Inline FabricationWidenersRotoMetals2MidSouth Shooters Supply
Load DataLee PrecisionReloading EverythingTitan Reloading
Repackbox
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 26

Thread: Best powder for 62 - 68 gr. .223 bullets?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    North Central
    Posts
    2,514

    Best powder for 62 - 68 gr. .223 bullets?

    With all the fast twist AR barrels out there now what kind of powder are folks using for heavier bullets? I really wish 1/9 twist barrels were still common but all mine are 1/8.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Hick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Winnemucca, NV
    Posts
    1,600
    For cast I use a lot of HP-38, W231 and Tightgroup. They let me get 1" at 100 yards. My heaviest bullet is 62 grains. Typically these loads are in the 5 grain range-- which is not much in the case, but they meter and burn well so it works out.
    Hick: Iron sights!

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    high standard 40's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    South Louisiana
    Posts
    1,205
    Jacketed or cast? my favorite powder for 69 gr jacketed in my AR is Varget. For 65 grain jacketed in my bolt rifle I use N133. These combinations have yielded the best accuracy in those rifles.

  4. #4
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Posts
    45
    Varget or RL15.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    North Central
    Posts
    2,514
    Thanks guys. I ran out of 2520 and 3031. Got 8 lbs. of 2230 coming but that is better suited to 55 grain bullets. The 3031 worked well with 62 gr. fmj.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Posts
    1,126
    H4895 for jacketed bullets and TAC is a fairly close second.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    St. Louis
    Posts
    2,028
    Ive been using 748. Lots of loads in the Lyman manual and its a ball powder. Nothing meters better.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

    Plate plinker's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    2,297
    Quote Originally Posted by Cosmic_Charlie View Post
    Thanks guys. I ran out of 2520 and 3031. Got 8 lbs. of 2230 coming but that is better suited to 55 grain bullets. The 3031 worked well with 62 gr. fmj.
    I ran 2230 until I depleted that supply.

    Question here are there other brands that are the exact same as 2230 under a different label?

  9. #9
    Boolit Master dougader's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    OryGun
    Posts
    625
    Quote Originally Posted by Plate plinker View Post
    I ran 2230 until I depleted that supply.

    Question here are there other brands that are the exact same as 2230 under a different label?
    I have the Western 1 manual. Under the 223 Remington section it says:

    "Ramshot X-Terminator (Ballistically similar to Accurate 2230 in this cartridge)."

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Lake Havasu City, Arizona
    Posts
    21,299
    AA2230 is a bit fast burning for the 62-68 gr jacketed bullets in the 223/5.56.

    To duplicate M855 ballistics (2950 -3000 fps from 20" barrel) with 62 - 64 gr bullet AA2460 an Winchester 748 are excellent powders to use. For the best in target accuracy with 68 gr bullets Varget is the powder of choice.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    North Central
    Posts
    2,514
    I feel fortunate to have found a jug of 2230. It will have to do until supplies loosen up. I imagine it will be a while before we see the likes of Varget.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Loxahatchee Florida
    Posts
    506
    748 or 4895

  13. #13
    Boolit Master

    Eddie Southgate's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Southern Middle Tennessee/ Hillsboro Alabama
    Posts
    1,177
    Quote Originally Posted by dougader View Post
    I have the Western 1 manual. Under the 223 Remington section it says:

    "Ramshot X-Terminator (Ballistically similar to Accurate 2230 in this cartridge)."
    Key word being " Similar " . That does not always mean exactly the same .
    Grumpy Old Man With A Gun....... Do Not Touch !!

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    North Central
    Posts
    2,514
    Was able to get some AA 2460 and some Ramshot Tac. We shall see how these do with 16" & 18" barrels.

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Newburgh IN
    Posts
    198
    Varget and CFE223

  16. #16
    Boolit Master dougader's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    OryGun
    Posts
    625
    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie Southgate View Post
    Key word being " Similar " . That does not always mean exactly the same .
    If you compare the printed load data of the 2 powders, you'll see it is identical.

    I would think starting low and working up loads slowly is the way to go, as always, and any difference between the 2 might be as great as the lot-to-lot difference of the individual powders.

  17. #17
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Location
    MD
    Posts
    17
    Quote Originally Posted by Cosmic_Charlie View Post
    Was able to get some AA 2460 and some Ramshot Tac. We shall see how these do with 16" & 18" barrels.
    Tac is wonderful through a Uniflow. I check every 10th round and it's spot on as long as I use the same up + tap, down + tap consistently (I turned my handles upside down because it feels more natural to me). I haven't used it in a progressive, but it should be really good there.

    Edit: To answer the original question, I use VV N135 for 68/69 grain match ammunition.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master 1006's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    South of Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    540
    IMR 8208 has worked well for me. I ran a test in a 18inch AR15 in which I hand weighed the powder of 25 rounds loaded with Varget and used the Dillon Powder Measure to load 25 with IMR 8208. Varget does not meter well in the Dillon, and I do not like to weigh each charge by hand, but I like the performance of Varget. The velocity of each load was very closely matched, as they had the same basic point of impact at 600yards. The bullets were 75Grain BTHP from Hornady. The results showed the 8208 to be the most accurate. The Varget hand weighed accuracy did not match the 8208 loaded from the Dillon.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    North Salt Lake, UT
    Posts
    206
    I shoot HiPower so matches rifles are 1/8 or 1/7 usually for 77gr hpbt over RL-15 for about 2750 fps pretty much the standard load for hipower.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Anchorage, AK
    Posts
    1,113
    Varget is a great powder but meters like rice. For 55-69 I like 748 and TAC, 69-80, TAC and H322, 55 and under Benchmark. For 55-62 I like AA2230 and TAC.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
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