Loading .223 driving me crazy

[kingmt]

I hit upon the idea of weighing the empty shell first, zero the scale, and then re-weight the shell with the powder in it. It shows the difference between the two weights which is the amount of powder in the shell. (Using this I have been getting nearly perfect loads with H-335, no more than a tenth of a grain variation, but most often perfect.)

This is what I do. Works nice at the range also. The powder tray catches to much draft & throws the reading off.

 

[Sediment]

Or you can get something like this to help with weighing charges and pouring them into the final case. Less than 5 bucks and worth it's weight in gold.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=187991

 

[awgrizzly]

The issue is that the powder measure is installed on the loading press and needs to be dispensed into an empty cartridge case. To check the weight the case must then be emptied into the cup on the scale. Instead I just weigh the case before and after adding the powder. It's faster and I believe more accurate.

 

[kingmt]

This is what I'm talking about that catches the draft. The less surface area the better. I sometimes load at an outside range & the powder tray just catches to much air movement. It is also hard to get the powder from that into a .222-.221 sized hole.

 

[BADUNAME37]

I have a 4# bottle of H335 I use for my 5.56.
I also found the same problems in working up loads, I would read five different manuals and one would be pathetically anemic. Just to be sure, I loaded five of the anemic max loads and shot over my Chrony F1.

Well, I don't remember the exact speed, but I do recall it was about 300-500 FPS SLOWER than the manuals stated for a 55g FMJBT with H335.

I tried load after load and when I finally found what I thought was 1" group at 200 yards, I loaded some up, went back and the group was suddenly larger.

Then, I realized that I am not shooting woodchucks with this gun out to 500 yards, this gun will be 200 yards max, if that! I did hunt deer and black bear with it last autumn. I did not take one shot, but that's another story.