MC1 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I have been reading everything I can find on .223 and .308 reloading in an AR platform. I want some opinions. I getting ready to do rifle for the 1st time. I've run a ton of pistol, but no rifle, yet. I'm getting mixed results on how the different powders will meter in a Dillon 650XL. From what I gather H335 and IMR 8208XBR will both meter ok. Which one meters better. Which one is a more universal powder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I prefer H-335 and it meters very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-Bros_JLR Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I use TAC for all my 223 stuff currently, but am going to try the 8208 for a bolt gun trainer I'm building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louu Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 (edited) 335 is probably the best metering rifle powder there is however it smells like dookie when your shooting. It also makes a huge fire ball out of the end of the barrel. 8202 is the new Kool aid. It doesn't look like it will meter very well but it does. It will sometimes have a + or - of a tenth of a grain but for 3 gun stuff that really doesn't matter. The nice thing about it is no more fire ball and no more stink. It's kinda like Varget but you can throw charges. I'm working up a load with it right now and so far I'm really liking what I'm seeing. Edited October 22, 2015 by louu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDA Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I have been reading everything I can find on .223 and .308 reloading in an AR platform. I want some opinions. I getting ready to do rifle for the 1st time. I've run a ton of pistol, but no rifle, yet. I'm getting mixed results on how the different powders will meter in a Dillon 650XL. From what I gather H335 and IMR 8208XBR will both meter ok. Which one meters better. Which one is a more universal powder? H335 will meter very well, it is spherical powder. The IMR 8208 XBR is a stick powder which typically don't always meter well but it does a pretty good job, I only ever find a +-0.1 grain deviation from my target setting. I find Vihtavuori N320 to meter similarly (which again, is a stick powder but meters very well) unlike say Varget, also a stick powder which does not meter particularly well for me. I believe IMR 8208 XBR is a little more versatile than H335 in .223 and .308. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtp Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 I like 8208XBR quote a bit, and it's become preferred for me lately in .223 over TAC. It should do fine in .308 at lower weight bullets, but IMO, it's a bit too fast for heavier 175gr+ loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaldor Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I use H335 for 55gr 223 loads, and 125 grain and lower bullets. I have shot from 150gr FMJBTs in 308 loaded with H335. Its not fancy, but it does work. I use 8208 XBR for bullets above 60gr in 223, and 8208 XBR for 150s and above in 308. As others have said, 8208 XBR is probably not ideal for heavy 308 bullets, but I seem to be having good luck with it up to 175gr. As far as metering, H335 is like water. Ive tested 10 drops repeatedly, weighing, and dividing out. No more than .05 variance in drops from a Hornady powder measure. 8208 XBR is not quite as good, but seems to be under a .1 grain on a 10 drop test. If I was going to stock 2 powders for 223 and 308 it would be H335 and 8208 XBR. If I was only to stock one, it would be 8208 XBR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmmoParks Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I want to buy a can of 8208XBR to use with 69gr. (.223) HPBT's. Looking for a great medium-long range load for those occasional 3-gun stages that call for it. Everyone loves Varget but it seems to be ungettable at the moment. What do most use use to ring steel out to 300 yards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 300 yards? Any decent 55 fmj load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dauntedfuture Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 All ball powders are going to meter better then any stick powders. 335 is ball, 8208 is stick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay1 Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 (edited) Anyone loading CFE 223 in both the 223 & 308. In the press releases it talks about both and it is spherical. https://www.hodgdon.com/new_prod.html Edited June 1, 2016 by Clay1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrswanson1 Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 8208XBR was created to mimic an older powder that was very temperature insensitive. 8208 was originally a military powder that was the preferred powder of benchrest shooters looking for one hole groups at 200 yards. When it ran out a couple of decades ago, people who had any left hoarded it and could ask for quite a bit of money for it if they wanted to sell. It flowed through powder measures like water, and did not change through wide swings of temperatures. 8208XBR is supposed to do the same thing. No fluctuations due to temperatures, easily flows through a powder measure, and is very consistent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark R Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 300 yards? Any decent 55 fmj load. Zero at 200 yards...then you'll hopefully be POA +-2" at 100,200,300. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEP44 Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 I personally believe the whole metering thing is overrated after I got single digit SD's throwing IMR4064 through my Dillon powder measure loading 308. That said I'm sold on 8208 since I've tried it (and for who cares it meters better than 4064). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateTSU Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 XBR has worked well for me, it meters very well through my Hornady LNL AP. XBR has also produced very accurate groups with a 55gr FMJ 55 gr hpfb and 68gr bthp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokecloud Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 I recently switched to the IMR 8208xbr for 77gr Noslers. I had been getting my best results from H4895, but of course that is a full stick powder and left me loading them on a single stage. I got my 650 on line for 223 and needed a powder that would meter for the heavies and gave the 8208 a shot, it really is more like half stick powder and it remained amazingly consistent. I never saw 1/10th grain variance and I checked frequently, I also got single digit SD's. So far I have loaded about 1k and have shot about 600 of them. Im sold on it. For 55gr FMJ, I use cheaper powders, I either run TAC, because it meters the best of anything I have ever seen, or I run H335. For Varmint loads, running VMax or Nosler BT, I like Benchmark for its temp insensitivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 You know you can use a different powder system on your 650 that will allow using stick powders? Check into the the RCBS powder dropper with the case activated linkage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowdy1111 Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 I'm a Big fan of 8208 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDA Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 You know you can use a different powder system on your 650 that will allow using stick powders? Check into the the RCBS powder dropper with the case activated linkage... The stock Dillon powder measure works perfectly for me with a variety of stick powders (e.g., Vihtavuori, 8208XBR). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiggerJJ Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Yep, I know people who have worked over there Dillon powder system so they can use stick powders as well. there are choices if you want to use stick powders...there is no reason not to use the powder of your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowfin Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) H335 has made quite an impression on me. As others say, the metering is simply better than anything else I've ever seen or heard of, the charge weights are thrifty, and because of that perfect metering oh dear goodness the ammo it makes is obscenely accurate. For 55's there simply isn't a reason to use anything else. None, not one. Edited September 21, 2016 by yellowfin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
36873687 Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I've used both u can't go wrong with either one. If u just 3 gunning h335 is my choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mic2377 Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 I have used lots of H335 with good success. It is, along with WC 844/Win 748, the standard for duplicating ball 5.56 ammo. It meters exceedingly well. That being said, it is very flashy and is temperature sensitive. It also doesn't work all that well with heavier bullets. When I say muzzle flash, I am talking visible fireballs. I have used it in 308 as well, but not with as much success as other powders. I believe that 8208 XBR is an overall better powder. Despite being a stick powder, it is fine cut and meters suprisingly well. It works better with heavier bullet weights and in 308, and is temperature insensitive. It does cost slightly more than H335 though. Once I use up my last 8 lb'er of H335, I am moving over to 8208. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 (edited) I tested a lot of powders looking for the one my carbine really liked. (18" BHW with 1/8 twist). The best was 77gr Noslers with 8208xbr. All the remaining powder on the shelf has been relegated to 50 gr and 55 gr bullets while the 8208xbr is held in reserve for my heavy accuracy loads. Edited October 1, 2016 by Flatland Shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78Staff Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Interesting reading the good results of 77gr and 8208 XBR - I thought 8208 was better suited for the light stuff. Been reading good things about TAC and 77gr, was was going to pickup some, maybe I should grab some 8208 XBR. Looking for 200-500 performance, 77 Sierra HPBT, Lake City brass and likely CCI 41's or 450's, out of a MK12 Douglass SS 18" 1/7". Looking to go 2650+. Don't care about 55 gr. for this particular setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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