Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Good Powder For An AR Type Rifle

I have loaded for bolt action guns, but I am gathering up some reloading supplies for my Stag 6.8SPC semi auto rifle. I will be mainly loading some defensive rounds and some practice stuff now and then. What is a good clean powder to use for that rifle? I prefer IMR powders, but I am open minded about trying another brand of powder.

The best approach is to try to match the powder used by factories. For gas-operated rifles which siphon off gas a ways down the barrel like the ARs, gas port pressure is very important to proper functioning. Powders that are faster or slower than "normal" for the cartridge might cause functioning issues.



.

I run benchmark in an AR using the 6.8 as a basis for a 6mm round. Works fine.

The AR is not nearly as picky as other semi autos.. No op rod to worry about.

Anything in the books would be ok pretty much.

My picks would be Benchmark as mentioned above or H 322 or RL 7 and Rl 10...

I'd be tempted to play with H and IMR 4227 just to see what they would give me also...

AR is not picky as Rost says. Easy to load for. Just get those primers seated DEEP.

I like Varget. RL7 makes fun efficient loads (less powder).

Maybe, but mine certainly functions differently with slow versus fast powders. Al Miller wrote an in-depth article on powder selection for ARs back in the 80s, highliting how excessive buffer damage can occur with slow powders and high port pressure - have the ARs really changed that much? Mine is 1981 vintage.


.