 

[GCW5]

H335 works well in a .223, so do BL-C(2) and H322, they all meter well.

 

[layusn1]

I LOVE my W748 with CCI Small Rifle Magnum primers. Great accuracy.

 

[ATAShooter]

I use Alliant Reloader 7. 55gr fmj. Great results.

 

[hagar]

Varget, RL15 or AA2520

 

[ReloaderFred]

I prefer Winchester 748 for .223, and my shooting partner prefers Ramshot TAC. There are lots of choices available.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[hunt127588]

Varget, RL-15, Ramshot TAC, Hodgdon Benchmark, W748 -> pick your poison.

Midway has TAC on sale for around $10/lb. Don't forget about hazmat fees.

 

[The-Fly]

I use 2230 myself.

 

[Walkalong]

Tac is a very good powder. Hard to beat at $10, although you would have to buy a bunch. You can usually buy suitable surplus powders cheap.

Try here.

http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm

I use H335 and SRB-118 (an old AA surplus powder) for .223. I also have an 8 Lb. jug of 2230-S that I have not tapped into yet (another surplus powder)

 

[Okiecruffler]

I'm a big fan of IMR4198, BLC2, and Blue Dot.

 

[nitesite]

I use H335 and BL-C(2) and am surprised that you can't find either of those or Varget anywhere near you.

 

[wcwhitey]

Win 748, even my plinking loads are sub-moa. Good Stuff!

 

[byf43]

H-335!!!!!! 23.0 grains
Federal or Winchester brass, trimmed to 1.750"
Federal 205M primer
Sierra 69 gr BTHP bullet

The proof is in the pudding. both groups shot from a sandbag rest. Range - 100 yds. Open sights. Colt AR-HBAR 1:7 twist.
Both goups are three (3) shots.






W-748 is a good powder also. I've found that the H-335 is just a little more consistent and a little more forgiving when temperatures start to climb.

 

[dcloco]

There are alternatives.

H4198 as mentioned.

As well as:

Benchmark (extreme Hodgdon powder)
IMR3031 (you just might be pleasantly surprised).

I do not shoot 748 - too sooty.

Midway has a data powder on sale - 9.99 per pound...take a look at that as well.

 

[YodaVader]

For my .223s H335 meters very well and has given me some of my best accuracy results with 52 - 55 grain bullets. Win 748 is similar in metering.

H322 and Benchmark do pretty well metering , not metering quite as good as the H335 or 748 but the accuracy is great.

Varget has given me excellent accuracy with the 69 Matchking but it does not meter worth a hoot , I always end up breaking out the powder trickler.

 

[shc1]

I’ve been using 22.5 to 23 grains of IMR-3031 with 55 grain bullets.

 

[lmccrock]

Is it that .223 ammo is becoming cheap and no one reloads it?

Just the opposite. Surplus and overrun ammo is scarce or expensive. Because of recent price increases and reduced availability of low-cost 223, more shooters are reloading 223. Even Black Hills is hard to find.

Lee

 

[Urbana John]

I use 24 grains of 3031 and Sierra .224 dia. 52 gr. HPBT (Match 1410)

Dime sized 7 shot groups at about 100 yards----golf balls at about 170 yards

Going to try a water filled plastic bottle at 200 yards plus later today

I'll let you know the results

 

[Urbana John]

Water bottles at 200 plus yards are TOO BIG!!

I did take the cap off of one though!!!

I was impressed ,,,,,I really like my Colt AR HBAR Elite!!

Now I need a longer range and/or smaller targets.

 

[billp]

varget

I'm working on varget for .223 using 55 gr hornaday v-max.

And 30-06 using varget for 130 hp speer bullets

But no results yet.

 

[redneck2]

Anybody chrono some Varget loads??

There was just an article in Handloader about light bullets in .223. They said Varget gave really low velocity with 45's and 50's.

I use Varget for 50 Bt's and the accuracy is exceptional. Haven't clocked it to see what the velocity is. Wondering.

 

[crux]

If you do not want to buy TAC on sale this month (excellent powder for 55gr and up bullets), wait a little while and buy AA2230 for $9.99/lb next month, just make sure and buy a lot. AA230 will run you around $15/lb best case if you buy 1lb containers, $12.50/lb plus hazmat and shipping for an 8lb jug if you order. Get 30lb and you are looking at $11.00/lb, 48lb knocks it down to $10.62/lb. Suck it up and buy big, it may hurt a little now but, in a year or two you will be laughing. Those are great prices by any standard.

 

[CZ223]

If you are only buying a little

I would also recomend the BLC-2, H335, H-322. All of these work very well for me in my Savage rifle as well as the ARs. By the way, by real well I mean that I consistantly get sub half inch 5 shot groups at 100 yards with lots of groups hovering close to 1/4 inch. If you want to save some real money though I would recomend getting over to MIdway and buy some of the Ramshot TAC for $9.99. I have heard nothing but good about this powder, it having been compared to my favorites was enough for me. I just ordered 22 pounds of the stuff. If 2230 is realy on sale next month for $9.99 I will have to give some strong consideration to putting in another big order. Prices aren't going anywhere but up. I was having areal problem finding bulk bullets till yesterday. I went to a gunshow in my hometown and a guy was selling 100 count bags of Winchester FMJ's for $5.50. I had him set 2000 of them aside for me and if he has another 1000 left I will be picking them all up today. Shipping from Midway is a flat rate of $30 for up to 48 pounds so the more you buy the less you pay per pound. With what I bought my total cost per pound is $11.36/pound. If I were to buy powder locally it would cost me between $18-$22 per pound plus sales tax. Since sales tax up here is 5% the tax alone would be around $1 per pound as oppossed to the $1.36 shipping fee. Obvoiusly the only drawback is that you have to ordr quite a bit to make it worth your while.

 

[Walkalong]

If you do not want to buy TAC on sale this month (excellent powder for 55gr and up bullets), wait a little while and buy AA2230 for $9.99/lb next month, just make sure and buy a lot.

This is tempting even though I have a butload of same and or similar stuff.