IMR 3031 & 223 Rem

[K22]

I've never used IMR 3031 but there is a lot of load data on this powder with the 223 Rem with bullets 55 grains and under. The burning rate is close to Benchmark which performs very well in the 223 Rem with 50 and 55 grain bullets in 12" twist rifle, at least that has been my experience.

The shop I deal with has a lot of 3031 in stock whereas the powders I normally use haven't been available for some time. I was wondering if any of you have tried 3031 in 223 Rem bolt rifles with 50 or 55 grain bullets.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

IMR 3031 has been around a long time. It fell out of favor because it can be difficult to meter through a standard lever type powder measure. Other than that it is a good powder that used to be shot in a lot of calibres.

 

[Iowa Fox]

I have found 3031 gives me very good accuracy in short barrels. 3031 is where I discovered the Lee powder thrower. I purchased the thrower and when it arrived I was PO'd at its cheesy appearance so it got shuffled to a shelf and sat there for years. I got into a pinch on time loading 200 243 rounds with 3031. The stuff just locked up my RCBS thrower the instant you dumped powder in the hopper. Out of panic and desperation I tried the Lee. I couldn't believe it, smooth and accurate.

 

[6BRA]

My best 223 load ever was and is..3031. ..stay with it

 

[Tesoro]

I got excellent results with 3031+223. Was the only thing left on the shelf at my lgs and without inflated price! Also did well in my 30-06, which I believe it was made for. The $30 lee plastic thrower will be within a 10th all day long.

 

[K22]

Thanks guys. These days it is good to have a backup. I will be trying 3031 in my 223 Rems.

 

[Laurie]

Also did well in my 30-06, which I believe it was made for

It does work fine in 30-06 with lighter bullets, but 3031 wasn't the present day IMR powder originally developed for this cartridge. That honour goes to IMR-4895 which Dupont worked up around 1937 for the then new M2 service version of the cartridge, and which became the standard military ball variant through WW2, the Korean War and to the end of its service life.

IMR-3031 predates 4895 by several years and was developed primarily for the smaller 30-30WCF, and is still a very popular choice for this cartridge in both 150 and 170gn loads. As the cartridge's popular name suggests, the original factory loading used a nominal 30gn charge weight of 3031, Winchester-Western using the old naming convention of calibre, dash, charge weight.

 

[Doom]

IMR 3031 should work well in short barreled rifles in 223 since it tend to finish burning before the end of the barrel. I have been looking at it as a replacement for 8208XBR with 52/53 grain bullets.

 

[jepp2]

I was wondering if any of you have tried 3031 in 223 Rem bolt rifles with 50 or 55 grain bullets.

I have. Accuracy was acceptable, but I get better from other powders. Certainly doesn't lend itself to volumetric powder measures. I use a good bit of it in my 308.