rtp Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 I'm starting to load for my .223/5.56, a Steyr AUG A3 (consider it an AR with 16" barrel, 1:9 twist for simplicity), and loading mainly 55gr-69gr projectiles. I've got what likely many of us now have, a mish-mash of components - some WSRs, some Remington 6 1/2s, 1# of H335, and a few lbs of BLC-2, as it was what I could get my hands on. I'm using a progressive press and while I may go to weighing each charge later, right now it's via powder measure. I've been looking to find some Ramshot TAC, which is at the moment unobtanium, or some CFE223 in 8# jugs, but it'll come down to what I can find. Is there anything else I should consider that will meter reasonably well? IMR 8208 SBR? I thought there was another IMR powder 'short cut' but it's not coming to me at the moment..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinceU1 Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 If you can find some WC844(basically the same as H335) or WC846(basically BLC-2) use them. They meter well through my Dillon and have always worked well in my AR's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtp Posted May 14, 2013 Author Share Posted May 14, 2013 Thanks, added to the list. I knew about WC844/H335, but not WC846/BLC-2, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sig Shooter Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 If you can find the CFE try it, it meters great in my 650. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Is there a problem with BLC(2) metered fine in my LNL AP, never tried it in the Dillon. 27.1gr made 55gr Hornady FMJBT hole in one bullet at 100 yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlmiller1 Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Vihta Vouri n135 meters well & works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtp Posted May 15, 2013 Author Share Posted May 15, 2013 (edited) CFE is on the notifications list as well. No real issues with BLC-2, meters well enough in my Hornady PM, just as we all know, it's not exactly a buyer's market at the moment to be able to be selective... I'll add VV to the list if I'm stuck buying 1# at a time (due to their expense - seems pretty high for mostly blasting ammo). How about VV N133 or 530? Are any of the VVs limited to lighter projectiles only? (Haven't spent much time in VV load data, have their catalog here somewhere..) Edited May 15, 2013 by rtp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikerburgess Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Hodgdon Benchmark is another good powder, it is a really short cut extruded powder flows like a ball powder in my powder measures. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlmiller1 Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 haven't tried the n133 but I like the n135. Powder valley had some in a while back & the 1lb jugs lasted a couple of weeks on their website, if not longer. I got a couple of 8s since I was down to a partial jug in stock. Took a month or so before they shipped but I have no complaints at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtp Posted May 15, 2013 Author Share Posted May 15, 2013 (edited) Thanks, all..in particular about the Benchmark, non-cannister mil powder equivalents, and VV info - my notes had Benchmark down as won't meter well, which seems it's not the case, at all - more chances to find at least something. Current list to be on the lookout for (noting I'll be loading progressive, this no Varget, etc.) TAC CFE223 IMR 8208 XBR Benchmark BLC2Xterminator Win 748 wc844 - same as H335 wc846 = win 748 = BLC-2 AA2230 (mainly for lighter/55gr?) VV N135, maybe other VVs Edited May 15, 2013 by rtp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtp Posted May 15, 2013 Author Share Posted May 15, 2013 (edited) Any thoughts on AR-Comp? edit - disregard, not a bad powder, but extruded, not likely to meter that well in my PM. Wideners has some if anyone's interested. Edited May 15, 2013 by rtp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegunnerd Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 I've always had good luck with 748 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeoM Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I have been pretty much shot VARGET exclusively since about 1998. Because everything else was sold out, I bought a couple pounds of AA 2460. It is a ball powder, as in perfectly round like tiny ball bearings so it meters like water. I tried it on 69, 75 and 77 gr bullets, it shoots really well. It has a good powder fill bulk so it should be consistent on a shot to shot basis. I am going to get some more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtp Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 I've since stocked up on XTerminator and TAC, with some BLC-2 in smaller quantity. Still want to give CFE223 or 8208 XBR a try at some point.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venatic Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 (edited) If you cannot find XTerminator try AA2230 as they are the same owned by the same folks. Not sure about this but TAC may be the same/similar as AA2495 as on their website they show same burn rate. Yes I know burn rates vary. Oh and I will add that AR Comp meters quite well similar to XBR8208. Edited June 24, 2013 by venatic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intel6 Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Since it has not been mentioned by anyone, I will mention it, You talk about using Rem 6 1/2 primers for loading .223. I know in these days of using anything that is avaiable, I see lots of folks out there buying Rem 6 1/2 small rifle primers. I know the package says SRP but if you read closely it states that the 6 1/2 primer is for small case volume cartridges (.22 Hornet/.221 FB) and should not be used for .223. I am a big shooter of small capacity cartridges (17 Ackley Hornet, 22 Hornet, 218 Mashburn Bee) and I use the REM 6 1/2 for these. The idea for those who don't know is that the SRP is too powerful for these small cartridges and it pops the bullet out of the case/crimp when it first goes off but before it ignites the powder. So you get the bullet jumping out, stopping and then getting slammed by the powder gasses. This does no good for accuracy and many found that using the lower powered small pistol primers in these cases prevented that and lead to greatly improved accuracy. One issue with this is that the pressures are still high and you can get pierced primers in some guns with the lighter cup SP's. So Remington made up the 6 1/2 SR primer which uses their small rifle cup but uses less priming compound than the regular SR primer so it causes less disruption on ignition. I think the issues with using these in cartridges with larger amounts of powder is that they may not ignite causing hangfires or cause erratic ignition? I have never heard of anyone using them for .223 ammo but they have to be being used as they are being sold locally and I can't imgaine there are that many relaoders who load for the small calibers. Have you used any of them yet for .223? I am guessing someone will pop up and say they have used them. I am curious if there was any difference when using them? Neal in AZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishsticks Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Since it has not been mentioned by anyone, I will mention it, You talk about using Rem 6 1/2 primers for loading .223. I know in these days of using anything that is avaiable, I see lots of folks out there buying Rem 6 1/2 small rifle primers. I know the package says SRP but if you read closely it states that the 6 1/2 primer is for small case volume cartridges (.22 Hornet/.221 FB) and should not be used for .223. Interesting, learn something new every day. I guess the few hundred of the Rem 6 1/2s I've been picking up from the LGS won't be used for 223 after all. On the plus side, it sounds like they may substitute ok for SPP, so at least not all is lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushmeat Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 I like 2460. It meters great and it gives sub-moa groups with my 69smk loads. However, it does show more velocity as the temps go up, so, expect POI elevation shifts and don't load to max in an AR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D. Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I love IMR 8208-XBR. This stuff is awesome under 69 bthp' s in an 18", 1 in 8 AR. In my experience it meters (Horn. LNL-AP) Far Better than AR-COMP. After everything's is settled-down 8208-XBR will stay right-at or + / - 0.1 gr. of target weight. Nothing like the Royal PITA of Varget! AR-COMP is better that Varget but only by a bit. I don't enjoy making ammo in Progressive-Mode with Either One Of Them... H-Benchmark is another really good one. It's performance under 52 / 53 g. bullets is Fantastic! It also meters Great. Both Benchmark and 8208-XBR are Extruded Powders, but their kernels are very small diameter and cut very short. Benchmark has the smaller kernels of the two but they both are Aces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Tompkins Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Thanks, all..in particular about the Benchmark, non-cannister mil powder equivalents, and VV info - my notes had Benchmark down as won't meter well, which seems it's not the case, at all - more chances to find at least something. Current list to be on the lookout for (noting I'll be loading progressive, this no Varget, etc.) TAC CFE223 IMR 8208 XBR Benchmark BLC2Xterminator Win 748 wc844 - same as H335 wc846 = win 748 = BLC-2 AA2230 (mainly for lighter/55gr?) VV N135, maybe other VVs The AA load data has three 223 load sections: one for light bullets and slow twist, second is for heavy bullets and fast twist, and one for 5.56 pressure levels. http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/accurate_load_data_3.5.pdf Good AA2230 for lots of bullets. I just did some test loads with 2230 and it meters VERY well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxer1 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I have great luck getting TAC to meter in the LNL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgrs Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Since it has not been mentioned by anyone, I will mention it, You talk about using Rem 6 1/2 primers for loading .223. I know in these days of using anything that is avaiable, I see lots of folks out there buying Rem 6 1/2 small rifle primers. I know the package says SRP but if you read closely it states that the 6 1/2 primer is for small case volume cartridges (.22 Hornet/.221 FB) and should not be used for .223. Interesting, learn something new every day. I guess the few hundred of the Rem 6 1/2s I've been picking up from the LGS won't be used for 223 after all. On the plus side, it sounds like they may substitute ok for SPP, so at least not all is lost. I used them for a while with 24.3 gr H335 and remington 55gr and FC brass at 2.245. This load produced 2900 out of an 18" barrel. No pressure signs or ignition problems with the 6 1/2 primers. In fact, they gave me better SD than the WOLF SRMs I now use. I don't endorse using these primers but did "get away with it" with no issues. I may end up using them again if I can't find more SRMs in stock. I also tried them with 23.0 H335 and a PRVI 69gr OTM at 2.255. 2740 out of the same barrel, but I did get flattened 6 1/2s out of it. The Wolf SRMs do no flatten under the same load. As with anything reloading, YMMV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigedp51 Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Do not use the Remington 6 1/2 in the 5.56, during the testing phase of the M16 rifle Remington loaded the 5.56 ammunition with the 6 1/2 primers and had a slam fire problem. The 6 1/2 primer had been used in the 30 carbine but the primer cup is thinner and it caused slam fires when a single round was loaded without the magazine in place to slow bolt speed. Only small rifle primers with a cup thickness of .025 should be used with rifles with a free floating firing pin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outerlimits Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Interesting table. I've used winchester small rifle for .223 exclusively for 20+ years without a problem whatsoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sschultz Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 I got 3lbs of RL 15 meters nice and very consistant Schultz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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