.40 .223 .308 powder & primer combination

[firemanjoe]

I reload mostly plinking ammo because it saves me money and I enjoy doing it.

I reload .40 180gr tmj that I shoot out of a glock23 and glock27. .223 55gr fmj that I shoot out of a 16" ar15 and lastly I reload .308 150gr boat tail that I shoot out of a Remington 700 sps tactical.

My question is what kind of powder and primer combinations are you using? Any experiences, good or bad and what works for you?

[huckberry668]

Powder matters not much, primers matter even less but economy matters when it comes to plinking. So pick more economic powders like Clays or W231 for pistol and H322 for both rifle rounds. More rounds per pound than other slower burning powders. Check out the load data for your bullet weight and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Powder & primer prices are about the same except for 'match grade primers' and Vihtavuori brand powders. W231 isn't the most economical but it's best all round powder for many other calibers you may pick up later.

[Pete1979]

The best combo I have found for my SPS tactical is 42gr of Rl-15 and a 168gr sierra match king with either CCI 200 or Federal 210 primers. It is also Sierra's "accuracy load" but I get the best results seating the bullet out to 2.885. If you load for both 223 and 308, try Bl-C2 as it meters awesome out of progressives.

[Fjold]

You can save some by buying powder in bulk. BL(c)-2 is one of the lower cost powders and work great in both the 5.56 and the 308.

[J-cat]

I like to hit what I aim at, so powder primers and projectiles do matter.

I don't load alot of 40, but when I do I use 3.5grs of WST or Tightgroup with 180XTPs and FC or WSP primers. This como shoots accurately out of inaccurate guns, so I like it.

[huckberry668]

I like to hit what I aim at, so powder primers and projectiles do matter.

I don't load alot of 40, but when I do I use 3.5grs of WST or Tightgroup with 180XTPs and FC or WSP primers. This como shoots accurately out of inaccurate guns, so I like it.

All these years trying to accurize my guns were a waste of time I guess... Accurate ammo makes inaccurate guns shoot accurately? Please do explain.

[J-cat]

It shoots 1" at 15 yards from guns that shoot factory ammo and 90% of handloads into 2-3" at 15 yards.

I didn't say that accurizing guns is a waste of time. I didn't even suggest it. But in your case, well...

[bcrich]

The only primers I've had trouble with we're Tula small pistol in my glock 17, I was getting way too many light strikes switched back to winchester and problem went away.

[huckberry668]

It shoots 1" at 15 yards from guns that shoot factory ammo and 90% of handloads into 2-3" at 15 yards.

I didn't say that accurizing guns is a waste of time. I didn't even suggest it. But in your case, well...

My point is, your original statement makes no scientific sense. either the 1" group was a fluke or your guns have much better mechanical accuracy potential than the ammo you ran thru them.

the claim is invalid if you shot them unsupported offhand.

[J-cat]

I shot them off the bench. And my claim is valid, because the load shoots consistently day after day, month after month. What you need to realize is that while accurate guns are easy to tune, inaccurate guns are not impossible to tune. And, just because you have accurate gun, it don't mean it will shoot teeny groups with any load you slap together, no matter how precise your technique or how awesome your components are.