What powders are best for .223 Remington?

[Bill2905]

I have been loading the .223 for about a year now and have limited myself to using Winchester 748, mainly because it's available and most load data includes it. I'm going to get a new chronograph and start doing some load development. I would like to try something different and would like your recommendations on which powders really excel with this cartridge. My guns are 1:9 twist Savages and I currently shoot a lot of Sierra 52 Match King, Sierra 69 Match King and the Hornady 53 V-Max. I wouldn't mind trying some other bullets as well if you want to share your favorites.

Thanks

[GaryB]

The powder and bullet combination I have had the best results with was H-335 and the Speer 52gr HP.
Small groups. Can't speak to velocity because I don't have a crono.

[celltech]

In my 9 twist Savage I tend to just shoot the 53 Vmax and 69 TMK. 25gr of Varget with the 69 gets ~2900 fps and 26gr of H4895 gets the 53 moving at 3295 fps.

[Ted_Feasel]

I have been loading the .223 for about a year now and have limited myself to using Winchester 748, mainly because it's available and most load data includes it. I'm going to get a new chronograph and start doing some load development. I would like to try something different and would like your recommendations on which powders really excel with this cartridge. My guns are 1:9 twist Savages and I currently shoot a lot of Sierra 52 Match King, Sierra 69 Match King and the Hornady 53 V-Max. I wouldn't mind trying some other bullets as well if you want to share your favorites.

ThanksAlot of rifles will like different powder at different nodes but on NATO pressure 5.56 loads I've had excellent results from IMR 8208 XBR and still good results from H335

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[Ted_Feasel]

I have been loading the .223 for about a year now and have limited myself to using Winchester 748, mainly because it's available and most load data includes it. I'm going to get a new chronograph and start doing some load development. I would like to try something different and would like your recommendations on which powders really excel with this cartridge. My guns are 1:9 twist Savages and I currently shoot a lot of Sierra 52 Match King, Sierra 69 Match King and the Hornady 53 V-Max. I wouldn't mind trying some other bullets as well if you want to share your favorites.

ThanksAlso maybe try out some hornady 62 gr ss109.. they shoot great out of a variety of twist ratio... size of the drive band seems to make a big difference.

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[CFJunkie]

I tried 52 gr to 69 grains with my new 1:9 12 FV. It did really well with the 69 grain bullets that I tried so far.

The data is posted on this forum under the title of
First results with new 12 FV .223 (http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?63914-First-results-with-new-12-FV-223)
I have just started to load for it.
I have found from other .223 rifles, a CZ 527 Varmint 1:9 twist and a Les Baer Super Varmint AR .223 1:8 twist that heavier bullets seem to like slower powders that would be appropriate for a .308. I got better results with faster powders with the lighter bullets.


I'll be updating the page with results from a range session tomorrow morning. I will be shooting 52 gr, 55 gr, 68 grain and 69 grain bullets from different manufacturers.

[CBIshooter]

I've read thousands of loads with h335 but never tried it myself. Reloader 15 AR comp cfe223 has done very well for me. I'm using cfe223 right now in Compass Lake engineering AR with 77 grain smk... half inch at a hundred yards easy.

[Ted_Feasel]

I've read thousands of loads with h335 but never tried it myself. Reloader 15 AR comp cfe223 has done very well for me. I'm using cfe223 right now in Compass Lake engineering AR with 77 grain smk... half inch at a hundred yards easy.I personally use imr 8208 xbr and h335 but have many friends that swear by rl15 and cfe:)

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[mudpig]

BLC-(2) is another one to try if you are using the 55+ grain bullets weights

[Ted_Feasel]

It may be all in my head but I seem to have best results using powders the give 95-105% case capacity while still staying a tad below max node.. in other words, near or slightly compressed loads.

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[Ted_Feasel]

It may be all in my head but I seem to have best results using powders the give 95-105% case capacity while still staying a tad below max node.. in other words, near or slightly compressed loads.

Sent from my SM-N960U using TapatalkExample is on my 6.5 grendel, for 123gr ELD I use 28gr varget... 29gr is max load but 28gr is still slightly compressed.. again it may be that I'm making connections that are not there but all my rifles seem to so well like that.

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[Robinhood]

I have had good luck with these powders.
Lighter bullets; H335
Heavier bullets; R15 and Varget.

[Ryfulman]

I
In my 9 twist Savage I tend to just shoot the 53 Vmax and 69 TMK. 25gr of Varget with the 69 gets ~2900 fps and 26gr of H4895 gets the 53 moving at 3295 fps.

I love the 53 grain vmax. I’ve ya the perfect varmint bullet as it has a high bc and it’s devastating on impact. In my 22-250 they’ll put 10 into a half inch at 100. Could be the perfect varmint bullet.

[Ted_Feasel]

I

I love the 53 grain vmax. I’ve ya the perfect varmint bullet as it has a high bc and it’s devastating on impact. In my 22-250 they’ll put 10 into a half inch at 100. Could be the perfect varmint bullet.In my 1/12 I've had great results from vmax as well and just recently out of curiosity I loaded some up with hornady 62gr ss109 and at 200 yards they were still printing 1/4 to 1/2 in.. 1/4moa and under. That's a load I'm going to stock up a few on to keep on standby

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[Dave Hoback]

Nm

[Robinhood]

Gave a Pmag full of these to my brother in law before he was deployed, and he used them in combat. They provided a quite noticeable increase in “Boom n’ Blast”! I can only hope that a round I reloaded tore the face off some Jihadist Muslim looking to meet his false god!

:o :behindsofa: :focus:

[Ted_Feasel]

I didnt ask earlier and probably should have but are you looking for rem 223 loads or 5.56 NATO loads.. many assume the 2 are the same but they are not.. dimension wise they are the same but 5.56 NATO operates at higher pressure and isnt really safe to use in something chambered for just 223 unless it's like 223 wylde.

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[reddeluxe]

I use and have used W748 for over 20 years in .223 Rem., especially for bullets from 50 through 62 grains in weight. It meters extremely consistently. In many published reloading manuals it is noted as the most accurate powder tested in the weight range of bullets mentioned. Some have mentioned it being temperature sensitive, but living in the Southeastern US, I have not experienced it; other locales with greater temp swings may be different. I have noticed that current reloading manuals seem to be very conservative on the max 748 powder charges recommended for .223 Rem., compared to older ones, sometimes up to 1.5 grains difference. I am NOT recommending exceeding listed max powder charges; just pointing out this discrepancy. Powder experts say that 748 has a bit slower burning rate to be truly optimal for .223, but that because of this, it is slightly easier on chamber throats than 335, Varget, CFE223, RL 15, etc. I have an older Savage 110FP (stiffened and bedded Tupperware factory stock, 1 lb. aftermarket trigger, 24" 1 in 12 twist factory barrel, 32 power scope) that will consistently shoot 1 inch groups @ 300 yards in good wind conditions, using 50 grain Hornady V Max bullets with 748 @ slightly over 3300fps. https://imgur.com/rrdPvUj Federal GM Match primer, fully BR prepped and weight sorted Lapua case, slightly above currently listed max powder charge.

[Ted_Feasel]

I love w748, I've used it in 308 win, 5.56, 223, 6.5 grendel and it has worked well in all of them. I use 25.4 gr with 62gr hornady ss109 but that is a NATO pressure load in a 5.56 NATO chambered rifle. I'll have to experiment with some 223 rem and 223 service loads in my wylde chamber and see what works:)

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[reddeluxe]

+1, Ted. Here's another group @ 100yards, same recipe, but with Nosler Ballistic Tip. Have used a newer Savage 12 with a 9 twist barrel to shoot a sub 3 inch 5 shot group at 600 yards @ the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Complex range using 60 grainers. https://imgur.com/68AMjV0