Lighter bullets, longer barrel- slower powders?

[Viperdoc]

I have been trying to work up some varmint loads with light bullets for my AR 223 with a 7.7 Krieger that is 26". With the 77gr Sierra Match Kings, it likes around 23-24 gr Varget.

With the general thinking being that lighter bullets are best matched with faster powders, what about lighter bullets with slower powders (like Varget or AA2520) with 53-60gr bullets, given I have a longer (26inch) barrel? Or, would I still be better off with faster powders with these light bullets, like H335, TAC, or perhaps H4895?

 

[sailhertoo]

And can't add anything constructive except your thread title struck me as a good title for a country song.
he..he..

 

[bigedp51]

The 2007 Hornady reloading manual lists loads for a Remington 700 with a 26 inch 1 in 12 twist barrel and separate pages for .223 Service rifle data with a 1 in 9 twist.

The Remington 700 uses Varget, IMR-4895, Win 748, BL-C2 starting at 52 grain bullets up to 60 grain bullets.

The M-16 Service rifle loads are for 68 to 75 grain bullets using the same above slower powders.

I have never heard of any restrictions with slower powders and the M-16 gas system like you have with slower powders and the M1 Garand.

It might make your receiver dirtier if the pressures are lower with the slower powders though. (more unburned carbon)

 

[Larryh128]

Either Varget or H4895 work well with 55gr bullets. Benchmark is also good & very clean burning.

 

[jonbearman]

H 335 is outstanding for my ar.I have used many powders and always fall back on H335 or BLC-2.I can shoot .2 groups with a stock armalite barrel(heavy) 19" long with hornady 53 grain flat base bullets.

 

[K22]

Can't see how you could go wrong with either Varget, Benchmark, or H4895 all three are outstanding powders for the 223. However my experience had been 1:12 twists, 50 and 55 grain Noslers and Hornady V-Maxs.

H335 is very good also but I don't like ball powder because of its temperature insensitivity.

 

[Viperdoc]

Varget, a slow burner, works great with 77gr Sierra MK's in my 7.7 twist. However, I am trying to work up some loads with lighter bullets to use for varmint shooting through the same barrel.

Want a bullet range from say 53-64gr, and a powder easy to run through a measure. I have H335 (meters very well), Varget, TAC, H4895, and AA2520. Was thinking that Varget and AA2520 would be too slow for these lighter bullets, but my question was that perhaps they would still work efficiently through my 26 in barrel?

In other words, does a longer barrel allow one to use slower powders with lighter bullets?

 

[mc223]

I loaded some 60 V-Maxs over N-540. White Oak 26 in 1 in 8. They shot purty good. I dont have my data handy, but IIRC they were under an inch at 100. No chrono data from those.
Havin fun and they got all shot up before I got to try them on critters.
Had some 50g Barnes varmint over Varget in the same barrel that went poof.

Short answer is maybe with some projectiles and some powders in some barrels.