Looking for a new powder for .223

[Tim Ault]

Just about any ball powder should meter well through a powder drop.
For 223:
- W748
- BL-C2
- Accurate 2230
- H335
- Ramshot TAC

Those are some just off the top of my head. If you're loading blasting ammo, pick the powder that costs the least per round to load (dollar per grain * powder charge). It may not be the cheapest per pound, but if you're using a smaller charge for the same performance, it may actually be the more economical powder.

Any of those listed will also do well in your 30-30 with cast bullets , I'm partial to AA 2230

[dk99358]

I'm not a fan of H335, meters well but can give problems with hotter temps when your load was developed at cooler temperatures. Or hot barrels/chambers. I'm not sure I'd try TAC in the 30-30, from what I understand, TAC likes/works better with higher pressures (which the 30-30 ain't). I'd look at Reloder 7, IMR 4895 or possibly IMR 4320. The latter two are very short stick powders but measure very well in my Uniflow.

My $0.02,

Dale

[DukeConnor]

I've bounced back and forth with H335 and cfe223. I am done bouncing cfe223 has given me the most acurate and clean loads in both my ar and bolt.

[aubie515]

I made the switch from Varget to CFE223 due to Varget not metering well.

[Remington788]

I stopped at the store last night. They did not have TAC in stock but they did have CFE223.
After I load and shoot some (probably not till after turkey season is over), I will report back.

I still have some of the 4198 for my 30-30 plinking rounds.

[Delkal]

What are you looking for accuracy wise. If its under an inch at 100 (and your rifle can do it too) there are some ball powders that are better than others. But you will have to experiment with all of them to find what works (and the other variables like bullet weight, design, and seating depth).

If you will be happy with 1-2 inches get any ball powder with the appropriate burn rate, load right under max and and blast away. Ball powders meter great and you will not have "crunching" when you charge the case. Yes they can be more sensitive to temperature variations so don't use a max load if you are shooting in the desert or leave your ammo on the hood of your dash. And don't chronograph your load when it is 10 degrees outside.

Other than that blast away and be happy.

[Remington788]

Great.....I sit down to make some rounds and find there is no load data listed on Hodgdon's site fit a 55gr fmj BT bullet.
Hopefully the 55gr SPR SP is close enough to start experimenting

[Bang]

Hornady Tenth Edition lists loads the same for 55 V-MAX, 55 SP, 55 FMJ-BT WC 55 SP WC, 55 SP SX, so you should be OK working up from starting load.

CFE 223 loads: 24.8/2800 25.5/2900 26.1/3000 26.7/3100 MAX 27.4/3200 MAX

[Remington788]

The Hodgdon site has the SPR SP 55gr starting at 26.0 and max at 27.8.

I feel I have a good starting range to work up something.
Going to start at 25.0 and work up at 0.5 increments.

[Delkal]

The Hodgdon site has the SPR SP 55gr starting at 26.0 and max at 27.8.

I feel I have a good starting range to work up something.
Going to start at 25.0 and work up at 0.5 increments.

I would start at 26 and go to 26.5 then 27.0. Then slow down your progression and go up by 0.2 grains for the rest.

Do you have a chrony? Its good to see how velocity increases with charge and for a reality check on your real velocity. Hodgdon's velocities are usually reasonably close. Hornadys max loads for most bullets are usually mild to the point of being ridiculous. They group 5-6 bullets of different types together and give the same loading data for all. One bullet type will be higher pressure and will shoot that velocity. The rest will be way under. Sometimes hundreds of FPS under!