WC735 ultimate max load for 223?

john777

john777

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Hey all!

I want to know so I can stay away from it. :)

I shot a few hundred rounds with this powder at around 24.8-25gn. Accuracy not so good (I think). I swear H335 was better. I was actually getting 1" groups at 100yards a few times when my skills were poorer since I was using brand new scope. After my skills honed in, I ran out of H335, so onto WC735 (I have 14 lbs of this stuff). I can't seem to get 1" groups any more with WC735. More like 1.5-2". I'm trying to work the load. I loaded some at 24, 24.5, 25.4, 25.5 and 26. Using 55gn Hornady FMJBT.

If anyone knows where to get these bullets for cheap, please PM me... I'm running low. Antione gunnutz ran out. :(

It's for a Norc M4.

Thanks!
 
Where did you get the numbers you started with? I can't find any references for the 223 and that powder. As for accuracy, have you given the barrel a good cleaning? It may be fouled up with brass etc.
 
A 14.5" AR shooting 2 minutes or less with bulk pack fmj bullets and the cheapest surplus powder on the market is just great!
If you want to try to tighten up your groups, switch to match grade bullets, and assemble your rounds using accuracy techniques.
Incidentally, with a sub-2 minute rifle, you could win a competition at the national level.
 
I've used WC-735 for blasting ammo in .223 and .30-06. It serves that purpose admirably. It does seem to give somewhat more erratic muzzle velocities (I easily saw 100fps differences in a string) than other powders, but there's really nothing wrong with that if you will be shooting it at 500 yards or closer.

Ditto on what tiriaq said on accuracy.

My AR-15 (unmodified factory Colt AR-15 Sporter) in an honest two and a quarter minute rifle (average size of ten shot groups). There's nothing wrong with it, it is a pretty fair representation of the sample.

To get better than 2MOA from an AR-15 you either need to be unusually lucky with a factory rifle, or you can have your rifle accurized or custom built. Properly built (good barrel, free floated handguard) an AR-15 can honestly give deeply-sub-MOA performance.

As to the OP's question I am sorry but I don't think I've loaded 55s; if you want I could look up how much WC735 I used for Armscor 62FMJBTs...? (which for what it is worth I purchased from Mystic Precision; I am quite happy with the price and with the performance of these bullets in "blasting ammo")
 
I had a brain cramp re your powder. I forgot it is surplus powder. Contact Andrew at Higginson he may have loading data for you.
 
2 MOA is perfectly acceptable accuracy for an M4-type rifle, particularly with bulk FMJ bullets. You would be better off burning powder working on your own shooting skill than shooting off the bench to develop a better load than what you are already getting.

I use 24.5 grains of WC 735 with a 55 grain FMJ for plinking ammo. Higginson's has some data for this powder in .223, with 24.9 grains as a maximum charge for 55 grain bullets.

I have had excellent results with Sierra 40 grain HPs and WC 735 out of my CZ 527. I used H335 data less 5% to work up a load capable of 0.6 MOA ten-shot groups.
 
Thanks all!

I started off at 24.8-25 since people say to start 5% less compared to H335. I was loading 24-24.5gn of H335, I just decided to not adjust powder dispenser on my Dillon when it measured under 25gn. My Lyman manual said max load for H335 is 27gn, thus I figure 26gn max with WC735 should be okay.

I'll look out for pressure signs when I use the 25.5gn and determine if I should use the 20rds @ 26gn.

Okay, I guess I'm doing pretty good with my M4. Hehe... A few people at my range that owns the same Norc M4 said they can do 1MOA. I actually was doing it a few times too when I was tweaking out my scope. I didn't have a proper rest at the time and it was hard to shoot. Never saw 1MOA again when I switched to WC735. I probably still have 13lbs of this stuff!

I think I cleaned my barrel after 200rds. Didn't do change anything as far as I can tell.

tjhaile: Is there a link on Higginson's site for reloading data? I can't seem to find it anywhere. Thx
 
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