Powder for 223 Rem. What are my options?

PoFF

PoFF

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I'm planning to start reloading the .223 cartridge for an autoloading rifle (namely a 11.5" AR). From what I saw in my manual, many choices of powder are available to me. I prefer using any of hodgdon powder because I have an easy and cheap access to them.

My main objective is to get a clean burning powder, to reduce the carbon deposits in the reciever and gas tube.

Also, I was wondering if one of these powders would be more suited for short barrel use, in terms of cycling reliability.

Finally, I'm a muzzle flash psycho, so It would be nice to have a nice flame coming out of the barrel, but that's optional ;)

So, what powder woule be the best for me. As I said, I would prefer any hodgdon, but i'll consider other brands too.

Thanks for any advice.
PoFF
 
Can't tell you about flash. RL15 burns very cleanly (much more so than say 4895), and apparently has additives that help reduce copper fouling (I've found that its use does make copper removal faster). Used for sniping work in the US military. Of course, it isn't a Hodgdon powder.

In the Hodgdon line, BLC2 looks like the winner. You should get almost perfect case filling (near 100% capacity) with a number of bullet weights while using the AR15 OAL, and it meters well.
 
BLC-2 is a great powder, especially in a .223. It meters very well compared to Varget if you are using a progressive to feed your AR. BLC-2 is a ball powder so is meters like water, Varget is a stick type, but cut fairly short. That being said, it doesn't meter as well as BLC-2. Varget isn't as flashy as BLC-2, but I have to admit I've never tried it in such a short barrel. Both burn very clean and are wonderful powders. I find Varget works well with heavy bullets in .223.
 
I am current using H4198 for the 55 gr load in 223. I find the BLC2 fouls the barrel too easily in my 308 application.

I am planning to switch both my .223 (moving up to the 69 gr bullets) and .308 to Varget as soon as I use up my BLC2 powder.

Danny
 
Varget is great with heavy bullets and long barrels but it is a slow powder and I find it heats up the barrel too much if you are firing quickly.

Brian
 
WC735 surplus from higginsons.....4lbs is around $60, should last quite a while. I've had good success with it.
 
Geez, more info in your guys posts that I would have hoped for. Thanks for the tips, it's really appreciated.

Given the short lenght of the barrel, I guess that the use of a powder that burns slightly faster such as H355 would be more appropriate or is my guess all wrong?

PoFF
 
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