.223 Rem. and IMR4320?

longrangehunter · Jun 16, 2013

So I'm breaking in the barrel of the Remington 700 R5, and since I have so much of this powder sitting around from 2004 with nothing its ever worked in I wondered if anyone has had any luck with it using 50-55 gr. bullets?

I'm using it with the Nosler Varmagedon 55 grain (tipped) FB's. First five went under an inch, but I'm already toped out as far as velocity using this powder and that bullet at 3170 20' from the muzzle with 26.1 grains.

I'm going to move to H335 for the next load.

Guy Miner · Jun 16, 2013

3170 fps from a 55 gr .223 isn't at all bad.

If you've got a bunch of it, and the load shoots well, I'd recommend using it. What are you going to gain from another powder, maybe 100 fps? That won't matter at all while varminting.

FWIW, Guy

longrangehunter · Jun 16, 2013

I was hoping for a better group..... something in the teens! But I'll need to shoot it more.

I had Lori shoot the next five rounds after the first five through the barrel...... she can't really see the target, her eyes haver gotten much worse in the last few weeks. So I looked through the scope to get it on the bulls eye and had her carefully get behind the gun left handed and shoot.... her last shot was in the bulls eye @ seven o'clock! It wasn't a good group, more like 6 inches at 100 yards, but we were sure happy to see that last round hit right where we had been aiming!

Oldtrader3 · Jun 16, 2013

You might try IMR 3031, that is what I use in my .204 Ruger, CZ rifle. I get high velocity and tight groups, about .5 inches at 100 yards.

FOTIS · Jun 17, 2013

I use H335 and Win 748 for the 223.

longrangehunter · Jun 17, 2013

So I played w/the seating depth this morning. I started the other day w/ 2.250"-2.260" and then measured the bullet to the rifling and settled on trying 2.2800" which tighten up the group but I still didn't like it and I moved it back into the case to 2.2775" (0.010" off) and made a nice ragged hole!

But I know the group would have been way better had the E.S. not been so high, 60-80 fps in two different groups 3184/3173 fps with lows down to 3117/3110. I'm using Lapua Brass Match brass, but I'm not about to weight sort the brass so I'm not crazy about this powder in this small case? Too slow i think? I bought it a decade ago for my 458 Lott and ended up using IMR 4064 with a 500 grain Speer African Grand Slam..... a great bullet compared to all the not so great bullets I've used before from Speer, except the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullet which I've used a lot with great success.

I made 15 rounds to play with but I'm thinking the load needs a different powder to get rid of those Extreme Spreads that could have reduced the group size.

wildgene · Jun 18, 2013

...well, it's been awhile ago, almost 15yrs. now so I really don't have a clue where my logbook is, that I went to TAC, not only because it meters so well, but theMV/ ES/ SD's were so consistently good. Lapua brass is pre-sorted, one of the things you're paying a premium for, so your cases should be pretty close...

BeeTee · Jun 18, 2013

W748 has been the most accurate powder I've used. Still experimenting with Benchmark, but prelim groups show no improvement over W748. In my Remington 223 VS, W748 has produced groups, on average, 0.10" to 0.20" smaller than H335. I've shot dozens of 5-shot groups with both powders.

Like H335, W748 is a ball powder, so it meters very well. An extruded powder (like Benchmark) doesn't meter nearly as well.

Rather than waste barrel life, save, sell or give away any powder that isn't a perfect fit for your rifle.

I've got some H335 on the shelf, and will be trying it in my 308 with lighter bullets. If it won't work, it's gone... BT