CFE.223 and Hornaday 68gr. BTHP M

[Dgd6mm]

.223 Remington

I am loading up some rounds to plink with this weekend and going to run out of X-Terminater that I use for my current load. Does anyone have a load for the Hornaday 68 gr BTHP M bullet? My oal will be 2.350, 22" barrel, Axis Savage. I looked at Hodgdon and they give info on a 69 gr. Seirra with an oal of 2.235. Anything would be helpful, thanks.

Don Dunlap

 

[js223]

223 Remington caliber? If so, the Hornady 9th Edition manual has data for CFE223 powder with their 68gr BTHP bullet in the 223 Remington Service Rifle Data section. I have no experience with this particular combination, just have seen it listed in the book.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Yes .223, I will go back up and enter that. js, thanks for the info.

 

[amlevin]

223 Remington caliber? If so, the Hornady 9th Edition manual has data for CFE223 powder with their 68gr BTHP bullet in the 223 Remington Service Rifle Data section. I have no experience with this particular combination, just have seen it listed in the book.

The Service Rifle data is most likely for the AR's. A bolt action often benefits from different powders and charge weights as there aren't the same pressure issues as with the 'gas guns'. 55,000 psi max for a 'gasser' and up to 62,000 psi for a bolt gun. My bolt gun loads are kept separate and clearly marked so they don't end up in my gas guns. I'd rather spend my money on components than "gun parts".

I use and like the CFE223 a lot. With the 69 gr bullet one should find a real nice performing charge weight in the 25 gr range but as always do your own workup.

 

[Brians356]

Hodgdon lists 223 Rem w/ 69-gr Sierra HPBT - max 25.8 grs CFE 223 @3029 fps (24-in barrel) and 54,600 psi.

That should get you real close ...

 

[amlevin]

Hodgdon lists 223 Rem w/ 69-gr Sierra HPBT - max 25.8 grs CFE 223 @3029 fps (24-in barrel) and 54,600 psi.

That should get you real close ...

Definitely don't start there. In some rifles CFE223 can spike pressures before you hit max. I had no issues in a stock Rem SPS-Tactical at max load but that rifle also had a super long leade. My current rifle also handles that load well, in fact it's the "accuracy load" for 73 gr Bergers in the new Benchmark 26" barrel I replaced the old SPS barrel with.

 

[Brians356]

Hodgdon lists 223 Rem w/ 69-gr Sierra HPBT - max 25.8 grs CFE 223 @3029 fps (24-in barrel) and 54,600 psi.

That should get you real close ...

Definitely don't start there.

Where did I suggest starting there?

I stated "max" and assume the OP is not a newbie (not unreasonable based on his post, and he didn't ask for a starting load). I also assumed most of us, like myself, want to know the maximums listed in various sources, then determine our own starting load based on that.

But, for the record (for anyone wanting to start there :-\) Hodgdon lists the starting CFE 223 load for the 69-gr bullet as 23.5 gr @2788 fps.

 

[amlevin]

Hodgdon lists 223 Rem w/ 69-gr Sierra HPBT - max 25.8 grs CFE 223 @3029 fps (24-in barrel) and 54,600 psi.

That should get you real close ...

Definitely don't start there.

Where did I suggest starting there?

I stated "max" and assume the OP is not a newbie (not unreasonable based on his post, and he didn't ask for a starting load). I also assumed most of us, like myself, want to know the maximums listed in various sources, then determine our own starting load based on that.

But, for the record (for anyone wanting to start there :-\) Hodgdon lists the starting CFE 223 load for the 69-gr bullet as 23.5 gr @2788 fps.

In a forum I never assume that the person asking is an old hand. Since you only offered the one load, the max, I felt that a caution was in order. Remember, not just the OP reads the answers. A lot of 'FNG's do as well.

FWIW, a lot of experienced loaders, expecially those who are shooting custom rifles with special reamers used to cut the chamber, don't really care what's written as a max. Often worked up loads are well above those numbers and for that reason many forums require real large and bold warnings that the loads posted are above published max. My current .223 Bolt Action is just such a rifle. More like a .223 AI than .223 Remington when it comes to the amount of powder it prefers for accuracy. So far not a single load tested is below published max.

 

[Big Mc]

Ding .Can,t wait for round two.!!

 

[Chappy]

I don't use hodgdon as even their listed maximum in their test chamber has always been way below minimum (soot all the way down the case clear to the base) in just about all of my rifles. It's just a pain in the butt to have to deal with cleaning up all that soot.

 

[stacy]

NEVER TRIED CFE223 BUT H-4895 HORNADY 68GR BTHP MATCH =BUGHOLES IN MY SAVAGE 110 OLD MODEL TACTICAL 1/9 TWIST

 

[Dgd6mm]

O.K. guys, just got back in town and this is the first I've been on here. Thanks to all for the info. I load H4895 with the 75 gr. Amax in my midrange rifle, don't want to waste that powder for playing at short range. Like I stated my oal is 2.350" and I'm jumpimg just .014. I will start low and work up towards 26 grs . For this up coming weekend I justcwant something to shoot and function without issue in the rifle at 100 yards. I don't have time to work an accurate load up but will soon. Hopefully next month if I get the time.


Thanks,
Don Dunlap

 

[A_Gamehog]

68 grain Hornady HPBT Match
223 1-8 twist or 1-9 both shoot fine
23.5-24.0 8208 powder
or
25-26 grains of Varget
Nosler Brass/Lapua brass
CCI 450's

shoot 1/2 moa out to 300 yards.

 

[Brians356]

In some rifles CFE223 can spike pressures before you hit max.

True. CFE 223 is sensitive. For example, Hodgdon list CFE loads for both 243 Win and 243 WSSM, but not for 6mm Rem. I called Hodgdon and a tech told me they found CFE to be too spikey for 6mm Rem, and therefore abandoned load development for it.

A curious fact is that Hodgdon load data for common powders between 243 WSSM and 6mm Rem are nearly identical for many bullet weights, and CFE data is published for the former. One might assume that CFE should also work in 6mm Rem if they are that similar in interior ballistics, but au contraire. That was an eye opener for me.

 

[jhord]

I use 25.0grns under 69SMK's at mag length in my AR. It's a nice short line load, shoots as well as anything else but I mainly like it because it meters so well, and it really does keep copper away. (not that copper is such a huge problem, but whatever)

Interesting about the 6 Rem. I tried it in 6 Dasher and found it not worth pursuing. If I tried to get into my usual speed node it would blow primers.

 

[Brians356]

Interesting about the 6 Rem.

What floored me was to compare Hodgdon's 243 WSSM data with their 6mm Rem data - they are largely identical for most bullet weights, and certainly far closer to each other than any two other disparate cartridges. Check it out:

For a 70-grain bullet data for these two cartridges: the "Max Charge" values listed are identical for both cartridges for the following five powders:

Superformance
H414 (aka W760)
IMR 4007 SSC
H380

The max charges for two other powders - IMR 4320 and Varget - are also within 1% and 2%, respectively.

Also, listed max velocities are all within 2% between the two cartridges for every powder common to both 6mm Rem and 243 WSSM in Hodgdon's data! (And < 2% in velocity is well within the measurement noise.)

 

[Old Tanker]

Definitely don't start there. In some rifles CFE223 can spike pressures before you hit max. I had no issues in a stock Rem SPS-Tactical at max load but that rifle also had a super long leade. My current rifle also handles that load well, in fact it's the "accuracy load" for 73 gr Bergers in the new Benchmark 26" barrel I replaced the old SPS barrel with.

My Rem 700, .223 has such a long lead, I don’t think I could ever get within .015 of the lands.

 

[Lone Hunter]

OT, look at the date of this thread. Hopefully they got it ironed out.

 

[ebb]

Donny, Mark W shoot that combination, CFE and 68 gr Hornaday. I don't know his charge weight but he got good accuracy. I sent up 8lbs when powder was hard to get.

 

[Downhill]

I use 25g CFE with the Hornady 68 BTHP for my shortline Across the Course load. Shoots tighter than I can hold the rifle.