IMR 8208 xbr for 223

[Joe R]

cjmac said: What about 60 or 63 grain bullets ? Maby it will work better in my 308?

It's what I use for my .308 and it shoots quite well, it is also temperature insensitive and measures like ball powder.

 

[racesnake]

I use 8208 in my AR-15 with a 55gr VMax and when I do my part, I get 1/2MOA. and 3100+ velocity.

 

[bluto77]

I use it in a 223 Ackley. 25.2 gr (gotta double-check that), 80 gr AMAX, cci br4, lc brass, 8 twist Broughton m24, shoots in .25 - .375 min zone. I love loading it compared to varget due to no over throws from chargemaster.

 

[Lenard]

I have been using 8208 in a CZ Varmint with 50 gr. Hornady SP's. I found the velocity variations under 50 fps and usually around 10 fps. It is a tremendously accurate load. It shot a 200 yard group of .306 and .912 at 300 yards. I am very happy with the results. Consistently accurate with a couple hundred rounds fired.

 

[Firemedic301]

I shoot 24.0 in one gun and 24.2 in another. Both shoot well.

yep I second that. My 20” Krieger 1/7.7 twist is 24 grains of 8208 and my 20” Shilen 1/7.5 twist load is 24.3 of 8208 with the Hornady 52 hpbt. Both shoot 1/2 moa out to 300 yards.

 

[rjtfroggy]

Why bring back a 6 year old thread to say nothing.
Start a new one if you have a question.
Also take a moment and join up.

 

[Metal God]

I like 8208 in 308 but have some ok AR loads as well . You might want to try AR-Comp . Fed gmm uses it now in both 223 & 308 ;-)

I didn’t see that it was an old thread

 

[Firemedic301]

Anyone other than me having a hard time finding a load with 8208 in a 223 ? Im using 52 grain hornady bthp . Was tryin to find a varmint load witha 50 grain nosler B-tip. Iv talked to a few people that said thay only found there load over max .

24 grains in my Krieger 20” 1/7.7 twist and 24.3 grains of 8208XBR in my 20” Shilen 1-7.5 twist both shoot the Hornady 52 HPBT 1/2 MOA. 1” groups off bench at 200 yards.

 

[SCL]

Anyone other than me having a hard time finding a load with 8208 in a 223 ? Im using 52 grain hornady bthp . Was tryin to find a varmint load witha 50 grain nosler B-tip. Iv talked to a few people that said thay only found there load over max .

Try this- xbr8208, 23.2 , 2.26 col, Sierra Match King 69gr. My friend shot the top group, I shot the bottom group. One right after the other. Savage 223 with 26" bull barrel 1/9 twist. This load works very well in my 20" 1/7 twist and 22" 1/8 twist. 1/4 to 1/2 all day.

 

[wbm]

IMR 8208 XBR is outstanding in the .223!!!!!

 

[Matt_3479]

I’ve had nothing but excellent luck with 8208 xbr with my 20 tactical barrels for 35 gr and 39 gr bullets and tested 8208 xbr in my 223 with 52gr seirra match, 40gr blitzkings, 70gr rdf, 80gr amax and all shot incredible!!

 

[WVRJ]

Until a month ago,I was sure there was no better 223 powder than Varget,but that's changed.I was running low on the 69 grain TMK's I usually shoot in my 223 bolt gun,and I wanted to see if I could do any good with some 52 grain match bullets I had laying on the shelf collecting dust,so I loaded 20 with 8208 because I didn't want to waste any Varget until I saw some promise out of the lighter bullets in my 9 twist M700.The bullets were a no go,barely staying under an inch at 100 yards.Just for the sake of trying it,I loaded 10 69 grain tipped match kings and 10 73 grain Berger boat tail target with 8208,and I was stunned at how both bullets shot with 8208.They did great at 100 and 600,with the Bergers beating the Sierras by a tiny bit.I tried some other bullet and powder combos,but couldn't get close to the heavier bullets' performance,so I've pretty much given up on anything less than 65 grains in this rifle.There may be a lighter bullet out there that this 9 twist can get along with,but I'm not going to waste powder and primers trying to find it.I'm no doubt getting a little better accuracy out of the 8208 than I was with Varget.As an added bonus,since I have another powder I can use in the place of Varget,maybe some day I can find some of the 8208.I would imagine that it'll be somewhere around 2030 before Varget will be available unless you buy it off Gunbroker for $100 or more a pound.Hell,it was hard to find before the panicdemic.

 

[65WSM]

IMR 8208 is a wonderful powder. One of my favorites. It was one of my last 8lb purchases before the insurection. Bruce Hodgdon said it was the most accurate powder he had ever been associated with. It requires heavy bullets and long barrels to burn much of it in .223 Remington. ADI (now a French owned company) loads some wonderful ammunition with Sierra bullets. I have been humbled by those factory loads at my range. ADI does not use IMR-8208 with 55gr or 69gr Sierras. They prefer to use powders that Hodgdon imports as H-322 and Benchmark depending on the bullet choice.

I operate on the theory that powders should fill the case and burn in the barrel. I also believe Walt Berger when he said "learning begins at 300 yards". I am new to .223 Remington and I find it at best challenging. Tomorrow I will shoot .20 BR with 40gr Bergers over IMR-8208 at 550 yards (end of the range). My 8 twist .22 BR with 70gr Berger VLD over VV N-140. I will shoot my factory Remington barreled .223 and AR-15 with a EA Brown "Varmint" 9 twist 24 inch barrel at 300 yards with 53gr Sierra MK over 10X, and VV N-120.