powder for .223 in varied temperatures.

[TheTooner]

What powder(s) are suitable for .223 Remington and give consistent performance over a temperature range of -35 to +35 (C)? I'm going to have to make a batch of ammo soon and there's a good chance I'll still be shooting some of the same batch in the winter. Thanks.

(Cases are Winchester, from the whitebox stuff sold so cheaply at WalMart, and Remington UMC, bullets will be 45 and/or 55 grain, some goes in a NEF Handi-Rifle, some in a Savage 24F.)

 

[prosper]

varget has proven remarkably temperature stable for me, whereas Benchmark behind a heavy VLD has shown wide velocity swings in different temperatures

 

[Winnipeg Toymaker]

i use 3031 and have not noticed any difference at the colder temps. I have shot at our range when it was -25 and still performance was great.

 

[thebuckhunter]

Go with Varget. Very little velocity difference at either end of your temp range.

-Jason

 

[gushulak]

Varget is very insensitive in all my testing in .223Rem and especially .308Win, it would be my first choice, plus its a great powder for accurate loads!

 

[lcq]

Varget. It works with everything from 40 to 80gr bullets.

Brian

 

[Rod B]

In my .223 I have found that H322 performs better than any other I have tried.

That said WW748 runs a very close 2nd.

 

[smak_daddy]

Unless you are looking for super precision I suspect you won't notice the difference.

I developed all my coyote loads in +20 to +30 degree weather.

I shot all my coyotes in -5 to -40 degree weather.

The powder was H-380 in a 22-250. Definitly not a Hodgdon Extreme powder.
At 100 yards the POI was exactly the same in all of the above temperatures.

 

[prosper]

I've found that, with a 75 grain AMAX in a 223, a 30 degree temperature difference makes a 3-5" difference in POI at 100 yards with H-335, Benchmark, and IMR 4064. Virtually no difference with Varget

 

[TheTooner]

I'm not sure how much of a difference there might be, but I have heard of it happening, and I think temperature may have been a factor in some quirky behaviour of some .303British I made with H380 (not what I normally use for that cartridge) one summer and then fired in winter. But I can't be sure. Since I am now out of H380, I thought I might as well try something new and avoid the possibility.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will look for some Varget next.

 

[catnthehatt]

Any of the extreme powders by Hodgdon work fine, with Varget and H322 being very good....
Cat

 

[Mystic Precision]

I use Varget AND CCI 450 primers.

The reg SR primers WILL NOT WORK IN THE COLD.

Jerry

 

[smak_daddy]

I've found that, with a 75 grain AMAX in a 223, a 30 degree temperature difference makes a 3-5" difference in POI at 100 yards with H-335, Benchmark, and IMR 4064. Virtually no difference with Varget

3-5" change? Wow! I am not doubting your results at all. I guess I was just lucky. I never experienced anything like that. I was shooting 52 grain SX with a 22-250. If there was a differece at 100 yards it was under an inch.

 

[kombayotch]

Varget is temperature stable, but the lot-to-lot variation sucks. I'd go with H4895, you'll get higher velocities with the heavy VLD bullets.

 

[greentips]

I used H335 - the winter zero changes as the temperature rises in summer. The total change is about 2MOA.

Varget SUCKS in the dillon powder dispenser......I hate Varget.