Howa 1500 in .223 Rem

[Val]

A Howa 1500 in .223 Rem somehow appeared in my Gunsafe. I've never loaded for this caliber. The Nosler manual call for Benchmark powder in 50 grain pellets and the Sierra manual calls for H335 in 50 grain pellets. Accuracy load call out in the manuals.

Any feedback on the accuracy of these powders with 50 grain bullets? I might have some problem getting these powders locally and I'm thinking that either one may do the job.

I have had some good good luck using the most accurate powder tested in the Nosler manual on several calibers. I've never tried the Sierra most accurate load powder at this time.

It's interesting to see that Nosler and Sierra are typically not in agreement on their accuracy loads. Is this a competitor thing. Often the most accurate powder in one manual is not even listed in the other manual.

 

[FOTIS]

Try H335, Win 748, Benchmark.

 

[2ndtimer]

In my experience, the .223 is not finicky. I got decent results with powders ranging from Accurate 2200 to IMR-4064. I got the best results with Accurate 2015-BR in my rifle, but Hodgdon's Benchmark wasn't around back then. If Nosler says it was their most accurate powder tested and viewing the velocities listed for it in the most recent manual, I would start with Benchmark. IF it isn't available locally, I would try any of the following:
Accurate 2015-BR
H-335
Win 748
Accurate 2230
Accurate 2460
H-322
Vihtavuori N-133 or N-135

 

[cold_hunter]

Sierras best load has worked for me very well with several calibers. and noslers also work you just cant cross the bullets from one book to the other and get the top loads. Sometimes it works and sometimes you can run into pressure problems in a hurry. Internal construction differences between the different makers cause differences in overall performance. Like the V-Max vs the BT. the v-max has a very thin jacket and the BT has a thick base. I have seen the 50gr. v-max loaded in a 22-250 explode before it got 50yrds. but same gun same powder and wt. and the BT shot well.

 

[Hegland]

Start at 24.0 grains with Benchmark and 50 gr BT and work up in .2 or .3 grain increments. By the time you get to 25+ grains, you will have found at least a couple (if not most) are shooters.

In his forward for Nosler #5, Simpson called out 25.1 gr.

 

[honkeetonkin]

One more vote for win 748 near max loads and 50 gr bt's, good luck :grin:

 

[Divernhunter]

Win 748 has always worked well for me with 40-55gr bullets. Lately I have tried H-335 with good results. Benchmark works also but I did not get the speeds out of my rifles and over my chrono I got with the other 2 powders. Accuracy has always been good and always min of squeeker out to 300+ yards when I do my part

 

[RiverRider]

I have used H335 and Benchmark to drive 50-grain bullets in .223 Remington. Lately I've been shooting a lot of Hornady SXs because I got into several thousand of them at about $7.50 per hundred, but I've had good luck with the V-Max also. I have to say I think the BT is more accurate than either, but when you're under half an inch anyway it doesn't seem to matter all that much.

One advantage that Benchmark has over H335 is its temperature tolerance, being one the the "Extreme" line of powders. You don't have to go from south Texas to British Columbia for this to be a meaningful advantage with the Benchmark. On the other hand, H335 measures through my UniFlow much better than Benchmark.

I am in the process of trying out some Ramshot TAC in .223, and if it works as expected I will get the accuracy I have seen with the other two powders along with nice metering and temperature tolerance---the best of all worlds. If the results meet expectations, I plan to stock up on it.

 

[Val]

My Howa 1500 in .223 shot better with 26 grains of Varget than it did with Benchmark. Although Benchmark gave me sub MOA 3 shot groups, the Varget was a bit tighter than the Benchmark. This worked good for me since I use Varget on other loads so it's one less powder (Benchmark) that I have to keep on hand. I use the 50 grain Hornady V-max pellets in both my .223 and 22.250.

 

[JD338]

Val,

Congratulations on the Howa 1500. Nice rifle. Funny how they sometime just "show up in the safe".

FWIW, I have had very good luck using Nosler's most accurate loads. They are pretty much spot on for me. Might be worth a try in your 223 Rem.

JD338