.223 Reloading

[huntnphool]

Curious what you reloaders prefer for .223 powder. I want to be loading 40gr.-55gr. and will be using them mainly for long distance coyote shooting. Planning on using the 40gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips, I have had good luck with the store bought loads but have so much brass now I figured its time to reload them rather than pay the increasing prices of factory ammo.

[demontang]

My father and I use IMR BLC-2, 4198, benchmark. Dont expect to get the same FPS as the factory hornady's I think they use a blended powder to get it up to 3800fps.

[littlebuf]

ive just started working up a load with 55gr sierra game kings and varget powder, so far pretty good results. got a little bigger than a 3/4 group at 200 yards and im fine tunning it now, tho that may be as good as it gets.

[catwithboost]

I shoot a mini-14 with nosler 40gr and use Varget powder. Shoot it around 20 rounds with cool off time and kept it at 1/2 groups at 125yrds.

[Jamieb]

My .223 likes the 50gr. molyed V-max's with Tac powder. Every .224CF I've loaded for liked the 50gr. V-max's

[MuleySniper]

This is straight form Noslers site...


223 Remington
40gr Ballistic Tip®
Primer: Remington 7-1/2
Ballistic Coefficient: .221
Sectional Density: .114
* Most Accurate Load Tested

Powder: RL 7
Charge Weight (in grains)   Muzzle Velocity (fps)   Load Density
23.5*      3614 fps   87%
22.5      3492 fps   84%
21.5      3370 fps   80%

Powder: Varget
Charge Weight (in grains)   Muzzle Velocity (fps)   Load Density
27.0      3383 fps   100%
26.0      3247 fps   96%
25.0*      3111 fps   93%

Powder: Viht N120
Charge Weight (in grains)   Muzzle Velocity (fps)   Load Density
23.5      3810 fps   80%
22.5      3677 fps   77%
21.5*      3543 fps   74%

I'm loading some Nosler Partitions in 60 grain. I'm using IMR 4198. Here are the specs on it.
223 Remington
60 gr. Partition® & 60 gr. Ballistic Tip®
Primer: Remington 7-1/2
Ballistic Coefficient: PT .228 BT .270
Sectional Density: .171
* Most Accurate Load Tested

Powder: IMR4198
Charge Weight (in grains)   Muzzle Velocity (fps)   Load Density
20.0      2933 fps   72%
19.0*      2807 fps   69%
18.0      2680 fps   65%

Powder: Benchmark
Charge Weight (in grains)   Muzzle Velocity (fps)   Load Density
23.5      3136 fps   85%
22.5*      3048 fps   82%
21.5      2932 fps   78%

Powder: RL-15
Charge Weight (in grains)   Muzzle Velocity (fps)   Load Density
25.5*      3078 fps   92%
24.5      2899 fps   89%
23.5      2809 fps   85%

With that 40 grain, it looks like you'll get close to 3800 fps, but according to their stats, it's probably not a very accurate load though. My theory is with a heavier bullet, I hope to get a more accurate load.
MS

[catwithboost]

I do mine at 25.0 Varget with the 40gr. Never had to tweak it was happy with what I got.

[MHWASH]

I like Ramshot X-terminator. Meters real well and is temp insensitive. I'm using Benchmark in my 222 and it shows promise as well. Also meters real well.

[huntnphool]

Thanks for all the info guys. I was down at Cabelas today to pick up a order and thought I would go up and check. I spoke to a guy that was helping everyone in the reloading section and he informed me that they had just got a shipment of powder in, I picked up the RL7. Interesting side note, the guy said they have gone through more powder in the last 10 days than they did the past 6 months.