55 gr. AR loads & ball powder

[PA10mm]

Whats your favorite 55 gr load (or loads) for AR type rifles with ball powder?

My loads of choice are : 55 gr. FMJBT ( I like Hornady but any brand)
                                   25.0 gr. H335 or 26.0 gr. W748
                                   Military or Commercial brass
                                   CCI 450 or Win WSR
                                   OAL 2.200
                                   Full length resized, of course, and light crimp with Lee FCD, or taper crimp.

These loads have been consistent and 2MOA accurate from the bench with all of our black rifles. I've worked up these loads with all different headstamps and both primers, and neither effects group size.

FWIW, it seems like these two loads are pretty popular and used by a lot of shooters.

If anyone has used BL-C (2), how do you like it? I got some id like to try but I've heard its temp sensitive.

[kenjo]

What is a "bench"?

[SteelThunder]

55 gr surplus pulled bullets
Mixed cases, e.g., whatever I find on the ground
CCI, Winchester, Wolf or whatever primers I happen to have sitting around
24.5 gr of IMR 4064

Have no idea what they shoot from a bench because...well, who cares?  Most rifles and loads shoot WAY better than the software behind the trigger anyway.

I've shot RIFLEMAN multiple times at 25 M and full distance with this.

[malabar]

23 grains of 2230, hornady 55-grain bulk bullets, mixed cases, Wolf primers.

Can get them all touching at 100 yards if I do my part. 10-shot group below.

[olefido]

What is a "bench"?

It's that thing that older guys like me who also have very bad backs have to shoot off.

[oladcock]

Can't be much help, with a stable of black rifles I don't run bullets less than 64gr and only run Varget , 4198 or 4895. Without much effort however every one of them will shoot less than 1.25 MOA and a couple less than 1. I do run initial tests off a bench but fine tune slung-up prone. I've been amazed at what they are capable of without piddly BR prepping....O.L.

[PA10mm]

55 gr surplus pulled bullets
Mixed cases, e.g., whatever I find on the ground
CCI, Winchester, Wolf or whatever primers I happen to have sitting around
24.5 gr of IMR 4064

Have no idea what they shoot from a bench because...well, who cares?  Most rifles and loads shoot WAY better than the software behind the trigger anyway.

I've shot RIFLEMAN multiple times at 25 M and full distance with this.

Off topic, because IMR 4064 is not ball powder, but I'm interested in this.

I love 4064 for .308 & 30/06, and it would be great to have another use for powder I already have.

How did you decide on 24.5 gr for a 55 gr bullet? That's the very minimum load, or slightly under, in my manuals.

Im gonna try this one out.

[SteelThunder]

55 gr surplus pulled bullets
Mixed cases, e.g., whatever I find on the ground
CCI, Winchester, Wolf or whatever primers I happen to have sitting around
24.5 gr of IMR 4064

Have no idea what they shoot from a bench because...well, who cares?  Most rifles and loads shoot WAY better than the software behind the trigger anyway.

I've shot RIFLEMAN multiple times at 25 M and full distance with this.

Off topic, because IMR 4064 is not ball powder, but I'm interested in this.

I love 4064 for .308 & 30/06, and it would be great to have another use for powder I already have.

How did you decide on 24.5 gr for a 55 gr bullet? That's the very minimum load, or slightly under, in my manuals.

Im gonna try this one out.

Oops, that's the problem with the internet...no editing.

25.5 gr   

Also...didn't notice your ball powder specification...oops on my part.

It was a load I originally tried for plinking...low powder use, not crazy hot, cycled in all my ARs

Then I started using it for 3-Gun.  Worked great.  Shot great.

Then I took it to my 2nd Appleseed.  Shot Rifleman.

Then I took it to my 1st full distance AQTs...shot Rifleman.

So I decided I liked the load.  I've only shot ~2500 rounds of the stuff...may need to shoot a few more thousand to determine if it's a keeper.   

[PA10mm]

55 gr surplus pulled bullets
Mixed cases, e.g., whatever I find on the ground
CCI, Winchester, Wolf or whatever primers I happen to have sitting around
24.5 gr of IMR 4064

Have no idea what they shoot from a bench because...well, who cares?  Most rifles and loads shoot WAY better than the software behind the trigger anyway.

I've shot RIFLEMAN multiple times at 25 M and full distance with this.

Off topic, because IMR 4064 is not ball powder, but I'm interested in this.

I love 4064 for .308 & 30/06, and it would be great to have another use for powder I already have.

How did you decide on 24.5 gr for a 55 gr bullet? That's the very minimum load, or slightly under, in my manuals.

Im gonna try this one out.

Oops, that's the problem with the internet...no editing.

25.5 gr   

Also...didn't notice your ball powder specification...oops on my part.

It was a load I originally tried for plinking...low powder use, not crazy hot, cycled in all my ARs

Then I started using it for 3-Gun.  Worked great.  Shot great.

Then I took it to my 2nd Appleseed.  Shot Rifleman.

Then I took it to my 1st full distance AQTs...shot Rifleman.

So I decided I liked the load.  I've only shot ~2500 rounds of the stuff...may need to shoot a few more thousand to determine if it's a keeper.   

Cool - no problem!

25.5 gr. is definitely more in line with the manuals. Im gonna try it out and see how it does for me, because I got it already and would be nice to have a load if I can't get 748 or 335.

Sounds like you've done great work with it - after 2500 rounds I'd say you got a winner!

FWIW, Varget is supposed to be, pretty much, a "short cut" version of IMR 4064, to flow thru powder measures more consistent.  Data is not interchangeable but its close in a lot of cases. I haven't worked with it yet but its on the list.

[SteelThunder]

Varget is my powder of choice for my 168 gr SMK 7.62 loads.  Haven't tried it in 5.56 yet.

[malabar]

ST,

Varget's a great powder, but it's at its best in bigger cases than the 5.56.  You'll find you end up seriously compressing some loads -- especially if you're pushing bigger bullets at top speed.

tk

[jmdavis]

A lot of high power competitors use Varget for .223 (with Target Chambers) with the 77's and 80's. But alot depends on your chamber (NATO, Wylde, CLE, AMU etc).

I don't think that you will need any compression with sane 55gr loads. Check your load books and online resources, start low and and work your way up.

We are at a point in space and time where you may not be able to obtain the exact powder (or other components that you want), so having some alternatives is always a good idea.

Other good powders for the AR include 4895 (IMR or H but don't mix the data), Reloader 15, TAC, 844 and more.

[Topgear]

I actually found 23.5gr of IMR-4064 with the Hornady 55gr FMJBT to an OAL of 2.246" to be very accurate in my ladder loads.  I initially shot these out of my MVP 5.56 bolt action, but had very good accuracy out of my Ruger SR-556 as well.  My co-worker was low on ammo, so shot another qualifying AQT with his 16" Daniel Defense using these as well.  I ran through just over 500 rounds in that weekend without a hitch.  All of these rounds were hand weighed to within 0.1gr.  I hate metering extruded powder through my powder measure.

[fisherdawg]

Varget is my powder of choice for my 168 gr SMK 7.62 loads.  Haven't tried it in 5.56 yet.

CMP calls that "Atomic Match"