Fav Powder for 223 36-53gr

[BobbyJ]

I don't have a fav powder "yet" as I've only used CFE 223 which appears to be very versatile and gives top great velocities in 55 and 69gr. Not tried it in under 55gr.

I'm running a little low on CFE and might pick up 8 pounds of something. TAC is a pretty good bang for the buck in terms of price per pound. Including haz fees Tax shipping 250.00 for 8 pounds. CFE is like 30-40.00 more.

Will be used on Dillon press so it must meter well.

Whats your Fav power for 36-55gr for AR 223?

 

[Carl S]

N133 is a excellent powder for 50-55grn bullets in a bolt action.not sure about the heavier bullets.i use N133.52grn burgers exclusively in my stolle.

 

[wkdickinson]

H335

 

[dusterdave173]

Another vote for N133
Can get 3700 with a 40 and is perfect for 50-55g I love it with 53g Vmax
Clean powder! Nothing the matter with TAC either I just get better groups with N133

 

[mac86951]

H322 and benchmark are great for the lighter bullets, however a good ball powder is excellent for bulk loading. H335 gets my vote.

cfe 223 and tac will work just fine too.

-Mac

 

[urbanrifleman]

Lt32. TS 11, AA2015

 

[Ackman]

Pretty easy to make .223 shoot. With light bullets it's very powder tolerant in a 12-14twist. The old T-32 worked well in a couple .223's. That stuff's long gone. Other good ones are:
W748 with 55's
VV133 - best in my barrels with 40's and 50's. Very capable of 3900 with 40's.
VV135 - best in my barrel with 55's
AA2015 is equally nicely accurate and fast with 50's. It's what I've used for years.

 

[B23]

H335 for the OP's specific bullet range of 36 - 53gr range and W748 works well in a very wide range of bullet weights from 50gr on up to the heavy for caliber bullets. Ball powders flow like water so they meter well but they're also more temp sensitive.

Being more temp sensitive than some of the other powders certainly doesn't make them a deal breaker because truck loads of H335 and W748 have been used for years, just be careful using max loads with these kinds of powders on hot days and you'll be fine.

 

[Damon555]

H335. In stock 99% of the time and is pretty good lot to lot. I've got several .223 variants and all of them liked H335 for the lighter bullets.....I use it in my .204R too....

 

[BobbyJ]

H335 for the OP's specific bullet range of 36 - 53gr range and W748 works well in a very wide range of bullet weights from 50gr on up to the heavy for caliber bullets. Ball powders flow like water so they meter well but they're also more temp sensitive.

Being more temp sensitive than some of the other powders certainly doesn't make them a deal breaker because truck loads of H335 and W748 have been used for years, just be careful using max loads with these kinds of powders on hot days and you'll be fine.

Wonder how much hotter a load is say at 95 degrees vs 70 degrees. Wonder if shooting say from a hot barrel and the round sits in the chamber for a few minutes that is going to heat up the round too I would think.

 

[BobbyJ]

Another vote for N133
Can get 3700 with a 40 and is perfect for 50-55g I love it with 53g Vmax
Clean powder! Nothing the matter with TAC either I just get better groups with N133

I just got 3 boxes of those preloaded Hornady Vmax. Curious to see if they really shoot 3400 fps out of my 24" 1/9 bull barrel. They seat them to 2.242 wonder what powder they use. Will N133 match the factory ammo? 3400fps with the 53gr Vmax sounds good. And 3700 with 40s great too.

 

[dusterdave173]

You may match that speed depending on case volume but...I have found that the Hornady loaded 53g Vmax would group just so so in my Savage 26 in --I have found again and again much tighter groups with the 53Vmax at lower speeds--My best is about 3150-3180 with N133--groups half MOA at 100 repeatable
Yesterday I finaled a 40g Vmax load with N133--40g Vmax--25.3--average around 3600 shot really tight groups from 24.9--25.3 range Loaded it to match cartridge length in the factory Fiocchi 40vmax--not enough bullet to stick it out much so just decided to start there and Bingo! Jumping big time nailing it--This is a crazy pursuit--reloading--man you never know what will work until you try--then making it do it again and again is the serious part that I am learning day by day--sure using up a lot of primers to figure it out--

 

[BobbyJ]

You may match that speed depending on case volume but...I have found that the Hornady loaded 53g Vmax would group just so so in my Savage 26 in --I have found again and again much tighter groups with the 53Vmax at lower speeds--My best is about 3150-3180 with N133--groups half MOA at 100 repeatable
Yesterday I finaled a 40g Vmax load with N133--40g Vmax--25.3--average around 3600 shot really tight groups from 24.9--25.3 range Loaded it to match cartridge length in the factory Fiocchi 40vmax--not enough bullet to stick it out much so just decided to start there and Bingo! Jumping big time nailing it--This is a crazy pursuit--reloading--man you never know what will work until you try--then making it do it again and again is the serious part that I am learning day by day--sure using up a lot of primers to figure it out--

Did the factory Chrono close to the box of 3450fps?
Yea I think its just luck of the draw sometimes factory is right on the mark. Factory Fiouchi 40gr was like 1/2 MOA out of my 22" .204 ruger. I could spend alot of time trying to do better.

Out of my 24" AR 3/4 MOA would be nice but not holding my breath. Maybe friday I'll have a chance to test it at the range.

 

[dantiff2]

Benchmark, still flows nicely through a powder thrower and it's very temp stable compared to others mentioned.

 

[BobbyJ]

Im starting to lean toward Xterminator or AA -2460. Good prices, temp stable for a double base and faster burning which is better for 16" which I have 4 ARs with 16". Probably 40-62gr range. I'll use my CFE for the 69gr
==========================
"Ramshot "TAC" is one of the most temperature
>> stable double based powders available. It is this very
>> reason that so much of it is being used for military
>> applications in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Even under
>> extreme temperatures Ramshot "TAC" will vary less
>> than half of what the military will allow.

You won't regret trying X-terminator. I did not see a noticeable advantage to x-term over other powders like varget and CFE 223 when loading 55gr projectiles in a 24" barreled rifle. But when I tried the same loads in a 16" carbine, it outshined the others hands down. I don't what it is about that powder, but that little rifle loves it. Most likely Burn rate I guess..."
=========================================

 

[BobbyJ]

Man powders are hard to come buy. Finally found some in stock. X-Terminator 8 pounds for $209.00 its been slim pickens trying to find powder in stock. Got some 36gr V granades Vmax 40 and Vmax 53s to try.

 

[redrockranger]

I don't have a fav powder "yet" as I've only used CFE 223 which appears to be very versatile and gives top great velocities in 55 and 69gr. Not tried it in under 55gr.

I'm running a little low on CFE and might pick up 8 pounds of something. TAC is a pretty good bang for the buck in terms of price per pound. Including haz fees Tax shipping 250.00 for 8 pounds. CFE is like 30-40.00 more.

Will be used on Dillon press so it must meter well.

Whats your Fav power for 36-55gr for AR 223?

What powder and bullet gives top accuracy for Prairie dog hunting rifle ?

 

[Webster]

What powder and bullet gives top accuracy for Prairie dog hunting rifle ?

Check out the load map

You are being redirected...

 

[BobbyJ]

What powder and bullet gives top accuracy for Prairie dog hunting rifle ?

I don't know yet for my gun but have read quite a bit on the forums.
53gr Vmax high BC + good explosive effect + accurate 3300-3400 fps
40gr Vmax lower BC but maybe more explosive drifts more in wind due to lower BC. 3700-3800 fps
36gr Barnes Varmageddon - Very exposive drifts more in wind (3800 fps)
From 24" barrel.

Powders many... I went with X-Terminator (AKA Accurate 2230) faster better for 55 and under and better in shorter barrels than say CFE 223 (slower) And was available and best price of the powders I was looking at.

Not saying the 69 gr are bad but they don't blow up Pdogs like the Vmax do, they are higher BC but slower like 2700-2800fps.

 

[waterfwlr]

H335