Pet Loads For Your Ar

[paraman1]

I am working up some loads for my Bushmaster 20 inch HBAR for varmint hunting and for 3-gun and was wondering what some of the folks here are using . I am using Ramshot TAC powder but the jury is still out on whether its delivering all my rifle is capable of (in my opinion which is getting shot ragged in another thread) . Let me know your favorite combos for your AR and maybe I can sense a trend for whats working in rifles similar to mine .

[GlocknSchpiel]

paraman1, I have two loads that shoot very well out of my 20" Bushy.

1. 26gr 748 behind 55gr SPBT Hornady, Rem SR Primer

2. 22.2gr 322, Same...

Avg for both loads is aprox 2875 fps. The 748 load seems to be more accurate with 1.5" groups at 100 yds, Iron Sights.

Glockn...

[gm iprod]

I have played quite a bit with a variety of 223 Military type Semi auto's

H335 is Milspec from Hodgdon, try H or IMR 4895 and Hodgdon Varget.

Try 26grains Varget and 69gr Sierra Match= 2800fps in 20" H&K SL8

25grains 4895 & 69gr Sierra = 2750fps in HBAR COLT.

55grain Nosler Balistic Tip 27.5gr Vaget = 3250fps (compressed)

as above Hodgdon H335 25.4gr = 3100fps, a bit hot.

Work up carefully.

[TRG65]

Paraman

I don't have an AR, unfortunately, but I tried using both Ramshot TAC and Big Game in a custom .308 I have. Both powders yeilded dismal results. An email to Ramshot wasn't much help either.

[TBF]

52gr Sierra matchking + 25gr H335 = excellent accuracy from any 223 I have tried it in. Varget also works well, if memory serves, 25-26gr under 55gr Blitzking was good load. Crossreference loads with mfg. data (Hodgdon) before using, I am not near my data right now. Travis F.

[George]

I am getting great results from a bulk Hornady 55gr TMJ (Total Metal Jacket) with cannelure. I get em cheap from Midway. I run them on top of 27.5gr WW748 with WW SR primer. OAL=2.225. I get 3150 out of most 20" bbl's, and 1 MOA in most of my AR's. 28.5 grains of 748 shows primer flow, and gets me 3250 so I stay at 27.5 with this load.

I use 23.5 of AA 2520, or 24.3 Varget under Sierra 77gr MK's. OAL = 2.260. 2650 fps in JP 1:8 20", 2750 in Colt 20" 1:7 HBAR. It holds 1/2 MOA in the JP, and 1 MOA in the HBAR.

24.0 of AA2520, or 24.5 Varget under the Sierra 69gr MK gets me 2700 in the 20" JP, and 2800ish in the HBAR. .75 MOA in the JP, 1 MOA in HBAR, and Eagle 1:9 20". 2.255 = OAL.

The 24.3 Varget/77MK load shoots to same point of aim at 200yd as the 24.5 Varget/69MK load in my 20" JP. I purposely tuned this result.

BTW, I would be very, very careful with 26.0 of Varget under a Sierra 69gr MK. I get pressure signs in all of my AR's at 25.0 of Varget under the S69MK. I would work my way up very carefully on that one, and load it long to help keep pressure down (2.240, or longer). FWIW, note that I am getting about 2800 fps at 24.5grains of Varget in my 1:7 20" Colt HBAR, and my 1:9 Eagle 20".

A load I never got to shoot well in anything but my Colt HBAR 1:7 is 25-26gr(s) of WW748 under a S69MK. Shoots a disappointing 1.5 MOA in my JP and my Eagle, but right around 1 MOA in the HBAR.

Regards,

BTW, two notes here:

1. Cases used in all above loads = LC 00, your velocity & pressure may vary.

2. A 55gr load needs 2910 to just scrape minor floor, load 3-5% faster "just to be sure".

[jeff89]

I've got a 24 inch AR that I've had excellent results with 23 grains of H-335 combined with 69gr Sierra Matchking slugs.

Jeff