Powder recommendation for .223 Plinking Loads

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9mmepiphany

9mmepiphany

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My local reloading club is looking to make a group buy on some powder.

The only handgun powder, that I commonly use, that they have available is HS-6, so I thought I'd looking into something to load for my AR.

One of the recommended powders available is H335, but I'm looking for input on other good powders for .223

For my needs, reliable metering is more important than cutting edge accuracy. I'll be loading on a Hornady LNL and don't have any interest in trickling charge weights

I'm wanting the load up the cases I've been collecting in a 5 gallon bucket, now that I also have access to a power swager and and Dillon case trimmer on a Dillon press powered by a Mark 7.

Thanks for sharing your experience
 
H322 is a very short cut extruded powder and meters great.
It gives great accuracy in my experience as well.
Being a little on the faster burning side, a pound goes pretty far- you can easily get over 300 rounds from one pound.
Velocities aren't spectacular but they're perfectly adequate for all your plinking needs. [emoji3]


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The only powder I've used for .223 is Varget. I have several other powders that will work, but I haven't even tried them yet because Varget is so good.

Accurate makes several ball powders that will work if ease-of-measurement is really important; kind of depends how well your powder measure handles stick powders.
 
I was about to say TAC too. It meters well and has a copper agent added to prevent copper build-up in the barrel similar to CFE223 from Hodgdon.
For plinking and bulk loading I would look into H335, TAC, CFE223, AA2230 and maybe Alliant AR-Comp.

If you can find any, and that's a big IF give WC844 a try. I think it was the original 55gr bullet 5.56mm ammo powder.
 
I use Benchmark for 223. Meters perfectly, is a little faster than Varget, and seems to be as accurate as I am.

M.
 
Works for me...

Today, for the first time in .223, I loaded with Winchester 748=Very Nice!!;);)
I am GLAD that I bought the 8# Jug..

CFE 223 also works well, along with BL-C(2), but, hands down, I REALLY like the WW-748. I ran close to 27gr. with the Hornady 55gr. FMJ-BT..Bill.:D

PS: WW-748 IS a FINE Ball Powder, and WILL flow GREAT in a progressive loader..
 
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H-335 has been a very popular powder for .223 for a long time. You can't go wrong with it. Tac is also a good choice. I had a few pounds left over from when I tried it in 6PPC and am currently using it with a Hornady 52 Gr HP and 50 Gr poly tipped bullets and it does well. W-748 is another popular choice and widely used. H-322 won't meter quite as well as the ball powders, but it meters well enough, and is a good choice as well.
 
I'm using 3031 for 55 gr FMJ target loads. It doesn't meter great.... Using a lee auto (double) disk I'm seeing variation from about 21.7gr all the way up to about 23 gr (based on 22 round sampling). Certainly won't win awards for consistency but I'm staying north of the published min of 21.6 and well south of the 24.5(?) max. Shooting out of 16" PSA upper with 2.5x scope at no more than 200 yards I'll call it good enough. I like it because it's cheap, easy to find, and serves double duty very well in my 45-70.
 
I should have included more details earlier...couldn't find the sheet

The powders being offered are from Hodgdon, IMR, Alliant, and Acurate.

Of the powders mentioned above, they have:
Hodgdon
H322
H335
Benchmark
BLC-2

Alliant
AR-Comp

They don't have any Winchester powders available.
They have Ramshot Comp, but not TAC
They have Reloader 7, 10X, 17,19, 22, 25,and 50, but no 15.

A couple of guys at the meeting recommended H4895 as a great shooting powder, but then added that it was horrible to meter
 
I've had good results with Accurate 2230 & Alliant AR-Comp with 55gr FMJs. Haven't dialed in for a true accuracy load, but for plinking rounds I have no complaints. Either (both) meter well using my Lee Perfect Powder Measure.

Will be experimenting in the future with both Sierra 52gr Matchkings and RMR 62gr FMJs, but haven't decided on a propellant for them yet.
 
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Of the powders you listed, H335, BL-C(2) and Benchmark will all meter like water. They are small ball powders and all work good in 223. As far as the best, well when you figure out which is the better truck; Ford, Chevrolet or Dodge, then you might also answer the age old question of which is the better powder.
 
RPegram said:
Of the powders you listed, H335, BL-C(2) and Benchmark will all meter like water. They are small ball powders and all work good in 223. As far as the best, well when you figure out which is the better truck; Ford, Chevrolet or Dodge, then you might also answer the age old question of which is the better powder.
Click to expand...
+1. They will all make good plinking loads. And it's Ford for the trucks. <Flame suit on> JK; I've owned all three, they all work well.
 
748 and H335 are the same stuff (I think) and work great through just about any meter so you can't go wrong there. AR Comp shoots well but is a fine extruded type grain and my Hornaday meter doesn't like it so much but if you have something that will meter it smoothly it really does shoot well and has charge weights about the same as 335.

Reloader 7 can be used in .223's but it's on the fast end of the spectrum so maximum velocities aren't going to be on the menu...but for plinking it's economical using maybe 22 grain charges and shoots OK. I loaded up a bunch of ammo for the PLR-16 using the RL-7 and it doesn't make the fireball that 335 does. Will your meter work with it? If so....you get more rounds per pound but I'd try a little experiment to make sure your gun will work with it as the port pressure is going to be reduced compared to the 335 and AR Comp loads.
 
9mmepiphany said:
I should have included more details earlier...couldn't find the sheet

The powders being offered are from Hodgdon, IMR, Alliant, and Acurate.

Of the powders mentioned above, they have:
Hodgdon
H322
H335
Benchmark
BLC-2

Alliant
AR-Comp

They don't have any Winchester powders available.
They have Ramshot Comp, but not TAC
They have Reloader 7, 10X, 17,19, 22, 25,and 50, but no 15.

A couple of guys at the meeting recommended H4895 as a great shooting powder, but then added that it was horrible to meter
Click to expand...
The .223 Remington is just one of those cartridges which can be loaded with a wide range of powders. From those you mentioned I like H335 and BLC 2. While IMR 4895 and H 4895 are good powders they can be a little difficult to meter as they are stick type powders. Anyway, of your choices either H 335 or BLC 2 would work for me.

Ron
 
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