Powder... So Many Choices...

A

AndrewNS

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Hey guys, first off, let me say that I love these fourms... What an incredible wealth of knowledge at all of our disposals.

I am getting set up for re-loading and I am going to place my order for the components to build my first 1000 rounds tomorrow. Here's what I have picked out so far:

Bullets - All Hornady, All .224

V-Max - 40gr.
V-Max - 50gr.
V-Max - 53gr.
V-Max - 55gr.
V-Max - 60gr.
Match BTHP - 52gr.
Match BTHP - 68gr.
A-Max - 52gr.
Varmint HP - 60gr.
Varmint SPSX - 55gr.

I am ordering 10 different packages of 100 so that I can explore a wide variety in load development to try to find out what my rifle actually likes.


Primers

CCI Benchrest BR-4 Small Rifle, 1000



Now, the part that I can't decide on. What powder should I get???????

I have it narrowed down to these ones, all Hodgdon powders:

Extruded options:

H322
Benchmark
Varget (I know that a lot of guys like Varget, but it is not recommended for lighter gr. weight bullets, any experience with Varget down to 40gr.?)

Spherical Options:

CFE223
H335
BL-C(2)


Keep in mind that my bullet gr. weight varies between 40gr and 68gr, and I only want to get one powder to start with so that I can keep everything but the bullet weight consistant so the powder that I order has to work with all of those weights.

I will be using this powder only to load .223 cartridges, so versatility to other cartridges is not of utmost importance, but if the powder selected also happened to work well in a .243 cartridge that would be a bonus.
 
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Ishodu said:
I use varget in my savage 223 all the way down to 36g VGs and it works good but the case is really full kind of a pain really. I have also had good luck with BLC2.
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Ok, now there is another option... Thanks... lol

I looked at the BL-C(2) but thought that I had enough options already, but I added it to the list above for consideration.
 
c-fbmi said:
You may wish to look at Win 748 as well, it was designed for 223, 308 etc. and works very well in these "capacity to bore relationship" cartridges.
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My order is part of a group order that we are getting from Higginson Powders, they only sell Hodgdon Powder from what I can find on their website...
 
26.2gr of varget with a 40gr v-max was my "go to" load for my savage axis in .223 shot very well.
same bullet with Win 748 26.5gr shot just as well. 748 is a ball powder and meters well, my personal preferance is still with Varget.

almost all my .223 loads using varget have been "crunchy" I now use 75gr hornady match bullets with 23.7gr of varget (not in the axis) and it's pretty compressed.
 
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fred0000 said:
26.2gr of varget with a 40gr v-max was my "go to" load for my savage axis in .223 shot very well.
same bullet with Win 748 26.5gr shot just as well. 748 is a ball powder and meters well, my personal preferance is still with Varget.
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With the Varget, does 26.2 gr. fill the case too much making it difficult to get the bullet in? Varget would be my first choice, since it will work well in the .243, .260, and .308 also.
 
26 of Varget is very crunchy seating a 69gr SMK... I don't think it would be quite as bad with a smaller pill.

You could also try 4198, 4895 or H335.
 
AndrewNS said:
With the Varget, does 26.2 gr. fill the case too much making it difficult to get the bullet in? Varget would be my first choice, since it will work well in the .243, .260, and .308 also.
Click to expand...

you can hear it crunch but it's not overly compressed, I agree it is nice to have one powder for various loads.
happy reloading
 
I like the Varget with 69 SMK and Hornady 75 HPBT. It really depends on the twist rate of your rifle barrel.
Mine is 1-9 so around 52-55gr and lower, and higher than 77 gr, accuracy falls off based on the particular length design per gr. weight.
 
AndrewNS said:
My order is part of a group order that we are getting from Higginson Powders, they only sell Hodgdon Powder from what I can find on their website...
Click to expand...

The powder PDF has 3 pages, Hodgdon is on the 1st one, they have IMR, Winchester and VV powders too, maybe not in stock tho.

For 223 I use their surplus WC735, works great
 
So far, I have 5 votes for Varget, 1 for H335, 1 for Benchmark, and 2 for BL-C(2)

Anyone else want to weigh in? It seems like Varget is the favourite of .223 loaders.
 
AndrewNS said:
So far, I have 5 votes for Varget, 1 for H335, 1 for Benchmark, and 2 for BL-C(2)

Anyone else want to weigh in? It seems like Varget is the favourite of .223 loaders.
Click to expand...

Varget always seems to get the nod when it comes to the 223. I have had great luck with Benchmark and have tried BLC-2 with OK results, but I had a greater ES and SD with it so I stuck to Benchmark. Benchmark and Varget are also Extreme powders that have a more consistant burn rate reguardless of temperature. This might be a factor in your case or maybe not. I have yet to try Varget and I`m interested to see what all the fuss is about.

George
 
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