223 With a 55 Gr CB w/ GC Load

[Daxione]

Greetings All Wise ones:

I recently purchased a Howa M1500 Varminter with a heavy barrel. I am looking for a noce group shooting load with a 55 grain cast lead bullet that is sized 0.224 with a gas check applied.

Many years ago, I had a load for another gun, 19.8 grains of what my father called military ball powder. That load was sweet, 1.0-1.5" groups at 100 yards, everytime. Unfortunately, our powder supply dried up and I do not know the commercial equivalent.

Anyway, back to the subject, does anyone have a really nice shooting 223 load for this bullet, it is a Lyman 225462 (?).

Thanks,
Dave
:castmine:

[Wally]

In my Rem 700 .223 I use the RCBS .22 Cal bullet with a GC...I use 8.0 grains of Unique to obtain 2,100 MV...it is quite accurate and I can consitently hit a 3" plate at 250 yards if the wind is light, with it. Also have a .22-250 Rem 700 Varmintmaster---using eth same bullet I get a wee bit more accuracy, probably due to the thick target barrel.

[Bullshop]

I have some milsurp powder I got from Jef Bartlet at GI brass a number of years ago.
The bottles are marked 30/06 ball. Later this powder became WC-852 I believe.
The commercial equivalent is without doubt H-450.
Wc 852 and H-450 are slow enough that you could not over charge a 223 case with any bullet/boolit weight. It would be a very gentle push on a boolit which is good. It may leave some unburned powder in the bore but that may not necessarily be bad.
BIC/BS

[Calamity Jake]

My cast AR load is Rcbs 22-055(very close to your Lyman) and 17.5 AA 2015.
I also have them same Lyman but my AR doesn't like it.

[Daxione]

Thanks guys, I have some starting points now. I am a fan of 2400 powder, use it in the 30-30, 30-06, 357 mag and my 3" 410 shells. Was hoping someone might know something with this powder as well.

[ChuckS1]

What twist is your barrel?

[joejr]

my cast ar load is rcbs 22-55 fp 21 grains of imr 4064 1 in 9" twist

[JIMinPHX]

10 grains of 2400 has been working well for me.

You should really try to look up these three threads -
http://www.castpics.net/memberarticles/Cast%20in%20the%20.223.htm
http://www.castpics.net/memberarticles/Cast%20in%20the%20.223,%20Part%20II.htm
http://www.castpics.net/memberarticles/Cast%20in%20the%20.223,%20Part%20III.htm

[Daxione]

ChuckS1: The Howa has a 1 in 12 twist

joejr: IMR 4064, I do not have that powder, but I will write it down for my AR as well. Any cycling problems?

JIMinPHX: I tried 8, 9 and 10.7 grs 2400, best group I could do was 8" at 100 yards. Horrible at best in my opinion. Ironically, I gave some of the 10.7 grain loads to my father to shoot from his Sako, and they shot a 3" group at 100 yards. Go figure. ---> Good article too, thanks

Dave

PS: With Factory Remington 55gr FMJ, the group is about 1.5" @ 100 yds, so I know the gun will do it, I just need to find the right stuff to do it with.

[joejr]

daxione, they all land about 10' away in a 5' circle.i lube with liquid Xlox,install gas checks and size to .225". i then lube with jpw, let them dry a couple days and load. minute of apple.
joejr

[Daxione]

joejr:

Thanks, I have a Bushmaster that needs to be fed regularly.