- Location
- West Quebec
Favorite 223 powder
- Thread starter got to go
- Start date
KODIAK BEAR
Regular
- Location
- West of the Rockies, on an island.
^^^ Likewise. I use H335 and 55 grain FMJ and am very happy.
CreamySmooth
CGN frequent flyer
55 grn bullets with H335. Meters like a dream in a Dillon... Where Varget is too slow for me.
Thanks Gents, I have some 748 now I'll start with that, and see what I can find locally. That may be a challenge what with the shortages of many things. Looks like a good powder all around for being versatile. Good velocity and low pressure.
got to go, the 223 is a great little cartridge. Maybe it has something to do with its parent design the 30-06. No it doesn't use the 06 case but it shares an almost identical profile but smaller.
Some things just work no matter how hard folks try to screw them up. The 223rem or 5.56Nato cartridge is one of them. I have played a lot with this little gem. I have played with everything from Unique and 2400 pistol powders to 700X shotgun powder and close to a dozen different rifle powders from 4227 to H1000. All of them worked well with my test base of bulk 55gr Remington spire point bullets. I used magnum small rifle primers in IVI cases and loaded them all to the same OAL. I would do 100 rounds at a time. Of course this wasn't all with the same powder. I would make up 4 different loads of 5 rounds each to check over my Chrony. Then take them to the range for testing. Lots of different velocities and pressures as well as points of impact.
If you decide you want to try something like this make sure you start with the lightest load first and work your way up. Just common sense but I am always amazed at how many people just go straight to the max load in their manuals then add a bit more. If you have a tight enough chamber and a strong rifle of modern design it may be safe but if you don't know don't do it.
After all was said and done there were a lot of very suitable powders that were very close in performance. The two shining stars were BLC2 and Win748. Varget and 748 were almost identical. BLC2 gave me the best overall performance with the 55gr flat base Remington made spire points. I bought 10,000 bullets in bulk from an auction about 20 years ago. They were all from the same lot. They were very cheap. I paid under $200 for all of them after taxes and auction fees. I remember the auctioneer asking me how many 1000 count boxes I wanted at the price I had bid and I took all of them.
That was all I was interested in at that auction. There weren't any other firearms related articles at that farm auction so I paid up and left.
Anyway, if you can find the powder you like as well as the bullets you like all will be well.
The nice thing about the 223 is that depending on the rate of twist it will digest anything from 40 grain bullets up to over 100 grains and do it well.
It is fantastically versatile in that you can mix and match components and still get great results. If your pennies are tight it's amazing how well the cheapest stuff on the shelf shoots. If as you indicate hand load goes again, the cheapest stuff shoots very well and in most cases works just as well as the pricier components.
IMHO it's one of the best cartridges out there. With the proper bullets it takes Deer and even Black Bears out to a couple of hundred yards cleanly.
Some things just work no matter how hard folks try to screw them up. The 223rem or 5.56Nato cartridge is one of them. I have played a lot with this little gem. I have played with everything from Unique and 2400 pistol powders to 700X shotgun powder and close to a dozen different rifle powders from 4227 to H1000. All of them worked well with my test base of bulk 55gr Remington spire point bullets. I used magnum small rifle primers in IVI cases and loaded them all to the same OAL. I would do 100 rounds at a time. Of course this wasn't all with the same powder. I would make up 4 different loads of 5 rounds each to check over my Chrony. Then take them to the range for testing. Lots of different velocities and pressures as well as points of impact.
If you decide you want to try something like this make sure you start with the lightest load first and work your way up. Just common sense but I am always amazed at how many people just go straight to the max load in their manuals then add a bit more. If you have a tight enough chamber and a strong rifle of modern design it may be safe but if you don't know don't do it.
After all was said and done there were a lot of very suitable powders that were very close in performance. The two shining stars were BLC2 and Win748. Varget and 748 were almost identical. BLC2 gave me the best overall performance with the 55gr flat base Remington made spire points. I bought 10,000 bullets in bulk from an auction about 20 years ago. They were all from the same lot. They were very cheap. I paid under $200 for all of them after taxes and auction fees. I remember the auctioneer asking me how many 1000 count boxes I wanted at the price I had bid and I took all of them.
That was all I was interested in at that auction. There weren't any other firearms related articles at that farm auction so I paid up and left.
Anyway, if you can find the powder you like as well as the bullets you like all will be well.
The nice thing about the 223 is that depending on the rate of twist it will digest anything from 40 grain bullets up to over 100 grains and do it well.
It is fantastically versatile in that you can mix and match components and still get great results. If your pennies are tight it's amazing how well the cheapest stuff on the shelf shoots. If as you indicate hand load goes again, the cheapest stuff shoots very well and in most cases works just as well as the pricier components.
IMHO it's one of the best cartridges out there. With the proper bullets it takes Deer and even Black Bears out to a couple of hundred yards cleanly.
Varget has given me the best results. Used H335 found it ok, but no as good as varget. Started playing with CFE223 and have been having great results. 53gr Vmaxs for hunting 69gr's for 400/500 yards target.
CCI 400 and Rem 7.5's. Found th 7.5's a little better with the heavier bullets.
CCI 400 and Rem 7.5's. Found th 7.5's a little better with the heavier bullets.
I tryed the h355 and varget, it was ok . But the CFE223 and 53 g vmax were the cats azz. So good that I made a 1000 + of them
You punching paper with those vmax loads or are you set for a few years of yote bashing?
View attachment 44269
They're just sitting here waiting, and I'm getting antsy.
I wa punching paper only, not punching much of anything right now as I sold my XCR and am waiting for my MV.
They're just sitting here waiting, and I'm getting antsy.
I really happy with varget in my 223 here
varget 26.8
65gr GK
CCI 450
LC brass
This is my load that I used most of the summer. Its kind of getting my feet wet in long range shooting, (to me) with really good results. 490,550 and 715yds. This summer Im going to be trying out varget and 69gr TMK's and Im hoping that they work just as good.
So varget works for me and Im glad cause I got 12+ pounds of it to play around with.
varget 26.8
65gr GK
CCI 450
LC brass
This is my load that I used most of the summer. Its kind of getting my feet wet in long range shooting, (to me) with really good results. 490,550 and 715yds. This summer Im going to be trying out varget and 69gr TMK's and Im hoping that they work just as good.
So varget works for me and Im glad cause I got 12+ pounds of it to play around with.
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
55's with H335.
- Location
- West Quebec
tagged for sure
thepolinator
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Sudbury, ON
I like w748
