Smeeg Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Haven't loaded for rifle yet but want to start what's a good powder for .223/5.56 for plinking most important thing would be price/ rounds per pound thanks for the suggestions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I've run through this thought before and even in rifle town it isn't your powder that's contributing most substantially to your cost per round. Sure it's something, but let's consider the following: At this point there are some powders I might pay $200 per keg all things considered (remember hazmat shipping!) and use 25 grains per cartridge. For my 56,000 grains of powder, I get 2240 cartridges, leading to a powder cost of 8.92 cents per round. Say I am able to score a cheaper powder at $160, for something that uses 22 grains per cartridge. By the same math, I get 2545 rounds at 6.29 cents of powder per cartridge. This is about a 30% savings, but it is a best case scenario and it's only on powder. The Hornady 55s off Midway will cost you 9 cents per by themselves, a bit less for Xtreme if you're so inclined. Then there's the brass and the primers. In short, of all the variables for you to assemble even plinking ammo, I wouldn't worry too much about the charge weight and a Jackson price difference per keg. I would look a little bit harder at pleasantly metering/ball powders that are generally well regarded and available in 55 gr. Win 748, AA 2015 (available) and 2230 (lol no), and AR-Comp (fairly new, may take some fiddling) would be good places to start. I have been in the same boat trying to select a decent powder for 55 grain, until I fell into about 3,000 75 grain HPBTs and made my problem go away for a little bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igolfat8 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I've not loaded rifle [yet] so I am certainly no expert. But from reading the forums I have found that H335 seems to be a popular powder and as of a couple days ago Powder Valley had it in stock though it usually sells out quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgj3 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I've had good luck with the H335 myself. Even down to 19.5 grs with 55's running both the rifles I've tried them in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I'd love to be able to find some H335 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.Hayden Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 If you can find it.. WC844.. it's really better than just for plinking loads, but it tends to be priced well example: https://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=6672&dir=278|283|999 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gose Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I'd love to be able to find some H335 I got a "Your backorder has been filled" email from Midsouth yesterday and it did include some 335, so there's definitely some seeping out to the market. and for the topic, +1 for 335. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdbyrne79 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Graf's had H335 earlier in the week. I picked up 5 pounds. I probably should have bought more but didn't need to and wanted to leave some for the next guy. I definitely prefer H335 for 223 but I have a load worked up for BL-C(2) that I like too. Sometimes it's easier to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Graf's had H335 earlier in the week. I picked up 5 pounds. I probably should have bought more but didn't need to and wanted to leave some for the next guy. I definitely prefer H335 for 223 but I have a load worked up for BL-C(2) that I like too. Sometimes it's easier to find. What're you using with BL-C(2)? I came across a couple pounds of that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdbyrne79 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) I don't have my load data with me but it was near the high end for 223 pressure. I think my smallest group came at around 27.3gr if I remember correctly. I'll look when I get home just to be sure. The bullets were Hornady 55 SPs and FMJBTs in LC brass loaded to around 2.217" OAL. It shoots a lot softer than my H335 load. I've never chronoed it but I think the velocities are similar. The POIs for both are right about the same. Edited March 26, 2015 by fdbyrne79 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louu Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) Why do you guys like 335 so much? I made a pounds worth of ammo with it and a two foot flame shot out of the end of the barrel. Dont get me wrong, its cool as hell but if I want quick follow up shots I don't want a fire ball blocking my line of sight. I used the all mighty Varget in my service rifle but that stuff is a pain in the butt to meeter. I had to weigh every charge. The awesome thing about Varget though is nothing but the bullet shoots out of the barrel, its super clean. I would, and am, look for a clean, smoke free, flame free water like meeting ball powder that's cheap. But that's probably like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Edited March 26, 2015 by louu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdbyrne79 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) I like H335 because it is cost-effective and gives me very consistently good results. It's never caused me any problems with follow up shots. I have Varget but don't like it with the 55gr bullets. It works very well for heavier bullets but not the lighter ones in my experience. Edited March 26, 2015 by fdbyrne79 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziebart Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Wc-844 is good, and I stocked up when it was cheap, but you have to be more careful with it. Don't forget about the ramshot powders. I had great luck with TAC and 75s but it should still work for 55s just not ideal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmj3 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I'd love to be able to find some H335 Powder Valley had 8lb jugs of H335 earlier this week. Maybe stuff is slowly coming back online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdbyrne79 Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 What're you using with BL-C(2)? I came across a couple pounds of that I looked at my data. I was close. I settled on 27.1gr of BL-C(2). My groups got consistently smaller right up to that point and then opened up again as the charge increased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 H-335 !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glockdude1 Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 CFE Rifle is great..hasn't been out that long, but your rifle is cleaner after shooting than H335..both Hodgdon products Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pasley Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 H322 is real nice for light to mid weight bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
390ish Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 I like TAC for 62 grains and up. I like 748 for 55 grainers and Benchmark for 50 grainers. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smeeg Posted March 28, 2015 Author Share Posted March 28, 2015 Thanks for all the replies I should have said it being actually available is important too I don't enjoy searching for unicorn powder thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDA Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 Thanks for all the replies I should have said it being actually available is important too I don't enjoy searching for unicorn powder thanks guys! So what powders do you have available to you? I went to an LGS today, they had H322, H335, BL-C2, Benchmark, IMR 4198, IMR 4895, 8208 XBR, Varget, Reloader 15 and probably others I didn't notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I don't have my load data with me but it was near the high end for 223 pressure. I think my smallest group came at around 27.3gr if I remember correctly. I'll look when I get home just to be sure. The bullets were Hornady 55 SPs and FMJBTs in LC brass loaded to around 2.217" OAL. It shoots a lot softer than my H335 load. I've never chronoed it but I think the velocities are similar. The POIs for both are right about the same. What're you using with BL-C(2)? I came across a couple pounds of that I looked at my data. I was close. I settled on 27.1gr of BL-C(2). My groups got consistently smaller right up to that point and then opened up again as the charge increased. Thanks a bunch, I'll keep this in mind the next time I get to do some load testing Why do you guys like 335 so much? I made a pounds worth of ammo with it and a two foot flame shot out of the end of the barrel. Dont get me wrong, its cool as hell but if I want quick follow up shots I don't want a fire ball blocking my line of sight. More gas to run the comp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thermobollocks Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 As an auspicious aside, I found a reasonably priced keg of H335 today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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