Subject Matter Experts! .223 Powder.

[deafdogdief]

How would I go about choosing a good powder for .223/5.56? Subject Matter Experts please!

[Caster]

Well, I'm not a SME, but there are several really good options. The new CFE powder is supposed to be great. Personally I have had both my best results and my best bargain from WC846.

[deafdogdief]

Well, I'm not a SME, but there are several really good options. The new CFE powder is supposed to be great. Personally I have had both my best results and my best bargain from WC846.

Castor, thanks for the info. Do you have experience with the CFE223? I hear a lot of people talking about it, but I don't know anyone that has used it yet. Looks like the pressures are higher.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I have used SMP 842 and it helped me shoot the best group I ever have with my AR. It cycled 100% with 53 grain SMK's as well as my 69 SMK load. I got some sub 1/2" groups at 122 yards during load development. And after about 60 rounds you couldn't hardly tell the AR had been shot. I like it so much I am getting ready to load 1,000 rounds using it. Those rounds are going to be part of my stash.

David, DLM37015 on here, sells it at the shows for around $100 for an 8 pound jug. For the money it can't be beat. David also sells the primed brass and 62 grain bullets to make your own M855 rounds. You should be able to load 1,000 rounds for under $250.

Dolomite

Edited March 5, 2016 by Dolomite_supafly

[deafdogdief]

I have used SMP 842 and it helped me shoot the best group I ever have with my AR. It cycled 100% with 53 grain SMK's as well as my 69 SMK load. I got some sub 1/2" groups at 122 yards during load development. And after about 60 rounds you couldn't hardly tell the AR had been shot. I like it so much I am getting ready to load 1,000 rounds using it. Those rounds are going to be part of my stash.

David, DLM37015 on here, sells it at the shows for around $100 for an 8 pound jug. For the money it can't be beat. David also sells the primed brass and 62 grain bullets to make your own M855 rounds. You should be able to load 1,000 rounds for under $250.

Dolomite

The info you are posting sounds consistent with what I am hearing. What kind of barrel and setup are you using to get that tight of groups? Is it chrome lined? What kind of groups were you shooting with factory ammo? Edited March 5, 2016 by Dolomite_supafly

[frankmako]

in the next two weeks i will be working up some 5.56 loads with imr 4895 and a 55gr fjmbt. h335 is also a good 5.56 powder.

[dlm37015]

the surplus wc842 is the best cleanest powder i have used for 55-62 grain bullets in 223

i have loaded some 69 and 77 grain bullets with it but have not tested them yet

[Dolomite_supafly]

The info you are posting sounds consistent with what I am hearing. What kind of barrel and setup are you using to get that tight of groups? Is it chrome lined? What kind of groups were you shooting with factory ammo?

It is a 9 twist SS 16" barrel that is not chrome lined.


All loads are 2.23" OAL in order to feed from the magazines. The brass was match prepped and used Wolf SRM primers. There was no crimp, only neck tension holding the bullet. The brass was R-P with several loadings on them.

I ran loads from 27.1 to 28.3 with 53 SMK. 28.3 grains seemed like a sweet spot with the 53 SMK. 27.7 did equally as well.

For the 69 SMK I loaded from 24.5-24.9 grains. They did fine and shot comparable to my Varget loads with the same charge weights.

Although it may not shoot the 69 better than Varget it is doing it cheaper. I have loaded using H335 and the SMP 842 is more accurate.

Tula runs around 4"-5" at 100 yards. With factory Remington green box it was shooting 2" at 100 yards. With Blackhills it was around an inch. I have never really did any shooting using surplus US ammo.

And all of this was done with a bore that has had little more than a bore snake ran through it in years. I did clean the bolt in order to see how clean the powder was.

And as always my data was safe in my gun. I cannot guarantee it will be in yours. Make sure you follow published data and work up accordingly to keep yourself safe. Do no rely on my load data, do your own research.

Dolomite Edited March 5, 2016 by Dolomite_supafly

[deafdogdief]

It is a 9 twist SS 16" barrel that is not chrome lined.


All loads are 2.23" OAL in order to feed from the magazines. The brass was match prepped and used Wolf SRM primers. There was no crimp, only neck tension holding the bullet. The brass was R-P with several loadings on them.

I ran loads from 27.1 to 28.3 with 53 SMK. 28.3 grains seemed like a sweet spot with the 53 SMK. 27.7 did equally as well.

For the 69 SMK I loaded from 24.5-24.9 grains. They did fine and shot comparable to my Varget loads with the same charge weights.

Although it may not shoot the 69 better than Varget it is doing it cheaper. I have loaded using H335 and the SMP 842 is more accurate.

Tula runs around 4"-5" at 100 yards. With factory Remington green box it was shooting 2" at 100 yards. With Blackhills it was around an inch. I have never really did any shooting using surplus US ammo.

And all of this was done with a bore that has had little more than a bore snake ran through it in years. I did clean the bolt in order to see how clean the powder was.

And as always my data was safe in my gun. I cannot guarantee it will be in yours. Make sure you follow published data and work up accordingly to keep yourself safe. Do no rely on my load data, do your own research.

Dolomite

Thanks for the thorough answer! I will be sure to check my load data. Edited March 5, 2016 by Dolomite_supafly

[Kenstaroni]

WC844 works well for me...I've also used Varget and H335.

[Jonnin]

I have not seen any of this surplus powder anywhere... and shipping fees jack the price up a fair amount. Anyone know a place around chattanooga with it?

I have been using 2230, and it has served me well, the loads have been dead on all the way out to 200 yards, which isnt much but its all I ask for from a 223. I use the hornady 55 grain slugs, and will for the next year or 3 since I found 7k of them for cheap.

[dlm37015]

I have not seen any of this surplus powder anywhere... and shipping fees jack the price up a fair amount. Anyone know a place around chattanooga with it?

I have been using 2230, and it has served me well, the loads have been dead on all the way out to 200 yards, which isnt much but its all I ask for from a 223. I use the hornady 55 grain slugs, and will for the next year or 3 since I found 7k of them for cheap.

drive up to knoxville i have some of this surplus powder 85.00 to tgo members for 844

[Guest A10thunderbolt]

drive up to knoxville i have some of this surplus powder 85.00 to tgo members for 844

Are you located in Knoxville? or are you just here on a regular basis?

[dlm37015]

i come over there a lot

[Slasher]

Hey David,

You coming down to the Memphis show in April?

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[Guest TnTnTn]

Win 748, Varget, and Xterminator is what I have used most with good results. TTT

[dlm37015]

Hey David,

You coming down to the Memphis show in April?

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

dont know but i will be coming through soon

[Guest]

David I tried to message you but the forum said "this user can't receive any more messages."    Please message me if you are able.

Thank you
 

[Hershmeister]

I have used SMP 842 and it helped me shoot the best group I ever have with my AR. It cycled 100% with 53 grain SMK's as well as my 69 SMK load. I got some sub 1/2" groups at 122 yards during load development. And after about 60 rounds you couldn't hardly tell the AR had been shot. I like it so much I am getting ready to load 1,000 rounds using it. Those rounds are going to be part of my stash.

David, DLM37015 on here, sells it at the shows for around $100 for an 8 pound jug. For the money it can't be beat. David also sells the primed brass and 62 grain bullets to make your own M855 rounds. You should be able to load 1,000 rounds for under $250.

Dolomite

$100 for an 8 pounder? Wow!!!
I might have to switch from my usual Accurate 2230

Edited March 5, 2016 by Dolomite_supafly

[Garufa]

$100 for an 8 pounder? Wow!!!
I might have to switch from my usual Accurate 2230

 

You know that post is 4 years old, right?

[srszczer]

To be fair to Hersh, I got a little excited myself when I saw that. Never noticed it was from 2012.

[roverboy]

I wish I would have bought some surplus when it was widely available. I've used W748, IMR 4198, and IMR4895 for a long time in .223 Rem. I even loaded and shot some 55 gr. fmj with a compressed load of WC846. Shot good and seemed to be not much louder than a .22 Mag.

Edited March 4, 2016 by roverboy

[deadeye111]

I am not a SME but the CFE 223 works well along with Varget and H335.

 

I got 8 lbs of CFE 223 from David  (dlm37015).  It is my default powder now for the .223.

Edited March 5, 2016 by deadeye111

[Guest]

Error Edited March 5, 2016 by Guest

[Hershmeister]

To be fair to Hersh, I got a little excited myself when I saw that. Never noticed it was from 2012.

Well dang.... [emoji22][emoji22][emoji22][emoji22]