H4895 in 223 Bolt Rifles

[K22]

I'm thinking of switching from Varget to H4895 for my 223 loads. Rifle are all bolts with varmint barrels, twists are 1:12, bullets - 50 grain Noslers, primers - Federal 205 Match. Need to use the latter components since I have a ton of them.

Reason I'm considering changing is to acheive more consistant velocities and points of impact. I noticed quite a bit of variation from lot to lot of Varget.

Interested in hearing from users of H4985 for the 223.

 

[spclark]

H4895 & H4064 used to be a lot more common when folks were shooting M1A'a across the course. They still work fine in bolt gun loads too for .308 and .223 though I think what's popular now is Varget and RL-15 more often than not, maybe N140 & the new IMR 8208XBR too.

 

[GerryM]

Not knowing how many shots you will take with each rifle. It would be hard to recomend any powder choice. I use 4895 quite a bit in several calibers, If you shoot a lot lay in a good supply of one powder and stick to it. Just about any powder varies from lot to lot.
Hodgdons 4895 has been one of the best for me.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

With those 50gr bullets my guess would be you'll do a whole lot better with Benchmark.

 

[KMart]

+1 on the Benchmark. Somewhere between 25.5 and 26.0 grains with the 50 gr bullets and you should find a very accurate load. The powder is a short stick powder and meters very well.

 

[chestsprings]

use Savage 223, Shilen barrel, 1:9 twist

I use Benchmark, & H-4895.

use the same load ( gr.) of both powers with 50 gr. V-Maxs.

H-4895 will give me approx. 90 to 100 FPS more vel. & a tad more accurate.

can't go wrong with either power.

 

[Taildrag15X]

No matter which powder you use get youself as much of the same lot as possible, like an 8 lb. jug or a 10 lb. case, that takes some of the work out of shooting.

 

[Dennis Keefer]

K22,

H4895 is a great powder in the 223, and will work very well with many bullit weights, but, I would try Benchmark first with the 50 grain. Benchmark will flow through a measure much smoother than H4895. As stated above, pick a powder and purchase a quanity of that powder to use. I purchase my powder in one pound cans, with the same lot number. When the can is about 1/4 full, I dump it into the next can of H4895 and mix it. I have little trouble with loads that way. If I could I would purchase in 8 pound jugs, but space and my wife will not allow it.

 

[wapiti25]

I have used a lot of IMR4895 in a 223 with 55gr, that was before Benchmark. I would not buy any more 4895 to use in the 223. Benchmark is much better in my rifles (2), It's more accurate with 50 52 53 and 55 bullets. I use it with Rem 7 1/2 primers.

 

[FroggyOne2]

I am not using the 50gr bullets, I am using the 75gr AMax and 24grs of H4895 in mine and it is a tack driver at 600 yards. I am running a 30 inch 7.2 twist bbl.

 

[wolfman]

I am not using the 50gr bullets, I am using the 75gr AMax and 24grs of H4895 in mine and it is a tack driver at 600 yards. I am running a 30 inch 7.2 twist bbl.

How are the velocities?

 

[FroggyOne2]

3050

 

[Bill Edwards]

Winchesters' 748 has been the best I've found for 50 gr. bullets in .223 in my 1 in 12 tw. 27.4 gr.s is my magic ld. That's fairly hot so work up to it. I've been up to 28gr.s, but 27.4 gets around 3360' per sec. which is very accurate in my rig. I use CCI 400s in LC brass. I shoot moly bullets so w/o moly you might get the same speed w/ 27.2 gr.s

 

[K22]

Thanks for the many replies. Perhaps moving away from Varget is premature based of the comments to my question. Maybe I should just buy the eight pound size which would yeild about 2,150 reloads, about two years worth of shooting.

I've heard some match shooters complaint about variations in Varget and I've notice some significant difference in velocity (about 100 f/s) from some lots but not all.

 

[Nomo4me]

Nuther vote for Benchmark here. I use it in my 223 with the 50gr Blitz as well as 6br and Dasher with the 70-75 range bullets.
One stop shopping and everything shoots consistent and clean. Maybe not top velocities or very very best accuracy but I don't like burning barrels out by screwing around with endless load permutations so just stay with Benchmark for my varmint guns and life is good.

 

[cliffe]

holy smokes, driving tacks at 600yards. just how big are those tacks... ;D cliffe

 

[flatlander]

I really like H4895 with H75AMaxes in the 223, but H322, Benchmark, & IMR8208 all meter better. If I were shooting nothing heavier than 50-55gr bullets, I'd pick H322 or Benchmark over Varget everytime.

So far, I haven't tried 8208 with light bullets, but it's a hammer with S77MKs out of a 24" 1:7tw. Krieger on one of my AR15s.

 

[JohnO]

I would agree with Dennis regarding lighter bullets. H322 works well for me but I have tried Benchmark and I saw no issues with it. With 90s and above, I switch to RE15 although H4895 works but you have to push it, I believe.

 

[FroggyOne2]

holy smokes, driving tacks at 600yards. just how big are those tacks... ;D cliffe

200-12X is tack driving enough for me..

 

[mikeincool]

I know that some powders are effected heat/temp when you shoot. I am almost positive that I have heard that Varget is bad about changing with the weather.