223 Powder

[SeabeeKen]

Loaded up 13 different powders to test in the 223 with Sierra 55 gr BK yesterday. 3031, 748 shot good but 10X bested them all with groups under 1/2". I think the one shot that was out of the single hole groups was my fault. Gonna try it again.

 

[chuckw2]

CB,
What was your load for 10x? Gas or bolt gun?

Chuck

 

[SeabeeKen]

22.5 gr fired in an out of the box Savage 10FP bolt rifle. I think the group will tighten up. I had a one hole group going until one shot jumped out. I'm sure that was my fault. Shoots great in this rifle. 23.0 gr of IMR 3031 and 23.5 gr of Benchmark were dead ties for second

 

[SS427]

My Savage LRPV .223 does that a lot and from the day it was new. About half the time I get 3 or 4 shots right into a custom benchrest size group and then one or two outside that group. It will be any of the 5 shots...sequence does not matter. I've changed scopes, adjusting torque to the bedding screws, changed seating depth, switched primers and a long list of other changes. Nothing ever stopped it from throwing a shot or two. It is a solid 1/2 inch performer, and if it shoots smaller I'm happy about it. But I have stopped pulling out my hair trying to fix it or thinking it was me. So don't be too quick to blame yourself.

 

[Larryh128]

Try 25 grs of Benchmark.

 

[SeabeeKen]

Thanks Otter, Sorry to hear you have the same problem but glad that it isn't just me and something I'm doing.

Larry, I tried 23.5 gr of Benchmark. It shot just a bit under 3/4" at 100

Powders I tried were:
748, BLC-2, H-335, Varget, RE-7, IMR-4064, H-322, H-4198, H-4895, N-140, RE-10X, IMR-3031, and Benchmark
The ones that shot under 1" were, 748, 322, RE7, N-140, RE10, 3031, & Benchmark

 

[pacificman]

I use 24.5 grains of RL10x in my Savage 12 .204 with good accuracy and then tried this same powder in my Savage 12 .223 with a 50 grain z-max. Very good accuracy in both rifles. I am using 22.0 grains in the .223 with .2 inch groups at 100 yards. This powder has been very consistent for my rifles and very deadly on the prairie poodles.

 

[chuckw2]

Boys,
Glad to hear the 10x is working out so well in the .223. I have a lot of 10x and I am scraping the bottom of the barrel on all of the traditional .223 powders and haven't been able to find anymore .


Going to shoot some 10x in both my bolt and gas guns this Thursday.

 

[DoubleUp]

Have you experienced any problems with carbon fouling from the RE 10-X?

 

[Phil]

N133 works too....

 

[Danley]

I found that 23.5 is on the low side for Benchmark ... 52gn Bergers shot best with 26.8 Benchmark (VERY HOT COMPRESSED LOAD, SO PLEASE DON'T START THERE)

 

[SeabeeKen]

Hi Phil,
No more carbon fouling than with any other powder. In fact it cleaned up pretty quick after 80 rounds. The carbon is much blacker than American powders so I guess it looks worse than it really is. Six patches had all the carbon out.

Looking forward to trying some N133 when I order powder next....if it can be found available.

 

[FroggyOne2]

The current powders that I am using are 2000MR and RL15. But then I am using heavy bullets too.

 

[K22]

One of the nice things about the 223 is the wide selection of powders that work so well with it.

My go to powder for years has been Varget but recently I've been unable to obtain any so I tried some H4895 with 55 Noslers and it worked exceptionally well, groups going under 1/2 moa.

Other powders that have worked very well for me are: Benchmark and H335.

All shot in bolt rifles with 12" twists with 50 and 55 grain bullets.

 

[SeabeeKen]

A buddy hit on a great load in his Rem 700 223 using H4895 this weekend. A jagged one hole group 4895 and 335 shot around 1" in my rifle. H322 did ok at just over 1/2". Glass bedding the rifle should tighten these groups up a bit.

 

[FroggyOne2]

I used to use H4895 with the Hornady 75 Amax in the 223. It was a real hammer!