223 reloading question

[CSHS]

I'm fairly new to 223 reloading. I'd like to accurately shoot to 300 yds. Targets mostly, an occasional varmint or coyote.

I've been using 24g of H335 with various 55g bullets. Getting approximately 2700 fps. Reloading manuals allow for a higher charge.

Should I bump up the charge to increase fps to closer to 3000? Accuracy has been good, will this help? What kind of velocity do you normally look for on your 223 reloads?

Thanks in advance.

 

[BUFF7MM]

I'm fairly new to 223 reloading. I'd like to accurately shoot to 300 yds. Targets mostly, an occasional varmint or coyote.

I've been using 24g of H335 with various 55g bullets. Getting approximately 2700 fps. Reloading manuals allow for a higher charge.

Should I bump up the charge to increase fps to closer to 3000? Accuracy has been good, will this help? What kind of velocity do you normally look for on your 223 reloads?

Thanks in advance.

I don't look for velocity from mine I look for group size, I'd rather have 5 shots covered by a quarter at 300 yards going 2600fps than 5 shots covered by a grapefruit at 300 yards doing 3000fps.
I know it's not going to be that big of a difference but I'm sure you see where I'm going with this.
Not saying that your 3000fps load won't group better than your 2700fps load but most of my loading seem to give me the best groups somewhere on the middle part of published load data.

 

[BradMacc82]

What firearm? Bolt action, semi-auto?

At 300 yards, I didn't look for maximum velocity. I looked for consistency, velocity was a bonus.

In my bolt action, ended up at 25.1gr's H335 with a 75gr Match pill - don't recall the velocity/SD/ED, but it was a stone cold winner in my rifle. Never loaded more than 69gr for the AR, so I can only give input up to that charge weight.

 

[BigDaddy]

The Hogdon online manual lists various maximum loads for various 55 gr bullets. I'm not sure I understand all their abbreviations for the different bullets. They also seem to achieve 2900-3200 easier than I did.

Looking at my data, with a 55 gr Vmax I got around 3000 fps with 26 gr of 335. I am too lazy to look for my Hornady manual, so let's assume that is over the recommended max and throw that idea out. BTW having more than one reloading manual is a good thing. Sometimes they agree, sometimes they have a different selection of bullets and powder. Nothing wrong with H335 tho'

You can find very good accuracy at powder charges well below maximum. That is OK for shooting paper, in fact you might be surprised that pistol powder can be used in rifle cartridges. (That is not a recommendation for the newbie) If you are shooting varmints, you might as well can as much velocity as practical out of your rifle.

Optimal Charge Weight method has been mentioned here before as one method to approach reloading.

http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/#/ocw-instructions/4529817134

 

[molonlabe]

I used some blackout that I found at a gun show for 55 gr FMJ. Around 18 gr and they were pretty consistent. I would swear this powder was similar to win296. Load data for similar pistol rounds were similar.

 

[msinc]

I'm fairly new to 223 reloading. I'd like to accurately shoot to 300 yds. Targets mostly, an occasional varmint or coyote.

I've been using 24g of H335 with various 55g bullets. Getting approximately 2700 fps. Reloading manuals allow for a higher charge.

Should I bump up the charge to increase fps to closer to 3000? Accuracy has been good, will this help? What kind of velocity do you normally look for on your 223 reloads?

Thanks in advance.

There will be one load for a given bullet weight and powder charge that is optimum for your rifle...to find it I do a test where i start out with the bullet I want to try and load five or six rounds each of different powders in the middle of what the load manual says. This will tel me what powder to try. Then take that powder and load 5 or six rounds each from the starting load {lowest listed} in half grain increments {.5} and shoot them to see which charge gives you the best group.
Some people call it a "node" which has to do with barrel oscillations. The barrel vibrates, so to speak, when the rifle is fired. You want to catch the muzzle as close to the center of what you are aiming at just as the bullet leaves the muzzle for best accuracy. If you do this test with different charges you will see some will not group too well and then it will get tighter and maybe a little better again, then start to open back up in group size.
As already posted, all the velocity in the world is useless if you don't hit the target. Dont be afraid to try different bullets too and match teh bullet weight with your barrels twist. You also need to be sure and clean the barrel really good to avoid copper fouling which will ruin accuracy. Good luck.

 

[Seabee]

msinc is correct.
I approach it similar to what he describes but there are times I do it differently. This weekend for example, I worked on loads for my AR. I decided which bullet, primer, and velocity I wanted to use and tested different powders (below Max) that give me those velocities. Out of those, 3 gave me groups where all holes were touching or were in 1 hole @ 100 yds. Obviously, the more powders you test the better your chances of hitting that perfect load.
H-335 is normally a great powder in 5.56. In my case this weekend it wasn't. Ramshot TAC gave best results in my rifle. Hope this helps and good luck.

Ken

 

[outrider58]

Bullet is big in this equation as well. If you are forced to shoot short bullets due to a slow ROT, I recommend you try some Nosler Varmageddon 55gn. TFB bullets. they have been my most accurate, consistent bullets yet no matter the powder(I prefer Varget though).

 

[DZ]

CSHS,
I recommend that you read through that optimal charge weight link above. I think it will change your approach to load development.

 

[byf43]

I don't look for velocity from mine I look for group size, I'd rather have 5 shots covered by a quarter at 300 yards going 2600fps than 5 shots covered by a grapefruit at 300 yards doing 3000fps.
I know it's not going to be that big of a difference but I'm sure you see where I'm going with this.
Not saying that your 3000fps load won't group better than your 2700fps load but most of my loading seem to give me the best groups somewhere on the middle part of published load data.

I think Buff is inside my head, and writing what I'm thinking.



As for powder, H-335 and W-748 have given me some FANTASTIC groups, and since I load so many different calibers, (and I'm a stubborn bastige), I don't see any reason for "me" to change.

IF "I" had to choose just one powder for all of my .223/5.56x45mm rifles, H-335 would be "the one".

 

[BUFF7MM]

I think Buff is inside my head, and writing what I'm thinking.



As for powder, H-335 and W-748 have given me some FANTASTIC groups, and since I load so many different calibers, (and I'm a stubborn bastige), I don't see any reason for "me" to change.

IF "I" had to choose just one powder for all of my .223/5.56x45mm rifles, H-335 would be "the one".

It's that Western---Southern Maryland ESP connection.
But I'm partial to IMR 8208XBR, I've had excellent results with it and during the '13 scare I could find it easily.

 

[Pinecone]

There will be one load for a given bullet weight and powder charge that is optimum for your rifle...to find it I do a test where i start out with the bullet I want to try and load five or six rounds each of different powders in the middle of what the load manual says. This will tel me what powder to try. Then take that powder and load 5 or six rounds each from the starting load {lowest listed} in half grain increments {.5} and shoot them to see which charge gives you the best group.
Some people call it a "node" which has to do with barrel oscillations. The barrel vibrates, so to speak, when the rifle is fired. You want to catch the muzzle as close to the center of what you are aiming at just as the bullet leaves the muzzle for best accuracy. If you do this test with different charges you will see some will not group too well and then it will get tighter and maybe a little better again, then start to open back up in group size.
As already posted, all the velocity in the world is useless if you don't hit the target. Dont be afraid to try different bullets too and match teh bullet weight with your barrels twist. You also need to be sure and clean the barrel really good to avoid copper fouling which will ruin accuracy. Good luck.

A few things.

0.5 grains is too big a step for .223. Nodes occur at every 3% charge weight change, and 0.5 grains is 2% change, so you can skip over accuracy nodes. Charge increments should be 0.75 - 1%. Or about 0.2 grains for .223

There are two factors, the main factor is not vibration, but an expansion pulse. Look up Optimum Barrel Time. Vibration is a secondary effect

 

[byf43]

It's that Western---Southern Maryland ESP connection.

 

[CSHS]

Thanks all for the info. I'll keep fine tuning for accuracy, not velocity. Not to open another can, but how much do you play with COL? I've been sticking with the recommended numbers from the manuals.

Bullet is big in this equation as well. If you are forced to shoot short bullets due to a slow ROT, I recommend you try some Nosler Varmageddon 55gn. TFB bullets. they have been my most accurate, consistent bullets yet no matter the powder(I prefer Varget though).

Agree. Varmageddon bullets have shot great for me.

 

[Sticky]

What are you shooting them out of? Bolt or semi auto?

For bolt guns, I play with COL quite a bit... for semi's I load to spec per the data. I also have great results with H335 behind a 55gr Vmax or Zmax.

 

[CSHS]

What are you shooting them out of? Bolt or semi auto?

For bolt guns, I play with COL quite a bit... for semi's I load to spec per the data. I also have great results with H335 behind a 55gr Vmax or Zmax.

Semi. Thanks

 

[Pinecone]

Semi you are limited by what will feed from the mag.

And many rifles need a good bit more length to show any gains from COL changes. But it is always worth a try. But the sequence is, find best powder charge, then adjust COL. If you are close to max load, if try shorter, you need to reduce the load and work back up.