[taylorjr]

So I went shopping today and couldn't find much in the way of powders, so when I saw AA 2015 I picked up a pound and figured I might as well try it out.

I'm loading 69gr SMK HPBT over 19.7 - 20.9gr (max is 21.8gr) in 0.2gr increments. COAL is 2.245" (I decided loading to the mag would give me the best results in my 16" AR) with CCI SRP

Will AA 2015 push the round too fast? I figured I'd keep away from the max for now until I got some experience with the powder. I've heard it's really good with 40-55gr bullets, but I pulled data right from Accurate's website so I figure I'm still in the clear. Thoughts?

 

[fredj338]

It's not pushing the 69gr too fast, vel will be lower compared to say aa2520, you will be getting higher pressures with lower vel than a slower powder. I would not choose it for 69gr, but it will work.

 

[taylorjr]

Alright, thanks Fred. I know Varget and H335 are supposedly good powders for 223, I think I'll be sticking about 60gr with most of my bullet weights... any suggestions on powder? My AR is a 16" barrel with a 1:8 twist. I'll be sticking to 60gr Noslers, 62gr Vmax's, and 69-77gr MatchKings

 

[entropy87]

My experience is limited to loading for 69 and 77. Reloder 15 is a really good powder for these heavier weight bullets. I've started using IMR 8208 XBR as well. Varget and Winchester 748 will work as well for the heavier stuff.

 

[fredj338]

Alright, thanks Fred. I know Varget and H335 are supposedly good powders for 223, I think I'll be sticking about 60gr with most of my bullet weights... any suggestions on powder? My AR is a 16" barrel with a 1:8 twist. I'll be sticking to 60gr Noslers, 62gr Vmax's, and 69-77gr MatchKings

For bullets heavier than 55gr, look to powders slower, Varget, w748, aa2520, blc-2, aa2495, etc, all better choices for heavier bullets, regardless of bbl length.

 

[taylorjr]

My experience is limited to loading for 69 and 77. Reloder 15 is a really good powder for these heavier weight bullets. I've started using IMR 8208 XBR as well. Varget and Winchester 748 will work as well for the heavier stuff.

Thanks man, I saw some reloader 15 there but hadn't seen data on it.

For bullets heavier than 55gr, look to powders slower, Varget, w748, aa2520, blc-2, aa2495, etc, all better choices for heavier bullets, regardless of bbl length.

Thanks again fred. I might hit the LGS today and see if they've got anything.

 

[100968]

Alright, thanks Fred. I know Varget and H335 are supposedly good powders for 223, I think I'll be sticking about 60gr with most of my bullet weights... any suggestions on powder? My AR is a 16" barrel with a 1:8 twist. I'll be sticking to 60gr Noslers, 62gr Vmax's, and 69-77gr MatchKings

also go to Nosler.com , they have already run the accuracy tests for you and have great charts. Very useful data for Nosler bullets.

H335 loves the 55s. super accurate, my favorite actually. sub Moa @ 100

I like reloder 15 for my heavier bullets. Benchmark works very well in 62 and64 65 and 69 as does CF223.

Those are 4 of my favorites. I have some ARcomp I've yet to get around to playing with. I've heard great things though.

Sierra also has downloadable PDF files with most accurate powder for (x) bullet combo. Very helpful in giving you a starting point. Atleast you know your using an optimal powder that's already undergone extensive testing saving you some money and time.

if you can't find the PDFs I will send them to you. just PM me .

 

[57K]

Don't forget about Ramshot TAC.

 

[100968]

Alright, thanks Fred. I know Varget and H335 are supposedly good powders for 223, I think I'll be sticking about 60gr with most of my bullet weights... any suggestions on powder? My AR is a 16" barrel with a 1:8 twist. I'll be sticking to 60gr Noslers, 62gr Vmax's, and 69-77gr MatchKings

Don't forget about Ramshot TAC.

Another ramshot product I'm dying to get ahold of. They just aren't around here. H335 and cfe223 are very available here though. Varget and win 748 also. benchmark is always on the shelf as well. That's why I have a ton of each of those !!!

 

[taylorjr]

also go to Nosler.com , they have already run the accuracy tests for you and have great charts. Very useful data for Nosler bullets.

H335 loves the 55s. super accurate, my favorite actually. sub Moa @ 100

I like reloder 15 for my heavier bullets. Benchmark works very well in 62 and64 65 and 69 as does CF223.

Those are 4 of my favorites. I have some ARcomp I've yet to get around to playing with. I've heard great things though.

Sierra also has downloadable PDF files with most accurate powder for (x) bullet combo. Very helpful in giving you a starting point. Atleast you know your using an optimal powder that's already undergone extensive testing saving you some money and time.

if you can't find the PDFs I will send them to you. just PM me .

I found Accurate's and Sierra's PDF, but the barrels are a bit different. In the 5th edition of their book, they list Varget for their most accurate load on the 69gr MK. I didn't know Nosler had PDFs, but just a quick google search pulled it up.

Don't forget about Ramshot TAC.

I just wish I could find decent powders! Everything has been hard to come by here.

 

[100968]

Nosler is not a PDF, it's a regular web page. google Nosler load data. it's a plethora of data and gives most accurate charge in grains for those components listed. I still start low and work up but it gives you a heads up on where to find the sweet spot. It's gonna be tough to find 16" data. start low, work to a good load , record velocites and create your own database. if you like , I shoot a 16" but typically with 55s and 62s all though I have some 64 data, for all the powders we've been talking about almost. I can create a list and post it for you to have a good idea of what velocities to expect. just let me know, it'll take a bit to compile it but I don't mind. it will be heavy with 55 data though.


Barnes bullets also has PDF 's with most accurate loads worked up as well for diff weight bullets.

The accurate website data is about my favorite mainly bc it gives 556 loads as well as 223s. Very extensive data also.

I have had great success with reloder 15 as well from 55s to 69s. If its available grab it up, great velocities and accuracy and i dont recall it being stand out dirty or any drawbacks for that matter.I don't shoot longer bullets than 69 grainers, i only have a 1:9 twist. I had trouble with some 75s so 69 is my cut off.

 

[entropy87]

Taylor,

If you can find some reloder 15 you should try some out. It's really good with the heavier bullets. I know quite a few folks that shoot 69-77 bullets and the 2 most common powders being used are RL-15 and Varget. I haven't used Varget, but the only complaint I've heard is that it's dirtier than RL-15.

I see you are using SMK's. They are pretty much what I use when I shoot on my Highpower league. The Nosler Custom Competitions in 69 and 77 are also pretty good and fair amount cheaper than the SMK's. If you haven't tried the Noslers you should give them a shot.

 

[taylorjr]

Nosler is not a PDF, it's a regular web page. google Nosler load data. it's a plethora of data and gives most accurate charge in grains for those components listed. I still start low and work up but it gives you a heads up on where to find the sweet spot. It's gonna be tough to find 16" data. start low, work to a good load , record velocites and create your own database. if you like , I shoot a 16" but typically with 55s and 62s all though I have some 64 data, for all the powders we've been talking about almost. I can create a list and post it for you to have a good idea of what velocities to expect. just let me know, it'll take a bit to compile it but I don't mind. it will be heavy with 55 data though.


Barnes bullets also has PDF 's with most accurate loads worked up as well for diff weight bullets.

The accurate website data is about my favorite mainly bc it gives 556 loads as well as 223s. Very extensive data also.

I have had great success with reloder 15 as well from 55s to 69s. If its available grab it up, great velocities and accuracy and i dont recall it being stand out dirty or any drawbacks for that matter.I don't shoot longer bullets than 69 grainers, i only have a 1:9 twist. I had trouble with some 75s so 69 is my cut off.

That would be great. If you could get that together that would be great.

Taylor,

If you can find some reloder 15 you should try some out. It's really good with the heavier bullets. I know quite a few folks that shoot 69-77 bullets and the 2 most common powders being used are RL-15 and Varget. I haven't used Varget, but the only complaint I've heard is that it's dirtier than RL-15.

I see you are using SMK's. They are pretty much what I use when I shoot on my Highpower league. The Nosler Custom Competitions in 69 and 77 are also pretty good and fair amount cheaper than the SMK's. If you haven't tried the Noslers you should give them a shot.

I found some Prvi copies of the Sierra match kings, I might try them after I go through everything.

I picked up a pound of reloader 15 today and a pound of benchmark. My target for the Nosler 60s is about 2800, and about 2600 to 2700. Since I don't have a chrono, I'm going to assume a 25fps per inch drop from a 24" (most of the time the barrel used in published data) to my 16" barrel... I'm guessing about 200fps less at the same charge.

Can any body confirm this for me? To me it sounds right but I'm still pretty new to this. I've heard 69's need 2600-2700 to stabilize and 60's a little higher

 

[entropy87]

I don't have a chrono either so can't help you out on that end. Most everyone I shoot on my HP league is running 20" AR's and they are who mentored me when I got set up to start reloading for rifle. If it helps at all I'm am running 24.5 grains of RL-15 with 69 SMK's and 23.8 grains with the 77's out of a 20" barrel.

 

[fredj338]

That would be great. If you could get that together that would be great.

I picked up a pound of reloader 15 today and a pound of benchmark. My target for the Nosler 60s is about 2800, and about 2600 to 2700. Since I don't have a chrono, I'm going to assume a 25fps per inch drop from a 24" (most of the time the barrel used in published data) to my 16" barrel... I'm guessing about 200fps less at the same charge.

Can any body confirm this for me? To me it sounds right but I'm still pretty new to this. I've heard 69's need 2600-2700 to stabilize and 60's a little higher

Your vel loss will be closer to 40-50fps on the small bores. If you are running 1-7 or 1-8 twist, they'll stabilize @ 2600 fos, no problem. The lighter the bullet the less vel you need for stabilization.

 

[taylorjr]

Thanks fred. I've always heard 20-25fps per inch

So if I look up Hodgdon's Benchmark data online, they are saying a 69gr Sierra HPBT will get pushed @ 2770fps with minimum load 21.5gr @ 39,700 CUP, and @ 2970fps with maximum load 23.5gr. This is loaded and tested in a 24" barrel, 1:12"

As far as bullet twist goes, a 16" at 1:8 will have the same amount of twist as a 24" at 1:12. So I'm looking at very similar twist, but less velocity? If the velocity increase has a linear relationship with the powder increase, I can assume a 10fps increase over 0.10gr, right? So to compensate, I'll throw a little more powder in and my sweet spot will be a little hotter than a longer barrel.

I'll do some more testing soon. I've got 30 rounds of 2015 and 69gr loaded up. I looked through some burn charts and for the powders I've got, here's fastest to slowest:

Accurate 2015 (all the way up near 10X and H332)
Hodgdon Benchmark (next to H335)
Reloader 15 (close to Varget)

 

[fredj338]

Thanks fred. I've always heard 20-25fps per inch

So if I look up Hodgdon's Benchmark data online, they are saying a 69gr Sierra HPBT will get pushed @ 2770fps with minimum load 21.5gr @ 39,700 CUP, and @ 2970fps with maximum load 23.5gr. This is loaded and tested in a 24" barrel, 1:12"

As far as bullet twist goes, a 16" at 1:8 will have the same amount of twist as a 24" at 1:12. So I'm looking at very similar twist, but less velocity? If the velocity increase has a linear relationship with the powder increase, I can assume a 10fps increase over 0.10gr, right? So to compensate, I'll throw a little more powder in and my sweet spot will be a little hotter than a longer barrel.

I'll do some more testing soon. I've got 30 rounds of 2015 and 69gr loaded up. I looked through some burn charts and for the powders I've got, here's fastest to slowest:

Accurate 2015 (all the way up near 10X and H332)
Hodgdon Benchmark (next to H335)
Reloader 15 (close to Varget)

Well sort of. Vel increases can be linear, but it is always powder specific. Most powders, the closer you get to max the more the vel per grain of powder changes. So you can't really assume anything. Why I have always used a chrono, then I know exactly. Why I can tell you with confidence that vel loss in 223 is much greater than 25fps per inch. Until you start reloading with chrono, you are always guessing.

 

[taylorjr]

Your vel loss will be closer to 40-50fps on the small bores. If you are running 1-7 or 1-8 twist, they'll stabilize @ 2600 fos, no problem. The lighter the bullet the less vel you need for stabilization.

d'oh. thought you meant total loss, not per inch. that changes things. I'll be looking at more like 320-400fps loss due to 8" less length... to hit 2600 I'll be near max load likely.

I want and need a chrono so bad but can't do it right now, no convenient place to set one up, and money's tight. the new mrs. would probably have a fit.

 

[fredj338]

d'oh. thought you meant total loss, not per inch. that changes things. I'll be looking at more like 320-400fps loss due to 8" less length... to hit 2600 I'll be near max load likely.

I want and need a chrono so bad but can't do it right now, no convenient place to set one up, and money's tight. the new mrs. would probably have a fit.

Correct, why I mentioned it. I have a 16" & 20", I lose about 200fps with identical loads. So deduct another off the book data taken in 24" bbls.

 

[taylorjr]

Correct, why I mentioned it. I have a 16" & 20", I lose about 200fps with identical loads. So deduct another off the book data taken in 24" bbls.

Thanks fred. My new mrs just surprised me with a $100 gift card for my birthday... Any recommendations for $100 chrono's?