What powder do you use with 223 and 90vld's besides N550???

[rob221]

Wondering if anybody has tried H4350. Or any other expierences. So you will know, I have a 31" barrel with 7.7" twist. I've been running 3000, but looking for atlernatives. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Matt Pitchon]

Try 2000MR. 27gr in a bolt gun. 4350 does not have the density needed to fit in a 223 case. A 7.7 twist is marginal for that bullet.

 

[r bose]

R-15 24.5g in my rifle

 

[rob221]

Matt
What barrel lengthe are you shooting? What velocity?
I might add, I live at 6800'. I have a 7" and a 7.2" twist, and the 7.7 is by far most accurate.

r bose
What barrel lengthe are you shooting? What velocity?

I'm getting great vel and low ES with N550. My problem is hugh temp swing in low hmidity enviroment. As much as 50 degrees some days. A few primers haven't made it.
Thanks

 

[rob221]

H100V, RE 17, RE 19 any real expierence?

 

[Scott Harris]

use H4895 & Varget with great success. think the 7:7 twist is not ideal for the 90s and Berger's twist rate calculator agrees.
http://www.bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/

 

[rob221]

Scott
I live at 6800' elevation. It might not be supposed to work, but it does!!! Like I said, I have a 7 and 7.2 twist and the 7.7 works best. I'm really looking for real world expierence with other powders. In my trials Varget is a little too fast with 90's. I run in to pressure problems, before I get the velocity. Seems like 4895 would be too. Now if you've used it with sucess, I'd like to hear about it. I read a lot of speculation and "I heard or read". I'm looking for real world expierence. And so you will know, I am shooting a BAT L. I as rule, work up to the upper limits. In my expierence, pressure equals consistiancy.
Thanks again

 

[jsthntn247]

I can run two loads in my 30" 223 7 twist ftr rifle. One is at 2715 and primer pockets last forever the other is at 2800 and 60% of the pockets are gone after 4 shots. I have to run light neck tension (.5 thou) at 2800 to not blow primers in one shot. Both loads are really accurate for mid range but the upper node load consistently has an sd below 5 so that's what I intend to use for long range. Velocity powders are going to be N550 and Power Pro 2000 but are not temp stable. Any other powder in the Varget burn range will work. I tried up to 27 grains of 4350 but was extremely compressed and velocity was around 2700. My base to ogive is 2.058 to the lands with the 90's and about .030 further out would be optimal in my opinion. I shoot from 200-900 ft above sea level.

 

[rob221]

jsthntn247
pm sent

 

[Heavy barrel]

At 6800ft you should be fine with a 7.7 but if you shoot at lower altitudes you may have problems.

I've been running 3000

3000fps? I'm just going to say good luck & be careful.

I'm using re15 or varget around 2820fps. I have yet to loose a primer in 14 firings.

 

[rob221]

Thanks Heavy Barrel

 

[jsthntn247]

Forgot to add that I'm using Norma brass. Does anyone know if Lapua has more case capacity than Norma. If so that could explain why I get pressure before the velocity some of yall are seeing.

 

[r bose]

Lapua brass, CCI Br-4 primer, 24.5g R-15, 90g vld berger, 30" tube. 2865 FPS ave.

3000 FPS is more than anybody else is getting I've ever heard of. I know of several shooters using H4895 with success but I haven't tried it.

I'd develop a load at your highest temp during the day then live with the drop in FPS during cooler times. If you do this backwards, it could be a huge problem

 

[r bose]

Should have added over the weekend a friend shot an 1182-58X out of 1200 with the little 223 in a regional match. That's a great score given the very tricky conditions. He uses H4895. Not sure of his load but Saturday morning we started shooting with 31-32 degree temps. Sunday we were in the mid 70's. 45 degree swing.

Even with R-15, I have no problems shooting my load in mid 90 degree temps.

 

[jsthntn247]

Should have added over the weekend a friend shot an 1182-58X out of 1200 with the little 223 in a regional match. That's a great score given the very tricky conditions. He uses H4895. Not sure of his load but Saturday morning we started shooting with 31-32 degree temps. Sunday we were in the mid 70's. 45 degree swing.

Even with R-15, I have no problems shooting my load in mid 90 degree temps.

I talked to Tony today, he tore it up.

 

[raptor1ronin]

R-Bose what twist. I'm building a Mighty Mouse gun with a defiance action, bartlien barrel, and also going to shoot the 90VLDs.

 

[r bose]

My last barrel was a 6 1/2" twist. It's on it's way out so I recently bought a 7- TW, 31" Bartilen. Not on the action yet but living at sea level, I certainly wouldn't go any slower. When I asked Brian Litz about optimum stability he said to expect about 3-4% loss in BC with a 7 TW.

Slower twists will "stabilize" 90g VLD's but if you're not spinning them fast enough, a loss in BC is to be expected. Bergers spin rate calculator confirms this. Now, I had one forum member say that because the nose of the 90g projectile is hollow and it's center of balance is further back on the projectile, a loss in BC might not happen in a 7 TW and the spin rate computer might not be taking this into account. He used a 7.2 TW (if I remember correctly)

As far as I'm concerned, as long as it shoots tight groups and a BC between 530-550, I'm happy. Using a long barrel and slow powders is a must and the rifle needs to be throated properly to get proper bullet length. I believe this is where most shooters run into problems with low velocity and pressure spikes.

I had several friends try 90's in 20" AR-15, 6 1/2 twist barrels. They couldn't get the speed needed to justify switching from an 80 VLD, 80.5g or the 82 HPBT, etc.

 

[Matt Pitchon]

I get 2900 at sea level from a 30" tube with a 7 twist. 27 gr of 2000mr. At 6600 ft it might go 3000, but I haven't run the numbers.

 

[raptor1ronin]

I ordered a 33" heavy Palma and finished length will be 32" I got a 6.8 twist from bartlein. I plan on testing with Varget and IMR 4064. Here in AZ and at our range 1700 above sea level.

 

[jsthntn247]

I start to get compressed at 25 grains of varget and pressure immediately spikes. It goes from a very faint ejector mark to blown primers in .2 grains. 2.058 BTO, I would recommend 2.100 if you want to try for 2850 and decent pocket life.