I noticed some powders don't seem to work well in some rifles. My .308 would not group well with IMR4166 no matter what I tried. I got the CFE223 powder to make defensive rounds using Lehigh 55g Controlled Chaos bullets. They are .900" long so limits the powder charge, especially in standard magazine length rounds. In a standard 16" 5.56 chamber I chronographed those at an average of 3,050 fps.
So I tried to work up a fast load for longer range for a .223 Wylde upper (free floated) with an 18" barrel. It doesn't seem to like the powder. I used 75g Hornady BTHP bullets set at 2.260" which is about .010" off the lands. I experimented with the powder charge before and they will run loaded hot without any pressure issues. Never chronographed yet because of the windy conditions. So I wanted to see how they will group. Hornady's manual list a maximum load at 24.9 grains with a COL of 2.250"
This is embarrassing and funny at the same time. I fired these at 100 yards off a bench. It was a little breezy, but not bad, 3-7 mph. I started with a clean cold barrel and fired 5 rounds of 62g (upper left) loaded with Varget just to foul the barrel and warm it. These were never worked up, just an initial load. Then the CFE223. These were loaded to within .02 grain and to .001" COL. The first 5 were a pattern, not a group. My 18" cylinder bore shotgun with #00 buck will do that well at 30 yards. Each 2/10 grain reduction in powder reduced the group size. By the time the group started coming together, the powder charge was reduced to the point where Varget would probably have more velocity. My other upper, a 16" 5.56 NATO non-floated, will usually group better than the best here at an average of 1-1/4" - 1-3/8 using 69 grain SMK's with 25.3 grains of Varget and a COL of 2.300". I'm going to chronograph these and try some other loads and powders when the rains pass and the mud dries.
So I tried to work up a fast load for longer range for a .223 Wylde upper (free floated) with an 18" barrel. It doesn't seem to like the powder. I used 75g Hornady BTHP bullets set at 2.260" which is about .010" off the lands. I experimented with the powder charge before and they will run loaded hot without any pressure issues. Never chronographed yet because of the windy conditions. So I wanted to see how they will group. Hornady's manual list a maximum load at 24.9 grains with a COL of 2.250"
This is embarrassing and funny at the same time. I fired these at 100 yards off a bench. It was a little breezy, but not bad, 3-7 mph. I started with a clean cold barrel and fired 5 rounds of 62g (upper left) loaded with Varget just to foul the barrel and warm it. These were never worked up, just an initial load. Then the CFE223. These were loaded to within .02 grain and to .001" COL. The first 5 were a pattern, not a group. My 18" cylinder bore shotgun with #00 buck will do that well at 30 yards. Each 2/10 grain reduction in powder reduced the group size. By the time the group started coming together, the powder charge was reduced to the point where Varget would probably have more velocity. My other upper, a 16" 5.56 NATO non-floated, will usually group better than the best here at an average of 1-1/4" - 1-3/8 using 69 grain SMK's with 25.3 grains of Varget and a COL of 2.300". I'm going to chronograph these and try some other loads and powders when the rains pass and the mud dries.
