Powder Recommendation for Hornady 75 gr HPBT

[eert]

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!

[Agrivere]

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.

[Mike Nollett]

I use 24.0 grains of Reloader 15 under that bullet. I seat them to 2.250 OAL.

[Sly223]

25grns Varget this is hot!

Sly

[DEH]

8208 XBR. Meters more consistently than even my ball powders.

[jmdavis]

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.

[airplanejoe]

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

[ItsanSKS]

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.

[muffin308]

I switched to Varget from RL-15 because RL-15 was giving me a 60-100 fps difference from winter to summer.

I 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.

[Luminous Rabbit]

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.

[ItsanSKS]

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.   

[Eroyle]

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.