Good load for precision.223

[natdscott]

jrh84, all I'll say if you intend to use RE-15 for Palma is: don't. lol! In my experience, it gets pretty high on pressure before you really get the speed you want/need for 1,000 yards. By high, I mean blowing virgin primer pockets on the first firing. I never tried to run it with 90's, but it's not that well suited to that weight anyway.

Truthfully, I don't know that there ARE any significant advantages to RE-15 over Varget. I just chose RE-15 at the beginning of time because it is a cleaner powder. Except for the last 8 month's use of a triple base powder for LR Service loads, literally EVERYthing I have done, won, or lost, was done with RE-15. It's never left me wanting, and after the reformulation to reduce it's temperature sensitivity, it doesn't want for much of anything.

But I could have done the same with Varget.

BOTH of their loads will fall between 23.5 and 24.5 grains, depending on the rifle. Truly, I do not have loads for Varget, but I THINK the guys are running more like 23.5-23.8 Varget, where they are 24.0-24.5 RE-15. But what do I know?

For this guy, it will really depend on how the AR reacts to it. Find the load for the AR, and then see if it will also shoot in the bolt rifle...it probably will, and it is very likely to fall in the "known range".

But you'll like RE-15. Clean-ish, carbon on the BCG etc. doesn't build up that fast, and doesn't seem like hard-rock-carbon-mountain when it does.

-Nate

 

[jrh84]

Before changing barrels, I was running 25 grains with 69 gr smk's, and 24.5 gr for 80 gr smk's. Primers were flat, but never had any issues. 80's were 2715 fps, no clue for the 69's.

I just changed from the stock RRA 1:8 to a White Oak Wilson 1:7, and was piercing primers, even though the primers looked good otherwise. I backed off to 24.5 for the 69's and 24.2 for the 80's and still had one pierced primer. It looks like my firing pin is striking too deep, if that makes sense.

 

[indyjohn]

jrh84, all I'll say if you intend to use RE-15 for Palma is: don't. lol! In my experience, it gets pretty high on pressure before you really get the speed you want/need for 1,000 yards. By high, I mean blowing virgin primer pockets on the first firing. I never tried to run it with 90's, but it's not that well suited to that weight anyway.

Truthfully, I don't know that there ARE any significant advantages to RE-15 over Varget. I just chose RE-15 at the beginning of time because it is a cleaner powder. Except for the last 8 month's use of a triple base powder for LR Service loads, literally EVERYthing I have done, won, or lost, was done with RE-15. It's never left me wanting, and after the reformulation to reduce it's temperature sensitivity, it doesn't want for much of anything.

But I could have done the same with Varget.

BOTH of their loads will fall between 23.5 and 24.5 grains, depending on the rifle. Truly, I do not have loads for Varget, but I THINK the guys are running more like 23.5-23.8 Varget, where they are 24.0-24.5 RE-15. But what do I know?

For this guy, it will really depend on how the AR reacts to it. Find the load for the AR, and then see if it will also shoot in the bolt rifle...it probably will, and it is very likely to fall in the "known range".

But you'll like RE-15. Clean-ish, carbon on the BCG etc. doesn't build up that fast, and doesn't seem like hard-rock-carbon-mountain when it does.

-Nate

I ran 24 gr Vargert with SMK 69 & 80s through a Kreiger in 1:7.75 Wylde with decent results. 69s at 2.245 & 80s at 2.405. Flat primers every time. YMMV.

 

[ikendrick15]

For my 18" 1/8 twist AR I'm using 24.5 grains of CFE 223 with 68 grain FMJBT Hornaday Match bullets.

 

[Dave A]

Out of a 20" barrel with 1/8 twist.
Hornady 68 gr. BTHP Match 24.5 gr. of TAC gets me a 3/4" group at 100 yds.
Hornady 75 gr. BTHP Match 23.9 gr. of TAC gets me a 1/2" group at 100 yds.

Sierra 69 gr. SMK's I have only loaded with Varget, 25.6 gr. produced a 3/4" group.

 

[Notalentbum]

Dave A, thanks for those Tac numbers!

Yesterday, I traveled down to Sgreen's "The Hide" to shoot in his precision rifle event. I had loaded 24.5g Varget behind 69g SMKs. I ended up with roughly a 0.7 moa group. I believe those can get better with a better scope. I had a cheap Redfield 3-9 on my bolt gun that I was really just guessing at the target center at 210yds.

Even though the Varget is one of the most preferred powders, next time out I'll be loading Tac. I have so much of it on hand, I think I'd be fooling not to get as much use out of it as I can rather than buying a bunch more Varget.

Thanks, Matt

 

[Dave A]

You're welcome Matt. TAC is much easier to throw a load than Varget. I'm currently trying to develop a .308 hunting load using Hornady 150 gr. SST bullets with TAC, Varget and IMR4064. Have you ever loaded that bullet?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Notalentbum]

You're welcome Matt. TAC is much easier to throw a load than Varget. I'm currently trying to develop a .308 hunting load using Hornady 150 gr. SST bullets with TAC, Varget and IMR4064. Have you ever loaded that bullet?

Thanks,
Dave

No, I have only ever loaded match type ammo and AR plinking stuff.

Matt

 

[GIJEW]

One other consideration regarding the choice of powder is the brand of press you're using and the type of powder dispenser you've got vs the shape of the powder. For instance: IME Varget, being a 1/2 stick powder, doesn't play well with Dillon progressive presses but RE15 and W748 work great.

 

[BrianT]

75 Grain Hornady BTHP, 23.2 grains 8202xbr, Lake City pull down brass loaded mag length with no crimp. Hasn't blown anything up yet and will stack rounds at 50 yards on the zero. I loaded some up with CCI 450s and they seem as good as the pull downs, maybe a bit better it's hard to say without stretching it out and shooting paper past 100 yards gets boring.

 

[BrianT]

CFE 223 showed a TON of promise for me but it's hygroscopic and will clump easily. Don't leave it in your powder hopper, I actually taped a desiccant under the cap of my jug. I can't remember what my load was with CFE but it posted some of the best groups out of all of my powders.