The Firearms Forum banner

Favorite 223 powder?

3110 Views 20 Replies 17 Participants Last post by  218bee
I have loaded many thousands of hand gun rounds, but I have no experience loading for rifles. Is there a generally favored powder for 223 rounds? I will be using once fired brass (223 not 5.56) on a Dillon 550b, using 55 grain FMJ. Thanks.
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
RL10X, that is what my rifle likes with my preferred bullets
Lots and lots of good powders for the 223/5.56. Loading on your Dillon you might want to go with a easy metering ball/spherical powder. I have good luck with AA 2230/X-Terminater and Win 748 for lighter bullets, for medium to heavy bullets I like TAC and AA 2520.
I have to second the WIN 748 suggestion for 55 gr bullets.
Thanks for all of the suggestions. Looking at the product discriptions of all of them they all seem to be well suited. I will order a pound of 2 or 3 of them and test them out. (Provided someone gets some powder and primers in stock)
IMR 4198 is my fav.
AA2460
win 748
ramshot tac
Running a progressive is easiest with a spherical propellant. and i can think of nothing better for 55 grain .223 loads than W748
I use a single stage. and i weigh out each charge. what I use is Varget. in my .223
Hodgdon Benchmark is what mainly use with my 55gr V-MAXs
Use imr 4198 when can't find benchmark
I've had great results with IMR4895 and H335.
G
I found that 748 gave irratic velocities over 85deg out side temp.

I use H4895 in my ar and VVN133 for my 700. If I can't use VVN133 I go to R10x.
I use H335 with 55 grain FMJ bullets. Fine granulation and meters well thru what ever I use. Got my first load data from American Rifleman and never switched. Don't be like me and over-crimp and have to re-do them.
748 is a very common one, the military used/uses it for many loads,

I don't have a favorite yet but AA 2230 is what I've been using lately and love it; it meters well enough and fills the case perfectly.
aa1911, thanks for the reply. 2230 is one of the first ones I am going to try. I am planning to start at 23.5 laods with a 55 gr. FMJ. Is this close to what you have found to be the best amount?
aa1911, thanks for the reply. 2230 is one of the first ones I am going to try. I am planning to start at 23.5 laods with a 55 gr. FMJ. Is this close to what you have found to be the best amount?
What rifle? 223 Rem or 5.56 Nato?

AA 2230 has changed over the past couple years. It is best to use up to data recently pressure tested data. That would be Accurate Powder's New Version 3.5.
http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/accurate_load_data_3.5.pdf

According to Accurate your 23.5gr is at Max with some bullets and well above Min for others. Depending on your bullet I would start closer to 22gr and work up.
I prefer H335 for progressive but when I load on my single stage presses I really like Varget it fills up the case making the visual inspection a breeze and very difficult to overcharge.
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top