223 Powder---FAST

[HEAD0001]

I just bought a new 223 Savage VLP-DBM. The barrel length is 26". I am going to chop the barrel to either 18", or 20". I will be putting a suppressor on this rifle. I am looking for a powder that will burn up faster to try and avoid unburned powder in the suppressor. What are you guys using for short barrels?? Twist rate is 1in9. Tom.

 

[leanporker]

I've used benchmark before, 24.5 grains with 60 v-max, 16 inch barrel 1-9 twist. I'd start with less powder and work up. Never had a suppressor so maybe I'm way off for you.

 

[LWolken]

A supressor is designed to work with subsonic loads. By the time you load down your .223 below @1000fps it won't kill much. Look at the whisper or 45 in an AR platform with a supressor. The 223 is a waste of time.

Lance

 

[cliffy]

Alliant RL-10x and RamShot X-Terminator powders are great for propelling light .223 Remington projectiles, especially with 36 grain Barnes Varmint Grenades. 3800 to 3980 fps are respectable velocities regarding ambient temperature and altitude. Three-tenths of a second to any target within 400 yards is FAST. Cliffy

 

[cliffy]

Suppressors are not legal in many states, so I never considered using one. BANG is bang while hunting, or try a magnum air rifle and stay below 1100 fps muzzle velocity: varies via pellet weight. This puts a new hunting value on stalking in close. Until BANG goes out of vogue, USE YOUR .223 Remington for ultimate zoom-bang-for-the-buck. Hopefully, bang afield shall live forever as a Constitutional American-Given Right. Cliffy

 

[Steve Blair]

Lance,

A well-designed suppressor can eliminate almost all of the muzzle blast, leaving only the bullet's supersonic crack. The SPL is about equal to a .22 rimfire. The .223 is an excellent candidate for a supersonic suppressor in that the powder volume is relatively small, the bullet is a small diameter and it has good velocity. The main point of a supersonic suppressor is to disguise the rifle sound so that the source and origin are difficult to determine. That helps greatly, no matter what you are hunting.

Suppressors are actually legal in many states, requiring only federal registry under NFA 1934.

 

[sdneil]

Try IMR 4198, does a great job in a Super 14 and XP 100, very clean burn, very accurate, try mag primer.

 

[cmillard]

give some ramshot TAC a try with some 69 grain sierras

 

[jo191145]

You did'nt say what weight bullet your looking to shoot.
Benchmark or X-terminator are good choices.
10X is too dirty for a suppressor IMO

 

[LWolken]

Sleepy,

With the supressor shooting full house loads you will have to wear hearing protection. It is way louder than a 22lr. It does sound different but don't kid yourself it doesn't disguise your location at all.

Lance

 

[Greg110]

AA 2520

 

[Steve Blair]

I have shot suppressed weapons on the range and afield in several countries and by a variety of US, UK, and French manufacturers. The calibers ranged from 5.56 to .50 Browning. Downrange, it does obscure the location because the observer can only know from which direction the bullet shock wave approaches, not the initial report. Perhaps we have not been firing the same class of suppressor.

 

[Rust]

A well designed and built suppressor will eliminate most muzzle blast in a subsonic round, and maybe a little less in a full house round, but the supersonic bullet signature remains.

A 1-9 twist should stabilize bullets up to about 75 grains, perhaps marginal with the VLDs.

For full loads with light bullets I've always preferred either IMR 4198 or H 4198. The only heavy bullets I'm playing with are the 80 grainers which will not stabilize out of a 1-9 and there I'm currently working on RL-15 and may try some 203B if I can find some.

 

[ForneyRider]

Benchmark is jim dandy in .223 20in barrel with 1:9tw.

 

[JabaliHunter]

With the supressor shooting full house loads you will have to wear hearing protection.

This is only partially true - supersonic suppressors are very popular here in the UK and the noise level reductions meet health and safety at work regulations (designed to protect employers/employees), i.e. a gamekeeper can use one issued by an employer and use them without hearing protection. The employer is protected against being sued by the empoyee for hearing loss caused by shooting as part of his/her employment. However, as the effects of noise induced hearing loss are cumulative, if firing many rounds a day e.g. practice for a match, then you will probably still want earmuffs, even if only for comfort. I use a suppressor on a 223 and a 270Win and the effect is dramatic on noise felt by the shooter. On a lightweight 270 in particular it also acts as a muzzle break, but instead of increasing blast, it is reduced. They should be made legal in all States IMHO

It is way louder than a 22lr. It does sound different but don't kid yourself it doesn't disguise your location at all.

I agree with the first point, but the suppressor does make it more difficult to pinpoint the source of the muzzle blast. The supersonic crack of the bullet in flight is still audible - only firing sub-sonic loads can eliminate that.

 

[Clark]

I have killed thousands of rodents with the 223 handlaoded with Blue Dot powder.
I use 15 gr for 33 gr Vmax and 13 gr for 60 gr TAP, and an in between load for in between bullets.
The 33 gr gets along at 3500 fps, which is about as fast with molly as I can go and shoot hundreds of rounds between cleanings and still hit a squirrel at 200 yards.

But Blue Dot may not cycle your AR.

 

[cliffy]

Clark buddy, try a 36 grain Barnes Varmint Grenade with a dose of 26.0 grains Alliant RL-10x powder lit via a CCI 450 candle. This is .223 FAST! Cliffy

 

[Ackman]

The load in my .223 truck gun is VV133 and a 40VMax or BT at 3895. The barrel is 14" twist - 20"long with a very minimal chamber and no freebore. IMI brass, bullets have a thin film of Lee Lube.