Ball Powder for Accuracy 223

[JAlfred]

If I am going to try and squeeze accuracy and performance from a ball powder with 77 to 90 gr bullets, who to choose? CFE, AR Comp, 2000MR, other?

 

[CJ6]

748.

 

[r bose]

I've used Tac and 2000MR with very good success. Use 450 primers or 7 1/2's

 

[mac86951]

I've had good luck with CFE223 and tac. Ar comp is a stick.

 

[JAlfred]

I've had good luck with CFE223 and tac. Ar comp is a stick.

Whoops, missed that on AR comp. CFE, I have done some work up with 90 SMKs, but there was a lot of vertical and groups struggled to get below 1.8" at 300 yards. Going hotter might help, I worked up to 24gr CFE in LC brass, Rem 71//2 primers, 2.41 COAL.

 

[shoot4fun]

2000MR is not a ball either but meters like one. It works well with heavy bullets in 223 but others can produce higher velocity. AA2520 is a true ball powder, around Varget burn rate, and has proven to provide high velocity and great accuracy for 223 heavy bullet loads.
CFE223 is not described as an Extreme powder (so it would likely have some temp sensitivity) but neither are 2000MR or AA2520. It is referred to as a spherical powder by Hodgdon.

 

[jim_k]

AA2460, 748, H380, H322 (short stick), Hodgdon Benchmark (small granules), VV 540 (stick, but small). The real ball powders are heat sensitive, and may need CCI 450 or CCI 41 to ignite for best results. H 322 and Benchmark are the least heat sensitive of all of these, so I would recommend those, unless for some reason you absolutely must use a ball powder (?). I have gotten great groups from all of them.

 

[swd]

Hodgdon Ball C 2 has been my go to forever. Excellent accuracy and always on the shelf.

 

[aussiepowderburner]

+2 for 748

 

[DukeDuke]

2000MR has given me a huge velocity gain with the 75 and 80 grain bullets over all kind of other powders, accuracy has been stellar.

 

[RonS]

What about IMR4320 with heavy bullets? I hear it works pretty good with 75gr to 90gr bullets, I was going to try some this year. Are we talking about these powders for use in an AR, boltgun or both?

 

[bench]

What kind of speed (fps) are you guys looking for with heavy 90gr bullets and the powders you listed.

 

[swadiver]

who's using H4895 with 80 gr bullets? getting the accuracy and speed you want? inquiring minds want to know

 

[bench]

I just loaded 30 with H4895 for test loads but have not been to the range yet

 

[SheepDog]

H4895 should be a good powder in the 223 but it doesn't meter well from a powder measure.

 

[swadiver]

H4895 should be a good powder in the 223 but it doesn't meter well from a powder measure.

actually in my RCBS, it throws pretty consistently. but i am not too worried about that. i am retired.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I run 75 grain Amax with H4895 for midrange f class. It is very accurate and meters well for me.

 

[navyrad8r]

tac and BLC(2) Tac would be my first choice though FWIW...wolf primers or mag primers as others have stated.
cheers,
Doc

 

[mic2377]

2000 MR works well, but not as well as H4895 or Varget for me under 75-77 gr's. It meters great, is very dense, and likely has the highest velocity potential of the listed powders.

FWIW this is shooting in an AR, not a bolt, which I would imagine you are using.

 

[Outrider27]

+3 for 748.