Advice on 75gr BTHP . . . H335?

[Twoboxer]

My rifles are an RRA AR15 16" 1-9" Wylde and a Sako Bolt 24" 1-8" .223. I've got some Hornady .224 75gr BTHP and some V-140 on order, but only H335 in house. Given the times, I'm looking for some advice on trying H335 as follows:

-- Hornady 8th does not show H335 but lists eleven powders slower than H335, plus IMR3031 which is faster, at least according to the table I consulted. COL for the BTHP is 2.250.

-- Sierra V does list H335 under their 77gr HPBT MK showing 21.6gr to 22.6gr with a COL of 2.260.

-- Hodgdon lists 75gr JLK VLD with H335 at 21.0-23.0 gr, COL 2.250

These combine to make me think 21.2, 21.6, 22.0, (and 22.4 with extra care), all charges hand-weighed, would be reasonable to look at. And that these could be reasonable for both rifles. Comments?

[GrumpyBear]

My rifles are an RRA AR15 16" 1-9" Wylde and a Sako Bolt 24" 1-8" .223. I've got some Hornady .224 75gr BTHP and some V-140 on order, but only H335 in house. Given the times, I'm looking for some advice on trying H335 as follows:

-- Hornady 8th does not show H335 but lists eleven powders slower than H335, plus IMR3031 which is faster, at least according to the table I consulted. COL for the BTHP is 2.250.

-- Sierra V does list H335 under their 77gr HPBT MK showing 21.6gr to 22.6gr with a COL of 2.260.

-- Hodgdon lists 75gr JLK VLD with H335 at 21.0-23.0 gr, COL 2.250

These combine to make me think 21.2, 21.6, 22.0, (and 22.4 with extra care), all charges hand-weighed, would be reasonable to look at. And that these could be reasonable for both rifles. Comments?

Those loads fall in line with Lee's recommendations for 75 grain jacketed .223 loads.

This is not a recommendation from me.As all reloading manuals state approach maximum loadings carefully.

[Franchi20/28]

1:9 might not stabilize them, might be fine. 1:8 no problem.

H335 is doable but you will not get optimal results. that heavy a pill really calls for a slower powder like Varget, BL-C2 or CFE 223.

Doug

[workingmanjeff]

Look here

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

you can sort by caliber, then bullet weight

shows 13 powders for you 75 gr bullet

Varget is my first choice, but YMMV

Your 1-9 AR is a waste on these heavier bullets but your 1-8 bolt will really shine - you should be able to load them a little longer than ones that have to fit in a magazine

good luck

Jeff

[Twoboxer]

Thanks for the help, guys. I guess I didn't make clear enough that I had checked the Hodgdon and other available data.

Anyhow, I found a pound of Varget so the H335 experiment is on hold . . . at least for now.

[Steve in PA]

Hornady 75gr BTHP bullets shoot quite accurately from my 1:9 Savage 12FV and Bushmaster 16" carbine. I don't know anything about them being a "waste". Lots of people shoot them from their AR's.

My load is 22.0gr of H335.

Average 5-shot group from my Savage 12FV at 100 yards.


Don't have a picture for the Hornady, but this is a group fired from my AR at 50 yards using 75gr BTHP milsurp bullets from Widener's.

[GrumpyBear]

[QUOTE=Steve in PA;2267241]Hornady 75gr BTHP bullets shoot quite accurately from my 1:9 Savage 12FV and Bushmaster 16" carbine. I don't know anything about them being a "waste". Lots of people shoot them from their AR's.

My load is 22.0gr of H335.

Average 5-shot group from my Savage 12FV at 100 yards.


Don't have a picture for the Hornady, but this is a group fired from my AR at 50 yards using 75gr BTHP milsurp bullets from Widener's.
QUOTE]

Nice shooting !

[Twoboxer]

Thanks guys! I just put in another "shop work order" (to myself) for a work-up set using H335 lol. I'm betting it works better in my AR than in the Sako.

Oh, and just to show how things work . . . just decide to try H335 and lo and behold . . . I find a jar of Varget and buy it . . . and now I find Powder Valley just charged my card for my early January order for, among other things, the VN-140 I wanted in the first place.

Eventually, 3 work-ups

[Steve in PA]

The 75gr bullets may or may not work in your 1:9 rifle. I read a lot of gun boards and don't think I have ever read a post where they did not shoot. Try some in your rifle and see how they shoot.

My Savage 12FV has a 26" barrel while my Bushmaster M4A3 has a 16" barrel. Both the Hornady BTHP and the milsurp from Widener's shot great out of both rifles.

My main powder for the .223 is H335. I also had great success with Varget, but the H335 meters better, so that is why I stick with it.

I also use regular CCI #400 SR primers.

[Twoboxer]

Yup, I know that the 75gr may or may not fire well from my RRA LAR-15. It will be fun to learn because that gun has done everything expected of it very well.

My main .223 powder (obviously) is H335, and it works very well at 24.1gr, COL 2.20 with the usual 55gr projectiles. The AR15 gives 1" 5-shot groups at 100 yards with the liability of having me at the trigger, and the Sako delivered a 1" 10-shot group using the same short round.

I only started this thread, and only bought the Varget, because I was in a hurry to let the Sako stretch it's legs a bit with some longer and some heavier rounds. There was no way the Viht N-140 I ordered would get here in time for Tuesday's trip to the range.