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spy-d
01-06-2013, 1:06 PM
For years, I use IMR4198 powder for my AR.

21.5g for a 55g FMJ. So a can loaded a lot of rounds.

But, it takes time. The results of my load was that I was shooting a shot group the size of a quarter at 75m range.

That was back then in the mid 80s.

I would like a better powder for my .223

Any one have a favorite powder I might like?

Dark Mod
01-06-2013, 1:10 PM
I usually use IMR4895 or Varget

msnm
01-06-2013, 1:13 PM
check out mil surplus powder, it is about half price per keg

spy-d
01-06-2013, 1:24 PM
Mil surplus powder. If it's less, I'll take a 55 gal drum.... Maybe 4 drums.

bohoki
01-06-2013, 2:04 PM
was your brass really sooty?

i tried reducing loads and it really made my brass dirty

spy-d
01-06-2013, 2:19 PM
Imr-4198 is like small rods. Tubler. It does burn a lot cleaner than ball.
If you look at history, and the M16 problems of Nam, the AR was design for IMR powder. So, it didn't need cleaning. However, IMR powder is very hard to load with large loaders. So, the military went with Ball Powder. Easer and faster to load. But ball powder is dirty.

So, I am thinking that someone has a powder that is as easy to load like Ball and as clean burning as IMR.

rudynix
01-06-2013, 4:47 PM
Try some cfe223 powder by hodgdon. Burns pretty clean, and I get pretty good accuracy from it. I load the 75 grain HPBT bullet, but it is still usable for the 55 grain. The hogdon site has reloading data.

spy-d
01-06-2013, 6:21 PM
Great. I'll check it out.

scotty99
01-06-2013, 9:32 PM
CFE223 has become my new favorite, but Winchester 748 is also a great .223 powder. Both meter really well.

Bill Steele
01-06-2013, 10:04 PM
You might give AR Comp a try. I tried some with my 308 bolt gun. I was looking for a powder that would rival IMR 4064 or Varget for accuracy but meter better. It metered great.

I never did get it to group as well as the others, but I got some amazing SD's. I had a few strings with an SD of zero. Most were low single digit. Amazingly consistent burn, at least in a 308 Win case.

I have to believe had I stayed with it, I could have gotten at least as good a grouping with it, given the SD's I was seeing, as my favorite 4064 and Varget loads. I was struggling with bullet issues at the same time, which could have contributed to the less than outstanding results on paper.

Full Clip
01-06-2013, 10:50 PM
TAC

madjack956
01-06-2013, 11:01 PM
I use Imr 4064 for .223.

EL_NinO619
01-07-2013, 12:41 AM
TAC, BL(C)-2, 748 all ball, all great. TAC is where its at..

GeoffLinder
01-07-2013, 2:05 AM
748 or Varget are good choices

Wrangler John
01-07-2013, 4:32 AM
TAC also contains anti copper fouling ingredients like CFE223.

My best results are with Varget and Reloader 10x, with TAC and CFE223 second. Across several rifles, bolt action varmint rifles and the AR-15, Reloader-10x has proven consistently the most accurate.

ronas
01-07-2013, 5:44 AM
I have used everything mentioned in thread except the IMR powders.

I am now using Accurate Powder 2520 it is more accurate than varget my 2nd choice and has greater velocity. 22520 also meters quite well. Probably due the the size and shape of the grains case can be loaded with more powder. I am loading to NATO specs. for 556. which in this case is 25.5 gr. with 77 Nosler, cci450 primer.

Rifle has 16" barrel and Wylde chamber.

SandDiegoDuner
01-07-2013, 12:08 PM
Hey Bill... How were the velocities with the AR Comp powder with the .308? How does it compare with varget with 168-175 grain bullets?

Thanks

problemchild
01-07-2013, 6:25 PM
Wc846 $10 per pound (surplus) and works in 223 and 308, its also ball so it meters well.

madjack956
01-07-2013, 7:36 PM
Wc846 $10 per pound (surplus) and works in 223 and 308, its also ball so it meters well.

Where might one be able to obtain this powder...:)

em9sredbeam
01-23-2013, 11:46 AM
Tagged for if someone comes up with a place that actually has WC846 in stock, that and primers.

ar15robert
01-23-2013, 12:18 PM
I like to use h335 or wcc 844 both meter very well and for me have worked well.During the last shortage i couldnt find it so i tried imr4895 it shot well and metered good but not as good as the ball powders do.

skibuff
01-23-2013, 12:44 PM
For the .223 I like RE7 meters great Sierra lists 21.5gr as the accuracy round for 55gr in AR's. It leaves the cases a little dirty.

I'm using WC846 in my semi auto .308's makes a great round. Just look out for stack cling with it. Make sure you clean your powder measure and wipe down with a static wipe and it will meter fine.

spy-d
01-23-2013, 2:53 PM
That is why I like IMR Powder. It burns very clean and stable.
Not explosive like others.

Years ago, when it was still OK, I used IMR-4227 to launched Rifle Gernades off the muzzle of my AR-15.

I was able to tag 55 Gal. Oil Drums very nicely. But was way back in the Mid 80s. Boy, that was a lot of fun.

luchador768
01-23-2013, 3:16 PM
I just plink in the desert, AA2230 has worked well for that. I've never put it on paper, but I can hit steel out to 300+/- yards with irons. It's fairly clean.

johnny1290
01-23-2013, 3:22 PM
I like 335, TAC, and Reloader 10 becuase that's what I could get at the store! :)

I haven't seen any surplus powder in months.

I ordered TAC from midway , it's supposed to be dropshipped from the factory in 4 weeks, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Grafs is backordered 6 weeks+ now on new orders.

This is definitely catch as catch can for the immediate future. I think it'll be a loooooooong time until we can be very picky about what we buy.

that said, hey, I hope it happens tomorrow.

AeroEngi
01-23-2013, 4:43 PM
25gr of H335 behind a 55gr fmjbt projectile is my favorite plinking load at the moment. I seat to 2.23" with a light crimp using a Lee Factory Crimp Die.

repomanNWP
01-23-2013, 5:41 PM
I prefer TAC for .223, Varget for .308

the86d
01-24-2013, 9:24 AM
I really liked Varget, and I could get about NATO velocities with a compressed load.

LRShooter
01-24-2013, 12:31 PM
I've used IMR4198 as well. Same load 21.5 with a 55gr.

Switched to AA2230 though. Also used AA2520, 2460, and Varget. I try to save the Varget for my precision loads though.

morrow
01-24-2013, 12:40 PM
For 223 I use Benchmark. It's a very short extruded powder so it meters great and falls through the neck on the 223 into the case easily. No bridging problems.

CityHunt3r
01-24-2013, 12:47 PM
hmm not that many h335 hodgon lovers here huh?
im also curious as to what people use to load heavier rounds ike 60+

can anyone suggest?

atdski07
01-24-2013, 1:02 PM
Anyone use RL-15 for their 2.23/5.56 reloads?

AeroEngi
01-24-2013, 6:39 PM
hmm not that many h335 hodgon lovers here huh?
im also curious as to what people use to load heavier rounds ike 60+

can anyone suggest?

I've read and heard that BL-C2 and Varget both seem to do well with the heavier bullets.

skibuff
01-24-2013, 8:59 PM
Anyone use RL-15 for their 2.23/5.56 reloads?

I use it for my precision .308 rounds but have not tried it in the .223. I just picked up some 75gr bullets will probably use it with those. For 55gr I use RE7

NiteQwill
01-24-2013, 10:16 PM
H335 or TAC

For precision, I use H335, Varget, RL-15.

Trainman
02-13-2013, 8:53 PM
Winchester 748 with CCI 450 primers works good with 55 grn bullets. Meters great.
Alliant RE7 for 40-50 grn bullets is what I use for small animals. Meters ok.
I really like Hodgdon Benchmark for a lot of different applications.

ndllana
02-13-2013, 9:47 PM
check out mil surplus powder, it is about half price per keg

Where can I buy this powder?

Apex360
02-14-2013, 1:24 AM
Checkout CFE223

AeroEngi
02-14-2013, 4:15 PM
Checkout CFE223

What charge weight do you use with a 55 gr projectile with that powder?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

kmolles
02-14-2013, 5:57 PM
I load the same 21.5gr of IMR 4198 with satisfaction.

phish
02-14-2013, 6:18 PM
Anyone use RL-15 for their 2.23/5.56 reloads?

7 years and 4 barrels later, been more than satisfied with it

It works really well with Rem 7 1/2 primers in .223

Old Flash
02-14-2013, 7:33 PM
hmm not that many h335 hodgon lovers here huh?
im also curious as to what people use to load heavier rounds ike 60+

can anyone suggest?

I use H335 for my 223 loads for 52 & 55 bullets.
When shooting my service rifle, I use varget for 69 and up. BLC2 is also a good powder for heavy bullets.

atdski07
02-14-2013, 8:44 PM
I just did some 75gr hornady hpbt with RL-15, and some hornady 55gr with RL-10x, for me I got my best groups when working up those loads 75gr with 22.5 gr of RL-15 and the 55gr with 22.3 of RL-10x

Apex360
02-14-2013, 11:45 PM
What charge weight do you use with a 55 gr projectile with that powder?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

I'm running 26.6gr of cfe223, wolf small rifle magnum primer, and armscor 55gr fmj. Works well for me.

AeroEngi
02-15-2013, 12:05 AM
I'm running 26.6gr of cfe223, wolf small rifle magnum primer, and armscor 55gr fmj. Works well for me.

Awesome! Thanks for the reply. So it seems like 27 gr with a standard CCI SRP should do well.

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Apex360
02-15-2013, 12:48 AM
Awesome! Thanks for the reply. So it seems like 27 gr with a standard CCI SRP should do well.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

No problem.
Try it out and let us know how it goes.

damndave
02-15-2013, 1:03 AM
I like Varget and TAC. Want to give 8208 XBR a try too.

popeye4
02-15-2013, 1:59 PM
I use Vihtavuori N140 and N540. Meters well, very consistent, but getting pricey.

Beelzy
02-15-2013, 2:05 PM
H335.