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>223 AI Powders For 55 Grain

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I have started testing for my .223 AI. I right now am using 53 VMax in a 12 twist. Have used CFE.223, 748, & Benchmark. Also have H4895, H335 old surplus and Xterminator. Anyone have luck with a favorite powder? There are a lot of threads using faster twist and heavier bullets. I am looking at powders that flow well through a measure without weighing. This is for prairie dogs. Right now I am using LC brass. Also will try 55 grain Vmax.
 
MINE SURE LIKES N-133 AND 8208 XBR W/52 53 GR BULLETS SHOT A FEW 55 GR IN MY 12 TWIST SO I THINK THESE POWDERS WOULD WORK FINE.
STARTING ON MY 2ND 223 ACK. IN A 7 TWIST 30'' FOR 90GRS BULLETS!
 
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8208XBR and Accurate's TAC. TAC meters very nicely, don't even measure them anymore. Works nicely as both my FF load in new brass and as my varmint load with 55 gr V-Max's.
 
N135 will get you some very, very tiny groups with 55g at 3700 fps(This barrel is a 26" , 23" Hart 14 Twist),

You will NOT believe just how accurate this powder is with the 55's and FAST!!! I have used 7 1/2, also CCI BR-4's with this powder with good success and N133 also, but N133 works better with the 40-53g bullets.

98* on this day, and windy, CCI 450 primer, IMI brass, bullet seated to touch the lands

After shooting these groups, I put up 20 of the MINI clay pigeons that measure 2 3/4" in dia at 400 yards, I let my buddy shoot them. He did not miss one, then went back and shot the pieces that were left. N133 with a 50g Nosler and N135 with a 55 turns this case into a benchrest rifle. I was using an old B&L 12-32x on the rifle that day that has a very fine cross hair.

Take notice of how the point of impact is shifting on the target due to wind direction, thank goodness for a wind flags, one at 25 yards and the other at 80 yards.

I also shot very small groups with benchmark, but it is at least 100 fps slower than N133 with the 50's and slower than that with the 55g with N135. H335 is great and fast, not quite as accurate as the N powders by about .050. Old AA2015 is unreal accurate with both the 50g and 55g and FAST. XMR 2015 is the same as benchmark. Win 748 is also very accurate but slower than Benchmark with 50 and 55g.
H335 will give the longest barrel life that I have seen and the N powders give the shortest barrel life as they have 20% DNT in them. The 40g NOsler with the old 2015 will give super accuracy right at 4200 fps, and N133 will be over 4100 with extreme accuracy. I do believe that the N130 with the 40g bullet would be fantastic, also.

The 223 AI will show you in a hurry if you need to have your firing pin hole bushed in your bolt from cratered primers, and if you pop a primer, it can break a 2 oz trigger, I broke two 2 oz triggers over the years in 6 BR's from over size firing pin holes in the bolt.







 
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55 grain Nosler BTs behind AA2015 in LC Brass. This is a 10-shot group at 100 yards, measuring about 1/2" out of a CBI .223AI barrel in 1:9 twist.
59470766-09E8-4D25-82CB-E2F59712B4F0_zpsrkjit2lm.jpg
 
I havent tried it in the AI (still waiting on the barrel), but in the standared cartridge I have had great results with IMR 4895 with the 55gr bullets. It flows well through my Lee Perfect measure and if I dont mess it up shoots in to the half inch neighborhood. I know it's not one of the new sexy powders but the old standbys are still around for a reason.
 
Just shot very small, .161", groups with 2015, using 53 grain v-max. Have to repeat it and then chronograph it.
 
Many powders do well with the 223 AI, I shoot 12T because of my distances shot.

All powders shot extremely well, 335, 2230, 322. old 2015, new 2015, Benchmark, N133 with 53-40g bullets, and N135 is king of the hill with 55's.

All 40g bullets shot tiny groups, over 4100 fps.

50g bullets shot well from 3700-3800+(N-133)

55g bullets shot bug holes 3700 with N135

H335 is the easiest on throat growth by a long shot, and the N powders are the roughest

My reamer has zero freebore, barrels last a long time.

I have one barrel that started out as a 29" Hart MHV, 14T, that is now 22" long after the third chamber, still shoots 3/4" at 300 yards on a fresh chamber...that zero freebore reamer, .250 neck, 1 1/2* leade angle is magic for 40-55g bullets. I had to use a Remage barrel nut on this third chamber as there was not enough shoulder left, barrel is simply incredible.
 

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