Having a little time to reload stuff I processed a bunch of .223 brass. Now its time to loadem up!

I have been using Varget in them and had decent results. I have quite a big of IMR 4895 and am using that now. In the past, I have used 24g with 55g bullets. My notes say shot well but I can't recall shooting the load. The Hornady book doesn't seem to care about bullet type I have some flat based PSP and some boat tail.

These are just AR plinking loads.

What are you guys making?

I have some lightweight bullets I was thinking of putting together for the Rem 700, havent gotten to it yet...

He has a Mini-14 and I made him a batch that was a reduced load of 4895 (Wonder Powder) about 10%. Sorry I can't find my log right now, but they shot well and I thought I could reduce it even more. Might try it if we can ever go shooting with this virus stuff.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I'm using a 55gr bullet over 25.0gr H335 w/CCI #41 primer for my AR ammo.

From a bolt action Howa 1500 a 55gr Sierra #1390 HPBT bullet over 26.0gr Varget with a CCI-400 primer.

There are many other good combinations but those are the 2 I go to most.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I recently started loading AR range play ammo with 2 different powders. First one is Accurate 2200 at 22.7 grains with a Hornady 55 grain boat tail spire point. The second is some new powder to me, Shooter's World Tactical at around 24 grains with 55 grain Midsouth Shooter's Varmint Nightmare bullets, which look to be the same bullets as the above Hornady bullets. I've shot the Accurate load and it did just fine, but haven't had a chance to try out the SW Tactical loads yet.

25 grains of WC846, under 55 gr FMJ, winchester SR primers

I've been loading 25 gr of BenchMark with 55 gr Speer sp for a plinking load. Also use 27 gr of CFE 223 with the same bullet. Both shoot well under minute of tin can out of my AR15.

Just started loading .223 so my opinion probably isn’t worth much, but 26.3 grains of CFE223 under a 55 grain bullet works for me.

Remington 55gr fmj, 25 grains 335, CCI 450’s, various cases. Been using this recipe in AR’s and Mini 14’s for a long time.

I have 3 totally different 223 rifles, some of many good loads:

Savage 12 Target 1:9 twist, Rem 71/2 primer, 26 gr Varget, 75 A-Max or 77gr Berger VLD, LC brass. In BR stock 3"/1000 yards in factory over molded stock 5"/1000yards (Bullet touching lands)

Cooper 21 Montana Varminter 1:12 twist Fed 205M primer, 25.5 H335, Sierra 50gr Blitzking Win brass. over lapping (about 1/8" centers) at 200yds. (5-shot) (bullet touching lands)

1996 Bushmaster A-4 (flattop AR) 20" 1:9 twist (load from 1984) Mixed military brass, CCI Sm Rifle Mag primer, 26gr WW748, Win 55gr FMJ/BT w cannelure 5 shot group 1/4" centers @ 100 yards (fits AR mag)

All shot from competition front rest and bag rear, top has 8-25x40 Scope, both bottom with 6.5-20x40 scopes, all on max power and Adjusted Objective lens. WW742 & H335 "Meter like water!", I hand weigh all Varget loads.

Ivan

I have a bunch of different 55 grain bullets so I picked one and worked up a load and when they are done I will go to something else. Right now it is a Nosler 55 grain HP and I use 26 grains of Varget. Taking a bunch dog hunting in a couple of weeks. Also have some H335 I need to work up loads with.

I'm working up some plinking loads for my AR right now. Yesterday I tried 55 gr bullets with the starting load of 23 gr H335. They chronoed slow at 2660 fps average but every round cycled properly and they are accurate out to 100 yds which is as far as I normally shoot. I will bump them up a bit but I think I'm in the ballpark of where I want to be.

For my 1/8” RRA AR15 and 1/9” Remington 700 Milspec the 75gn Hornady with 23+ grains Varget.
For my Remington 700 PSS 1/12” twist the heaviest best BC bullet that I could find and would stabilize was Sierra 60gn HP over Accurate 2495 powder. Very accurate

As mentioned there are lots of different types/styles of rifles out there
as well as powders and bullet weights used.

You mentioned a 55 gr weight bullet.

Lots of people want a fast load that can do long range work but I like light target loads also.
If you want a low recoil/noise load............

I have gotten the little 55 grain bullet down to just 2570fps for my close range work.

Have fun.

My best performing load for my Savage 112-V bolt action is 22 grains of IMR 4198 and a 50 grain Remington bullet.

Have used 25 gr. of H335 and a 55 gr RNSP seated to the cannelure for many years and not one prairie dog has complained.

Randy

ArchAngelCD, I also have a Howa 1500 but have not reloaded for it yet. Have you tried the H335 powder? Any idea of the barrel twist? I had a Mini Mark X Mauser that only liked the 55gr. bullets and I had developed a load with the H335 powder. I don't have Varget and hate to buy another type, as I have so much of other powder.

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Kevin in Oregon

Have 2 different 223's I load for. For my Contender Super 14, don't load anything heavier then 52gr. It's favorite load is using AA2015 and a 52gr Nosler solid base HP. that particular bullet was discontinued by Nosler back in the 80's. Bought 3500 then, and am down to about 900.

For my AR, loads will vary from 55gr fmjs to Hornady 75gr bthp. Powders used are AA2230, 2460, 2520 and XBR8208.

Won't give specific load data, as I was able to stockpile Israeli made Accurate powders.

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Peace was my Profession

I don't have an AR style rifle. From a few bolt guns, and some NEF rifles, I shoot 55gr Hornady BTSP with 24.5gr I4895 with good results.

I've shot that load in several guns, they all seem to like it well enough.

Mine is 26 grs of WW #748 behind any 55 grain bullet.

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S&W Accumulator

My plinker load is 55 gr Hornady FMJ over 25 gr H335 with CCI SR primer. I prefer Lake City brass as it's easy to buy in bulk quantity.

Flawless operation in all my AR's, accurate within reason, and is clean.

Has anyone developed a nice plinker load with IMR 3031?

Edit: Add the bullet is 55 gn. out of an AR 1:10.

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Mike Maher #283

Hornady 60 gr V-Max and H4895.

It's interesting that my go-to, all-around load has come up four times in this thread!

The most accurate load in my 18" 1:7 AR is a 69gr Sierra HPBT over 26gr Varget. It groups well under 1/2".

My go to load for AR's with a 1 in 9" twist or faster is 62 gr Hornady HPBT, 24.5 gr of Ramshot TAC, RP 7 1/2 primer LC brass.
Rem 700 SPS Varmint with a 1 in 12" twist 26" barrel gets factory Nosler Trophy Grade 40 gr Ballistic Tip ammo (I got a great deal on 400 rounds, then got a screaming deal on 400 more), and when those run out, I will load the fired cases with 40 gr Nosler Varmageddon bullets and max charges of either RE 10x or Benchmark and CCI-400 Primers.
My Weatherby Varmint Special 1 in 12" 22" barrel likes Nosler 52 gr Custom Competition BTHP bullets with 26.0 gr of Ramshot TAC, CCI-400 primers.

I find it interesting with all the loads talked about, at all the powders used, how your rifles like different powders, primers and bullets, which give you your best loads.

One powder that was not mentioned, since it is a very slow burning powder for this size case is IMR 4350 but I do lots of crazy things when it comes to checking out fps and accuracy in any caliber that I load for.

I found out that IMR 4350 and SR4759 with a 55 gr FMJ at the velocity from 2750 to 2830fps can give a nice light, accurate load.
Yes you use more powder but it is nice to have a "Power Puff" in the house.

Sierra 69gr HPBTM, 25.5gr Varget and a Wolf .223 primer.

That’s my exact 62 grain load. I put together 100 of them this morning.
For 55 grains, I like 26.7 grains of CFE 223.
I want to love XBR, but haven’t gotten it to out do these first two.
David.

Midway sells the Hornady 55gr BTSP in bulk, and that shoots just great in my 1:7, 1:8, 1:9 barrels with BL-C2, W748, AA 2230, AA2015, etc. Whatever I have on hand. The ball powders meter the best when grinding out 500 rounds. Standard or magnum primers.

So far my favorite Gun Powder for the 223 Rem reloads is
Improved Military Rifle (IMR) 4198. Clean burning, best
accuracy, and cycles my M4 AR15 (1-9 twist Bbl).

I have had very good success with Hornady Bullets so I
reference the Hornady Guides.

I reload Cartridges in small batches, using a single stage
press. So IMR 4198 being a Stick Powder does not bother
me because I measure each charge with a Scale.

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You can also buy this same bullet for a cheaper rice in normal times from Midsouth Shooter's Supply for a cheaper price being sold as one of their name brand bulk bullets. They evidently source these bullets from Hornady and resell them as their Midsouth Varmint Nightmare BTSP bullet. Note, it's not their 55 grain SP flat base Varmint Nightmare Extreme which is made for them by Nosler, but a different offering.

I bought the Varmint Nightmare BTSP bullet from them a few months ago and have bought the Hornady 55 gr BTSP in the past and compared them directly side by side and they are exactly the same. With that said though, they are out of stock on them now.

If you like Hornady bullets their 75grain hpbt works well in my 1/9” Remington and 1/8” RRA Ar15. Worth a try. Depending on your powder thrower, and your accuracy expectations throwing your stick powder might work. When I do that I visually inspect the filled cases in the loading block before adding bullets. Looking for over filled or half filled cases.

I have three AR’s but I rarely shoot them. I’m not a big rifle guy. I’m like 95/5 handguns to rifles. So the AR’s just get bulk factory fodder.

However, I do load for my prairie dog red misting tool. That is a simple Howa in .223 with a 26-inch heavy barrel in a Boyd’s AT-One stock. And the load that I have hunted with now for 7 years has been a 50 grain Hornady V-Max over 25.7 grains of H-335 with a CCI-400 small rifle primer.

I chose H-335 because it’s easy to find locally in 8 pound jugs and unlike the extruded rifle powders, it’s effortless in my Lyman 55.

rich5674 - Thank you for the Heads Up on the 75grs. I have a reload
for the Seirra 65gr SPBT 7"-10" twist, #1395.

Thought I would try to reload the Steel 5.56 cartridges you find
on the ground. I used just 10 with no rust on them, to try.

Walnut tumbled cleaned, wiped the dust off with Armor All treated
rag, Mic'd them for length; "Ok", lubed them up, and Full Length
sized them. Clean lube off with Armor All rag again. Prep'd the
same as all Handgun/Rifle. Ready to go.

65gr/IMR4198/CCI SR/Steel Case/2800-2900fps?

Man! tell you what, they turned out to be very accurate.
109yrds = easy 1". What a deal, who would have known!

Who ever started this Thread is getting an ear full.

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Well, I was a high power service rifle shooter and I shot across the course with the AR-15 (Colt MT 6601). For 200 and 300 yards I used the Sierra 69 grain HPBT with 24.8 gr of varget. For 600 yards I used the Sierra 80 gr HPBT with the same charge. Unfortunately, I dont have a load for a 55 gr bullet . I have never used the 55 gr bullet as it would not buck the wind reliably at those ranges.