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Thread: Pet 223 Loads

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Pet 223 Loads

    Would anyone here care to share your pet 223 loads? I'm no newby to reloading or to the 223 but I'm about to rebarrel one of my 223 Varmint rifles and I am interested in exploring some other powders. My varmint load is BL-C2 and one of the plastic tip 50-55 grain bullets. They all shoot well but Sierra shoots slightly smaller groups. My target load is the same BL-C2 powder and a 69 grain SMK. I've shot most of the Hodgdon and IMR powders that are suitable in the 223. Quite frankly, I find it hard to find a 223 load that does not shoot well. I load a lot of 223's and prefer a ball or flake powder that will flow well through a powder measure. I'll go with a 1 in 9 twist. So, what are your favorites? Thanks for the replys!

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Jack Stanley's Avatar
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    Lyman 55-60 grain cast with 4.2 grains of 700X or same weight range with 3.2 of Bullseye .

    Jack
    Buy it cheap and stack it deep , you may need it !

    Black Rifles Matter

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    Hick's Avatar
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    Lyman 225646 (about 58 grains) gas-checked, with 5.8 grains of either HP-38 or W231. My 223 rem loves it-- runs about 1700 fps and consistently produces less than half inch groups at 50 yards (5 shot groups).
    Hick: Iron sights!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master flyingmonkey35's Avatar
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    Lee 55 gr cast powder coated no/gc over 6 grn of trail boss.

    Bolt action savage. Hits every time at over 100 yards. 6 inch steel gong.

    Will not cycle a AR.

    Sent from my N9560 using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    USMC 77, USRA 79


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    Lee Bator over 6gr red Dot is real cool for my bolt 223 will not cycle an AR, and dies have real nice recoil
    Any technology not understood, can seem like Magic!!!

    I will love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind.

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Thanks for the replys everyone. I'm not sure if I am going to cast for this rifle or not. I'm still on the fence.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Hornady 60 gr V-Max, 26.0 grs CFE-223, R-P brass, 2.250 OAL. Used in my Ruger American Ranch Rifle.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    Ive had excellent luck with:
    speer hp and alliant pro varmint
    Hornady 55 sp and benchmark
    But like you said it doesnt seem hard to find a good load for 223.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master


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    25-27.5 grains of Varget under any flavor from 45-65. Tried lots of combinations for years 223/5.56 is the only rifle I loaded for never found anything as consistent and accurate as Varget. Not always the fastest but fastest don’t always mean best. I’ve used this combo for ground squirrel to woodchuck to turkey to coyotes to small deer, and to slaughter hogs. Also have several 30 caps that do extremely well with with Varget and some larger bores as well so it helps consolidate powders!

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Another fan of Varget!

    Team it up with any bullet that suits you and the rifling twist and you ought to have a go to load. I hear you about powder metering and the stick powders. Varget will not win any awards in that category, that is for sure.

    TAC was braggedup once to me and it sure slides through a measure nice, I did not get warm and fuzzy about the accuracy, perhaps I need to work with it more?

    Best regards

    Three44s

  11. #11
    Banned
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    Rifles: Steyr Scout, Savage BVSS, both 9" twist.

    25 grains Vihtavouri N140 behind either V-Max 60 grains or Sierra HPBT 69 grain.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master oldhenry's Avatar
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    My "walk about" prairie dog gun: Rem 700 action, Krieger 24" bbl. .70"@ muzzle, 1-14 twist with stock I made.

    Hornady 55 gr. Vmax, WSR, 23.0 gr. H322 & Winchester or Rem brass with snug primer pocket.

    It out shoots my heavy bbl. gun.

    Henry

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master



    M-Tecs's Avatar
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    Hornady 40 gr. Vmax or Nosler Ballistic Tip over 27.5 grains of H335. This is the closest to a magic load I have ever found. Shoots outstanding in everything.

  14. #14
    Boolit Bub
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    For plinking out of an AR, I use 55g fmj with 25g of wc844. Then with 55g v-max and 25.6g of same powder with the bolt gun it shoots pretty tight groups.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master

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    WC844 I used up my old 8lb jug and luckily gibrass aka jeff bartlett had more in $99 a 8lb jug , good powder and glad to find at that price . I think I am putting 22-24 grains behind my loads and they have all ran through the various ar platforms that a couple of us are shooting.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master


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    SIERRA 52gr HPBT over 27.5grs H335. Fed 205M in R-P cases. It's one of those rare super hot loads that does shoot best at MAX.

    I miss SIERRA being in SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA. You could walk in and buy the rejects by the pound. Their rejects shot better than speer or the old HORNADY'S.
    I HATE auto-correct

    Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.

    My Experience and My Opinion, are just that, Mine.

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  17. #17
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Stanley View Post
    Lyman 55-60 grain cast with 4.2 grains of 700X or same weight range with 3.2 of Bullseye .

    Jack
    Curious if that is out of a bolt gun or semiauto? I use 700x in most of my pistols, and am thinking about casting for the 223.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master



    TNsailorman's Avatar
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    I use 24.5 grains H335 under a 55 grain JSP Winchester bullet with cannular in R-P or Winchester brass and a Federal small rifle primer. Shoots well under an inch all day long in my Mini Mauser bolt gun. Can't ask for better than that. I had one group go under a 1/2". I don't shoot less than 100 yards when working up a load since I seldom got a shot under that in the field. my experience anyway, james

  19. #19
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    I have a "Varminter" 20" White Oak Armament upper on one of my AR's. I ordered it with a 1/12 twist because I prefer shooting the lighter bullets, specifically the Speer 52 gr HP. The Sierra shoots nearly as well. My go-to load is 26.5 gr of H335. It's sub 1"/100yds easily, as long as I do my part. It's a fairly warm load, so work up if you go this route.

  20. #20
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    60 grain vmax with 24 grains of 844 or aa2230

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check