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Found a .223 Lee Classic Loader for $28.99 at Amazon and thinking that since I won't be finding anymore closeouts at wallyworld on .223 ammo, it might be a good time to start rolling my own. And I will likely add a 30-30 Lee Loader soon enough.

Both my .223 and 30-30 are target of opportunity rifles mainly used for plinking, target shooting, rocks-paper-steel at any range, along with short range deer, hogs, coyotes, etc.

The 22" '95 Ruger Mark II .223 has the antique 1 in 12 twist, so I'm probably thinking of using something similar to the 60 grain Nosler Partition, 64 grain with a flatter or more rounded tip, or lighter TSX. And probably some less expensive and more pointed 55 grain bullets for target shooting.

The Marlin 30TK 30-30 has a short 18" barrel, so I don't know how much this would affect efficiency or powder choice.
Maybe a certain weight bullet would be a better match for the short tube.

Anyway, wanting to keep inventory as small and simple as possible and acquire a single pound of powder that would work for both.
And was thinking a ball powder would be most accurate measuring with dippers. Is this correct?

First thoughts were Ramshot Tac or Hogdan Leverevolution. Would either or both of these be good options for my low volume loading operation? Or is there something equally as good or better for my application?

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If you don’t have a scale, then spherical powder will be slightly more consistent with a dipper. I have loaded both cartridges with W748, it gave good velocity and accuracy. Not sure that LVR would work all that well in the .223, Hodgdon says it is very limited in application and lists no loads for it. No idea about Tac....



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Originally Posted by DoubleRadius
If you don’t have a scale, then spherical powder will be slightly more consistent with a dipper. I have loaded both cartridges with W748, it gave good velocity and accuracy. Not sure that LVR would work all that well in the .223, Hodgdon says it is very limited in application and lists no loads for it. No idea about Tac....



.

Thanks for the suggestion. Just trying to get a range of powders that would be easy to work with so I'll know when I see it if I should buy it or not. I will add W748 to the list.

Edit: I'll probably add a scale to my smalltime loading endeavor, for accuracy's sake. That seems simple enough and I don't have to mount it to a bench. Thinking digital for it's compactness. But still like the idea of a spherical powder.

Last edited by DollarShort; 01/25/20.
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748


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Benchmark is a dandy in 223 and meters like water, works in 30-30 too. Others would be 335 although I don’t like it much.



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Originally Posted by 10gaugemag
748

Thanks. I'm liking the sound of 748.

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Originally Posted by Swifty52
Benchmark is a dandy in 223 and meters like water, works in 30-30 too. Others would be 335 although I don’t like it much.

Thanks for the reply. Benchmark looks pretty slow in the 30-30, and is extruded. But it got me looking at Hodgdon load data and it looks like CFE223 is spherical and has good velocity in both .223 and 30-30. Maybe I'll hear from someone familiar with it.

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Yep it is extruded but goes through a powder measure like a ball powder. I set the measure, drop and go no trickling required.



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Originally Posted by Swifty52
Yep it is extruded but goes through a powder measure like a ball powder. I set the measure, drop and go no trickling required.

My powder measure will look like this

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Another vote for W748.
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As others have suggested, W748 is a good answer.

It's a very versatile powder.

If you want a more modern, temp stable power etc. I'd consider Hodgdon CFE223.

Last edited by antelope_sniper; 01/25/20.

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Originally Posted by PJGunner
Another vote for W748.
Paul B.


I'll add my vote as well.

Benchmark is also a good powder, also BLC-2, and TAC. I use the military surplus W846 in one of my 223's.

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Thanks for all the replies.

This looks like a consensus to me. Did a little research on W748 after all the replies, and it appears to be universally praised for very good accuracy in both the .223 and the 30-30. I'm going to go ahead and get a pound of this.

Still I'm intrigued by the BL C2, CFE223, TAC, and Leverevolution. I suspect that one or more of these may give higher velocity, especially in the short barreled Marlin 30-30. But maybe with higher pressure and at the expense of case life. Probably a negative if I don't plan on full length resizing.

Checking out hunting bullets now. Seems to be at least a few selections that will work in a .223 with a 12 twist. 62 Fusion, 60 Partition, Nosler 64 Bonded Solid Base, the lighter monos, and probably a few others. Gonna look around and see what seconds I find.
I don't think the 30-30 bullets will make as much difference. The 150 CoreLokts have worked well in the past. But I've got a pile of 170 Power Point factory ammo that I'll be using the brass from after it's shot. Might try something different like some lightweights for plinking since I already have enough hunting ammo and can save some back. And maybe I'll graduate to casting my own, although I don't know they'll work great with the micro-groove.

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Dippers were invented back in the stone age, sure it will work but yesterday I saw a used RCBS 505 scale for $20 !!!!!!! would be a quantum leap forward for your reloading for a very modest price.

W748 will work well, so would CFE223

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Originally Posted by boatanchor
Dippers were invented back in the stone age, sure it will work but yesterday I saw a used RCBS 505 scale for $20 !!!!!!! would be a quantum leap forward for your reloading for a very modest price.

W748 will work well, so would CFE223

Yeah, I agree. I'm planning on getting a small digital scale. Just don't want a bench full of equipment.

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I did exactly that yesterday..... loaded some incremental 60gr loads for my .223 with 748 using a LEE dipper and electronic scale. You can dip very consistently with 748 and add a few kernels by hand if need be. It was quicker for me to do it this way than to set up my powder measure for such few loads.
I was done in no time.....


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Originally Posted by Blacktail53
I did exactly that yesterday..... loaded some incremental 60gr loads for my .223 with 748 using a LEE dipper and electronic scale. You can dip very consistently with 748 and add a few kernels by hand if need be. It was quicker for me to do it this way than to set up my powder measure for such few loads.
I was done in no time.....

That's what I'm talkin about. If I load 40 rounds it'll be a BIG day.

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TAC hands down

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Lever is the only powder for 30-30 and works well in 223 too with the heavier bullets. You might consider 2 cans of powder. Lever for the 30-30 and benchmark or 8208xbr for the mid weight 223 loads.

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Originally Posted by efw
TAC hands down



I’ve not found a better powder for 223 than TAC, and I have tried a bunch.


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