Alliant AR-COMP Powder

[golfish]

Hey fellas, happy Friday to you all..
So I've been doing some reading on loading .223 for an AR-15. I have some Varget, 4064 and AR-Comp. I'd like to start with the AR-Comp but there's just not a whole lot of data on this stuff.

Alliant says 25.6 for the 55 grain HPBT (from what I've read, Alliants numbers are max load)
I'm using 55 grain FMJ Xtream bullets and plan to start with 23.5 grains of powder.

I looked on the Xtream website and found nothing on the bullet. I really couldn't get any thing from their site.

If you have a link to more data and other info I sure would appreciate it.

Thank you

[Tommy Gun]

I've found for most powders for 223 25gr is a good point for velocity. I'd use 25 as a half point and go .3 above and below for your ladders. Now chasing velocity can be frustrating when it comes to accuracy but your 55s are good for fast velocity. 55s from a 16" should be around 2700 or so. Sure you can find an accuracy node at 2400 or 2500, but if you want a decent round it needs to be going faster.

[golfish]

I've found for most powders for 223 25gr is a good point for velocity. I'd use 25 as a half point and go .3 above and below for your ladders. Now chasing velocity can be frustrating when it comes to accuracy but your 55s are good for fast velocity. 55s from a 16" should be around 2700 or so. Sure you can find an accuracy node at 2400 or 2500, but if you want a decent round it needs to be going faster.

Thank you sir...
I've got some more reading to do

[TomReloaded]

You can safely use hpbt data for other fairly similar profiles, like Xtremes, as long as the weight and basic jacket-over-lead configuration is the same. Don't sub data for coppers or anything like that.

25.6 is your *223* max in a bolt gun. It's below NATO spec in an AR. I would toss 24.0gr in to start... In my experience, mid 223 charges are reliable and tend to be more accurate than max or NATO. If you really want the velocity you're safe to work up to max. You'll likely run out of case capacity before you see pressure signs, but still be mindful of published maxes. A 16" AR will push a 55gr past 3100 fps, and often accuracy is around 2900ish.

[Tommy Gun]

Good points Tom. It's crazy how different rifles and barrels can show different info. I prob went a little conservative on my loads, especially with 55gr. Or my chrono is off, or too far from the muzzle (usually about 2 to 3 yards), but even then not sure how much FPS is lost in that distance.

Googling about max velocities from store bought manufactured ammo from 55gr to 77gr varies but also from my rounds, but I went conservative based on numbers.

Loaded up some 69gr RMR HPs with 2520 and at 25.6 had one pierced primer out of 10 and got around 2720 FPS. So went to 25.4 and called it a day. I bought H335 for my next powder for my 62s and I think I'm going to try to push them to 2800 to 2900 as H335 seems a good powder to get high velocities. Right now my 62s ate only getting 2600 to 2700, man seems I bitched out on trying for higher. They are accurate for a stock S&W MP15 AR barrel but man I can get much more out of my rounds. Reloading books keep their ranges so conservative for obvious reasons but missing out on 300 extra FPS leaves a lot of range and accuracy on the table, unless stock ammo powder is formulated to create that higher pressure and burn time to lag with more powder. H335 will allow me to try for close to 3k with 62s, but I will ladder up cautiously.

[TomReloaded]

Did you use federal srp's? Piercing is usually a butter soft fed!

[Tommy Gun]

Remington 6.5s (I think those are the SRPs)

[Tommy Gun]

Bah and LC Brass. Wish they added edit post functions for this forum on a phone.