16" Barrel .223 Which powder to use?
Anyone got a recommendation for a powder to use in a 16" barreled AR? I'm using 55gr FMJ bullets. I've been using 25.5 grains of 4064 but would like a bit more velocity. Mine chronographed at around 2890. I'd like to get a bit faster without going to maximum charge weights. Any ideas?
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Win. 748 or varget work real good for me. 0 -
There are many that will work. Varget is a little slow for 55 grain bullets out of a 16" barrel. You will also be compressing varget with 55 grain bullets. Not worth the effort. H335 and BLC 2 are what I use with 55 and 62 grain bullets, and the ball powder. I load these for fun and cheapness. BLC 2 will get you close to 3000 with out coming close to max pressures. However, it is very temperature sensitive, so your velocities will vary depending on the day. For heavier bullets I am using Varget. 0 -
Add 2230 to the list with BLC-2 and H-335. 0 -
Thanks for the info. Of the powders that have been listed, which would be considered the least temperature sensitive? 0 -
Temperature sensitivity is not your issue. Stressing your AR is. With slow powders, the pressure will still be very high at the gas port. That will over-stress the action or rip the rim off the cartridge in the chamber - or both.
The powders mentioned are excellent - in a bolt gun. But an AR requires something faster to lower the pressure at the gas port. That does mean you won't get high bullet velocity, but that's the choice you have to make with an AR -- especially a short-barreled one.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Rocky Raab
Temperature sensitivity is not your issue. Stressing your AR is. With slow powders, the pressure will still be very high at the gas port. That will over-stress the action or rip the rim off the cartridge in the chamber - or both.
The powders mentioned are excellent - in a bolt gun. But an AR requires something faster to lower the pressure at the gas port. That does mean you won't get high bullet velocity, but that's the choice you have to make with an AR -- especially a short-barreled one.
So what would you suggest? Let me expand on my original post a bit. Right now I'm using 55 grn FMJs to experiment with and get comfortable with reloading, I'm pretty new to it. Eventually I want to use a 55 grn soft point hunting round of some type. I plan on doing some cougar hunting this winter and want to develop a load that will drop them quickly. I've got a Leupold Mark-AR scope on the gun calibrated to 55 gr bullets so I'd like to get up to about 31-3200 FPS to take advantage of the scopes capabilities.0 -
Well, in my 16-inch Contender barrel, I can get right at 3100 fps with a 50-gr bullet over 24.0 H322 - which isn't max. Extruded powders in that general medium-fast range include Reloader 10X, Benchmark, Accurate 2015 and IMR3031. Sphericals include Ramshot X-Terminator, Accurate 2230 and (a bit slower) Ramshot TAC, W748 and H335.
Forced to choose, I'd go with Benchmark or X-Terminator.
A good source for all things AR is (not surprisingly) AR15.com0 -
Thanks for the input, Mr. Raab! 0 -
You are most welcome.
By the way, I think that temp sensitivity is about 99% marketing hype, but if it a factor for you, Benchmark is a Hodgdon Extreme powder. In fact, the powders called "temperature insensitive" should probably be called "reduced sensitivity" since they are not immune to temperature changes. And even then, it isn't true for all cartridges - or even all loads in a given cartridge, for that matter. Varget, for example, shows reduced sensitivity in the .308, but none in the .223.0 -
I'm getting good velocity and accuracy from X-Terminator from 16" barrels. Economical, too. 0 -
I am using AA2015. 0 -
Thanks for all the input. After doing some more research I'm leaning towards the X-terminator powder. The sphericals seem to meter out of my Dillon press more consistently than the extruded powders. 0 -
That's probably why Dillon recommends the use of sphericals, huh? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Rocky Raab
That's probably why Dillon recommends the use of sphericals, huh?
Yup...[:I]
Thanks for the reminder.0 -
I use Acc 2015 and Ramshot X-terminator.
I get over 3000fps from my 16" AR with either, grouping is similiar in both my rifles I've tried. I use more X-Term now that all my AR food goes through my progressive(Hornady).
Don't have my info handy, but both are in the 24.5 gr area and I believe 3100fps. I'll try and check later.0
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