IMR8208XBR for .223 ?

[cranebird]

I bought a can since I just had to buy something, it was a toss up between H322 and this and I grabbed this first. I wish they had the LT-32 in but no such luck. The person behind the counter at the gun shop tried to tell me it wasn't that great of a powder ? If it is used for benchrest, it should be suitable for small caliber like the .223 or am I wrong again ?

[rotts4u]

Its a fine powder for 223 and even 308 as well. Go to this link and there you will find loads for 8208 and 223
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com

[roachm]

Its all I use for my 20" ar15. Does well with 55gr vmax.

[cranebird]

Does this powder smell different or am I wrong ? My allergies are running rampant right now something is different.

[BoilerUP]

8208XBR works *great* in 223 and 223AI.

I run 23.5gr (note: above Hodgdon 223 book max) under a 77gr CC in a 18" 1:8 5.56 AR as my "throw and go" default load, and last time I went shooting my dope at 650yd put me at 2740fps...and accuracy is easily sub-MOA.

[rcar112]

I buy all I can find. Works very well in my Model 12 26" barrel.
23.6 - 23.8 gr
69gr SMK
2.315+
1" @ 200

[cranebird]

To be honest I am struggling a bit with this powder. It is fun so it's not a bad thing. I'm testing with a 53 gr Hornady V Max bullet, hornady brass, WSR primer.24.5 gr gave me a .364" shot group at 100 yards but as I continue to increase the powder charges, the groups are stringing vertically on me? I am leaving 5 minutes time frame between shots do it is not a barrel heating issue. I feel I need to increase the powder because it's leaving a carbon ring on the necks at 24.5 gr. The ring is slowly disappearing but the groups are stringing. I re tested the 24.5 gr with lengthening the oal out another .020 "and it shot a .379" group. Would you keep working up or work on the OAL ??? I'm thinking of decreasing the OAL or increasing the bullet weight to 55 gr bullet and see if the change can expand the neck a bit more. Yes, I'm lost. Lol.

[BoilerUP]

I would add that my experience with 8208XBR in my 5.56 and 223AI is that best accuracy typically comes near peak pressures, often at or slightly above book max.

[rcar112]

I am relatively new to reloading and 8208xbr. My rifle seems to like a little heavier bullet with the xbr.
60 gr hornady
23.3 gr xbr
2.225
Shoots 1/2" @ 100 yds. Have not shot @ 200 yet. For some reason the lighter bullets shoot well short and the heavies like to be way out there .... will shoot this next weekend with 69 gr !@ 2.355

[FW Conch]

crane bird, if your talking about a factory Savage rifle printing .364" and .379" groups on a regular basis, it may challenge your sanity to try to improve on that. Of course, if your shooting a high end build in competition, that's another matter.

I use a full book load of 8208 in my 250 Savage, shooting 80grn TTSX's, through an A&B barrel, and that little baby is a "laser beam"! 1" 5 shot groups at 200yds. Took my buck last year at 165yds, "DRT"! I love the stuff. I'm gonna see how many other chambering's I can make it work in.

Good Luck :)........Jim

[cranebird]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I am really rather slow at working up through with the .223 caliber since my previous reloading pressure problem. Now they are tightening back up nicely again as the powder charges climb up the chart. Thought I would bounce it off someone new rather than bug Boots to death as I have been doing. Lol. I'm at 2.260" for a Oal right now, the Hornady manual had 2.200" listed for this bullet. I get the bullet length at .824." I guess I will continue to work on up until I start seeing signs of high pressure and then see what grouped the best below it and then start lengthening out the bullet to see what happens.

[cranebird]

crane bird, if your talking about a factory Savage rifle printing .364" and .379" groups on a regular basis, it may challenge your sanity to try to improve on that. Of course, if your shooting a high end build in competition, that's another matter.

I use a full book load of 8208 in my 250 Savage, shooting 80grn TTSX's, through an A&B barrel, and that little baby is a "laser beam"! 1" 5 shot groups at 200yds. Took my buck last year at 165yds, "DRT"! I love the stuff. I'm gonna see how many other chambering's I can make it work in.

Good Luck :)........Jim

Yes, it is a plain Jane out of the box Axis with a trigger mod. I am extremely happy with this rifles accuracy.For an update,I slowly worked up to 26.0 gr.24.5,24.6,24.7 gr gave my axis the best groups. I was going to go beyond 26.0gr but listed max is 25.4 at the manufacturers site, I found it is 2.419" to the landings with this 53 gr Vmax bullet. I went out as far as 2.400" on OAL and most likely it is me but I could not tell that it grouped any better or not.....it didn't have any negative effects either so it's all good.