powder/bullet recommendation for .223

[asmith80]

I've decided to add .223 to my list of calibers I'm reloading for. I have 3 ARs of various setups that I could feed with it, and once my supply of factory ammo is shot I'm going to start rolling my own.

My question for the group is, what powders and bullet combinations have been most successful for you all. I have two ARs with 16" barrels and 1:8 twist rate and one with a 20" barrel and 1:7 twist rate, if that helps. I know you can get cast to work in ARs, but I'm not really interested in going through the process of getting it to work, so I'd appreciate jacketed bullet recommendations if you have any.

[Texas by God]

I like H335 and CFE223 powders and Hornady 55 V-Max bullets although dozens of other combos work as well.

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[ShooterAZ]

I second the H335 powder recommendation. TAC, H322, 748, 4895, Varget are all good choices in 223 as well. I love the 40 gr V-Max, and Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets in my 1/12 twist AR! You'll want to go with 55 gr and up for your 1/7 and 1/8 twists, 62 and 69 gr are pretty good. As mentioned, there is a plethora of choices out there.

[Winger Ed.]

I've got a 1970's issue SP-1 Colt AR in .223. It likes 50 & 55 gr.
I mostly load GI bullet pulls, or factory second FMJs, and keep coming back to Win. 748 about 10% under max.

It runs a little cooler than some other powders, holds a tight group, and ya couldn't ask it to meter any better.

[rancher1913]

you might look into the btsimple set up for turning 22lr into ar bullets

[fcvan]

I started loading cast boolits for 223 using the Lyman 225-415 which requires a gas check. The Lyman book max load of 14 grains of IMR 4227 lists 2193 fps at 23200 CUP of pressure. I started powder coating and the same load gave me 2250 fps from my 16" Mini 14 and AR 15 with full functioning.

I didn't like dealing with the tiny gas checks, so I bought an NOE 225-62 RN designed PB specifically for powder coating. It works fine in the Mini, not so much for the AR. It seems that without the gas check the pressure is reduced somewhat. BTW, I ladder loaded up to the 14 grains before I got full functioning with Lyman. Groups were good but deteriorated at 14.5 when the AR started cycling. I think the alloy might be a bit soft and the boolit obturation with the velocity opens the groups. Oh, and the FPS dropped with the plain based boolit, an indicator that the pressure was reduced. I had plenty of buffer springs so I trimmed one until the AR cycled more consistently. I rarely shoot copper condom bullets but I don't leave the shortened spring in the rifle being meticulous to insert the shorter spring at the range, and remove it before leaving the range.

I built a 7 1/2" AR15 pistol that has a pistol length gas port and that works with the NOE and Lyman boolits. I have not gotten around to running a harder alloy for the NOE mold which I will sweeten up to approximate Lyman #2. This was mostly due to having a previous supplier who sold sintered copper/tin boolits for $8 per 100. I ran them with the same 14 grains of 4227 and saw the 2250 fps. Those worked great in the Mini, AR Carbine, and AR pistol. Even with the reduced load the pistol is an EarSplittinLoudenBoomer. It is kind of obnoxious but I kind of like it

I also have a single shot H&R with a 24" barrel. The PCd NOE boolit runs 2450 fps with great accuracy. When shooting 55 grain lathe turned copper HPBT bullet I used to get for $11 are devastating with IMR 4198 or 4895. There are other powders out there for bullets, I generally stick to a few powders I know work. The LT HPBTs have a ballistic coefficient closer to the 69 grain BTHP due to the lighter weight of copper to lead which helps with flatter shooting. Loads for copper condom bullets are straight out of Lyman 49.

I like that shooting the NOE boolit with 4227 comes out to $10/hundred for economical plinking. I just need to get off the computer and cast some harder alloy boolits so the AR will shoot as good as the Mini. Oh, I forgot to mention, the Mini is a very early model with a 1-10" twist rate, they switched to 1-7" in 1986 to stabilize heavier bullets. I built the AR with a 1-9" twist specifically for cast because the rate of twist is also affected by velocity. I can shoot the 55 and 60 grain boolets just fine but I can't shoot bullets much past 55 grains and expect much success.

The H&R is 1-12" so 40 to 55 grain bullets shoot fine, and the cast boolits at their lower velocity also works fine. My goal is to have blasting ammo for fun that also drives tacks with the H&R. Let me tell you this, an FMJ 55 grain bullet pierces a clean little hole. The cast boolit doesn't pierce a hole, it begins to mushroom on impact and typically tears a strip of can on one side or the other depending on POI. It's violent, I like it! I like to kill cans, they should know they are dead as opposed to just having a hole punched through that doesn't even knock over the can.

If you are looking more for bullets at a reasonable price try checking out Rocky Mountain Reloading, they even make some of their own.

[poppy42]

I I suggest you pick up a copy of the Lyman reloading for the A.R. 15! It’s a plethora of knowledge and it’ll answer all your questions about powders and bullets and everything else. I’m a firm believer in getting a manual and reading the data!

[izzyjoe]

I'm a big fan 4198, and 52 gr v Max's! Same goes for the 222Rem.

[Elroy]

You have the twist for heavies,but as far as bullet selection that depends on what your intended use is..I see some good choices of powder being sugested,and I will add that the 4895 powders are good powders for 223

[Harter66]

NOE 225-62 , H322 start jacket data . 2100 fps 2" regular .
4895 , 4198 55 gr Sierra flat base SP middle of the load window .
Wilson or Mossy 2nd 16" 1-8" , carbine gas , full function w/hold open on last shot .
GI service groups .

[charlie b]

Seeing all this reminded me of developing loads for my .223. It seemed to shoot most loads very well. I could get almost any combination to shoot at MOA. It is a little more selective when you want to get down to .5MOA and lower. Then you need the more premium bullets and closer attention to the powder and charge. But, there are still quite a few powders that will do the job.

Here are some more examples:
https://www.6mmbr.com/223Rem.html

[Larry Gibson]

In my faster twist ARs [7 - 9" twist barrels] I use the Sierra 55 gr Blitz King (not the Blitz) loaded over 26 gr H335 in LC cases with WSR or CCI 450 primers. In 10 - 12" twist 223/5.56s I use 26.5 gr H335 under a 55 gr Hornady SX [SSs and bolt guns] and the 52 gr Speer HP with the same cases and primers [my bullet/load of choice in my 12" twist AR]. I also use the 26.5 gr load with 55 gr FMJs. These loads have been pressure tested to duplicate LC M193 velocity and pressures (60,000 psi) which are typically a bit above the SAAMI MAP for the 223 Remington [55,000 psi]

[asmith80]

Thanks for the info guys, looks like H335 is the preferred powder by a lot of folks. I saw that Midway has a sale on Sierra matchking 77gr bullets on sale for a good price, I may pick up a hundred or so of those and see what they can do

[Yodogsandman]

Check out surplus WC844 for further savings. Loads the same as H335.