General Purpose 223 load

[Gunner46]

I've never loaded for this round. I'm loading for an AR with a 16.5" barrel, 1/9 twist. Goal is to get a general purpose, target/Yote/defense load. I'm wide open to bullet weights & powders. Any ideas?

 

[NWBlacktail]

I really like the Hornady 60 grain V-Max. I think that would fit your needs for everything except for 'defense.' But they are pretty accurate.

69grn Sierra Match KIng are also great, very accurate but a bit more expensive.

I've never loaded the Nosler (forget what they are called) bonded… something… something. I hear great things about them, and were designed for the AR platform. I shoot a bolt gun in 223, but I'd still like to give them a try some time. The 60 grain Nosler Partitions I haven't had much luck with accuracy, but they are a stout bullet.

 

[Polaris]

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/pro ... ctId/25539 This. .18 per slug. They will hold the wind pretty well to 400 or so and will work in your 1/9 twist. This bullet acts like a "hard" varmint bullet on impact with soft targets. It will pass through a coyote so if you're saving pelts this will not do. You'll have to go significantly lighter at the expense of wind drift at longer ranges. If you're simply interested in extirpating the pests, it will do nicely. Should punch tiny groups in targets and I sure as heck wouldn't want to get hit with one.

Don't have the data on hand ( I shoot the 75 Hornady or 77 Nosler), but a charge of Varget or R15 or something in the same range should do nicely. Load it in military brass, it stands up to heavy bullet AR abuse well and is cheaper than other quality options.

 

[Dwh7271]

24.5 gr 8208 XBR with Winchester brass Win SR primer, Nosler 64 GR Bonded Protected Point, Coal 2.26, (if you get the ones with the cannelure it is seating just into the cannelure), in a 24" barrel runs right at 3100.
Same as one of the folks above..if you're saving pelts this probably isn't what you want as it will blow through a coyote (kills them pretty well though :grin: )
It's right at max so work up.
From a 20" at 100 it's generally less than .75" off a rest. The one I shoot it out of is a 1 in 8.

 

[hunting1]

It does not get much easier than 25-grs of H335 and a 55gr pill. There are a bunch of others that work, but this is easy.

 

[PJGunner]

It does not get much easier than 25-grs of H335 and a 55gr pill. There are a bunch of others that work, but this is easy.

I like 25.0 gr. of W748 andante 55 gr. bullet. Works just fine in a borrowed AR and is very accurate in my Kimber. (10 shots under a nickel with 9covered by a dime. Dunno if the flier was me or the wind speeding up a bit downrange.)
Paul B.

 

[efw]

It does not get much easier than 25-grs of H335 and a 55gr pill.

Mine is 24.5 but yes, this, if you can find H-335.

My 1/9" M4 loves the Noz shotz 55s from SPS in whatever brass sparked by CCI-400s, and the NBTS of the same weight are interchangeable. Not fast, but accurate & death for steel, woodchucks, and coyotes!

 

[pharmseller]

50 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint
26.5 grains Benchmark (book max, start low)
CCI400 primers
2.276" OAL

3400 ft/sec from a 22 1/2" barrel, bug hole accuracy.


P

 

[Wyo7200]

There was a time when I only had one rifle, and was just starting to reload. I worked up a few loads for it. Here are a few successes out of my 1:9 16" Ar-15. These loads are in minimally prepped brass- just trimmed to length and deburred.

64gr Bonded, 25gr W748, 2.165, LC brass, 2730 fps, .7-.8 moa
62gr HPFB, 23gr AR-Comp, 2.165, PPU brass, 2750 fps, .4 moa
55gr HPFB, 24.6gr H335, LC brass, 2763 fps, .5 moa
55gr BTIP, 25.3 gr H335, LC brass, 2780 fps, .5 moa
52gr HPBT, 21gr R10, 2654 fps, PMC brass, <1 moa
50gr sierra SP, 25gr R10, ? fps, PMC brass, .5 moa

 

[Gunner46]

Looks like H335 & 55's may be a good starting point. Any problems finding that powder? I mean above the current issues?

 

[hunting1]

Looks like H335 & 55's may be a good starting point. Any problems finding that powder? I mean above the current issues?

I have been seeing a good supply of H335 and TAC around Albuquerque. Things are looking much better.

 

[NWBlacktail]

H335 isn't too hard to find.

BUT, how did that win out? I thought most used Varget, I love that stuff!!!

 

[Gunner46]

I have Varget and RL-15 on hand, just haven't seen that many people speak of them. I've had consistent success, with both, in the 308 Win family, just never loaded a .223, so no experience.

 

[HTDUCK]

Varget works well in the 223 just as it does in the 308.

I'm loading on a Dillon 650 so I went with Benchmark because it meters well through a progressive.
22.5 grs in Mil brass with 75 gr Hornady BTHPs shoots very well out of all 4 of my ARs but they all have 7 or 8 twist barrels.
Shot some 55 gr NBTs out of a 1/8 barrel on top of 24 grs of Benchmark and group was less than an inch.

 

[hunting1]

I use Varget for 40-grainers and heavies. It is hard to find right now so it is strictly being used in my .308's. H335/TAC is the ticket for 55-grainers IMHO.

 

[clambdin]

I really like the 60gr Vmax with H322 in my RRA !

 

[jmak920]

I've never loaded for this round. I'm loading for an AR with a 16.5" barrel, 1/9 twist. Goal is to get a general purpose, target/Yote/defense load. I'm wide open to bullet weights & powders. Any ideas?

For "general purpose", I like the Nosler 60g Partition. Currently using H- BLC2 powder.
28.0 gr yields 2945 FPS m.v. and 1 MOA accuracy.
Rifle is AR carbine, 16" brl, 1:8 twist.

Note: This load is probably too hot for a .223 chamber. My chamber has been gauged to verify a NATO chamber. Also tested to get roughly same velocity with NATO 62g "green tips". - - - jmak

 

[russ808]

Varget @24 grains.
nosler 69 grain bthp.
Thats my go to load.
Russ

 

[JD338]

I would pick up an 8 lb jug of Varget and a couple boxes of the Nosler 64 gr Bonded Solid Base bullets.

JD338

 

[baltz526]

500 Bullet Bulk pack, 64gr Winchester Power points from Midway, CCI400, Winchester or LC Brass, 25gr Varget, Lee Crimp die used. 2850fps out of 18.5" Mini14, 2950+ out of 22"