Any recommendations out there for a good powder fro the Horndy 75 gr HPBT? I'm running a 16" 1/7 twist barrel. I've been running the Hodgen CFE 223 for the 55gr Horndy SP and 69 gr Sierra HPBT with good results. But I think the CFE is too bulky a powder for the heavier bullets. The best avg of 5 sets of 5 rounds each was very close to max book load 24.1 gr with 1.66" at 100 yards. if I go with best four shots, I drop to 1.13" with max load of 24.3, and using best three shots each cycle, I get 0.78" for load of 24.2 gr.
Any ideas/recommendations will be appreciated. Thanks!
For your 16" barrel and a heavier bullet you'll want to be looking at H4895 or 8208 XBR if you wants suggestions. Both powders will shoot extremely well. I question varget and many of the other usual suspects due to your relatively short barrel, but they might shoot great.
I use 24.0 grains of Reloader 15 under that bullet. I seat them to 2.250 OAL.
25grns Varget this is hot!
..:..
Sly
8208 XBR. Meters more consistently than even my ball powders.
8208 is tricky, depending on your chamber. But then again, none of my loads are Max for a mag length round. I have seldom found the fastest to be the most accurate.
Overall good replies. My 2 cents. You need to chronograph your handloads. Like the mantra I hear at the range "targets don't lie", the empirical data that results will tell you what powder/recipe your rifle likes best. Don't try to clone what others use, my rifle might just have different tastes than your rifle; use that info as a starting point, then go to the range, and chronograph.
aj
My Hornady 8th edition has the following loads listed for their 75gr BTHP in the 223 Remington Service Rifle Data section:
Rifle: Colt AR-15, Citadel bbl
Barrel: 20", 1:9" twist
Case: Winchester
Primer: Winchester WSR
Max COL: 2.250"
Max Case Length: 1.760"
Case Trim Length: 1.750"
H-4895 min:19.3 max: 23.3
RL-15 min:20.0 max: 24.1
Win 748 min: 20.2 max: 24.0
BL-C2 min: 21.2 max: 25.2
Varget min: 19.4 max: 23.5
Other loads are listed, but as these are the most common powders, figured I'd post 'em.
I switched to Varget from RL-15 because RL-15 was giving me a 60-100 fps difference from winter to summer.
QuoteI have seldom found the fastest to be the most accurate.
I have also found this to be true but my experience is nowhere near jmdavis or others. my 2cents.
I would look at AR-Comp, H4895, and H322.
Varget is temp insensitive which is great, but so is H4895 and H4895 fits the application better. AR-Comp is a bit like a less temp sensitive RL-15.
Edit: I don't mean to rule out Varget - it's OK, but ends up with a VERY full case. Also, IMO trust the Hornady Varget/75gr. data, not the Hodgdon data. Hodgdon's loads are hotter, and frankly I don't quite trust them. They are MAX_PLUS_A_LITTLE_EXTRA which doesn't sit well with me.
I've personally used H335 and XBR 8208 for this, with Lake City cases and Wolf Small Rifle Magnum primers. Consistent velocity to be had from the 8208, easy metering & good velocities to be had from H335. I don't recall ever finding published load data for these powders & with this projectile- I worked *extremely* carefully, using generic load data from Lyman & Lee load manuals.
I use Reloader - 15 24.3gr with that Hornady 77gr BTHP in LC Brass. Always work up your own loads and use the manuals for reference points.