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JamesJr Offline OP
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A number of years ago I bought one of the first Remington Model 7 Predator rifles in 223 that came on the market. It quickly became my favorite coyote and varmint rifle. Right out of the box it shot almost everything well, but a little experimenting showed that it liked 50 grain VMax's. I settled on a load of 27.5 grains of surplus WC846 and the 50 VMax, chronographing around 3375 out of the 22 inch barrel. I have killed coyotes out to 450 yards, and this rifle would be one of the last ones I'd ever part with.

I am down to my last 8 pounds of 846, and needed to load up some more ammo for this rifle. I had a pound of BLC-2 that I'd had for at least 15 years, and knowing the correlation between it and 846, I decided to try some. Hogdon lists 28.0 grains as max, so that's what I loaded. These loads shot exactly to the same POI as did the 27.5 load of 846. There is a little cratering to the primers, no flat ones, and no other signs of too much pressure, but I'm at my max load.

Out of curiosity, I'm just wondering if anyone else has any experience with this powder in the 223, and what their loads are.

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Read through the sticky thread here in this forum and you'll find some good info on using BLC-2.


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I used to use 26.0 grains of BLC2 with 55 grain bullets. It always produced excellent accuracy. I have now switched to 25.0 grains of TAC but still have some BLC2 that I intend to use up. TAC may be a little cleaner burning but accuracy is excellent with either one.

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JamesJr Offline OP
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I use a number of powders for the 223. I reload for 4 different bolt rifles, and several AR's. The 223 isn't fussy about powder, and I could probably get by with a couple rather than what I'm using now. I like a ball powder because it meters better and makes my reloading go a little faster. H335, H322, W748, WC846, Benchmark, BLC-2, X-Terminator, TAC, and Varget are what I mostly use. I also have used some of the Shooters World AR Plus. In my AR's I mainly load for accuracy and reliability, while in bolt rifles I try to get as much speed as possible, without sacrificing accuracy. Powders like the 846 and BLC-2 usually are both fast and accurate.

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Originally Posted by JamesJr
A number of years ago I bought one of the first Remington Model 7 Predator rifles in 223 that came on the market. It quickly became my favorite coyote and varmint rifle. Right out of the box it shot almost everything well, but a little experimenting showed that it liked 50 grain VMax's. I settled on a load of 27.5 grains of surplus WC846 and the 50 VMax, chronographing around 3375 out of the 22 inch barrel. I have killed coyotes out to 450 yards, and this rifle would be one of the last ones I'd ever part with.

I am down to my last 8 pounds of 846, and needed to load up some more ammo for this rifle. I had a pound of BLC-2 that I'd had for at least 15 years, and knowing the correlation between it and 846, I decided to try some. Hogdon lists 28.0 grains as max, so that's what I loaded. These loads shot exactly to the same POI as did the 27.5 load of 846. There is a little cratering to the primers, no flat ones, and no other signs of too much pressure, but I'm at my max load.

Out of curiosity, I'm just wondering if anyone else has any experience with this powder in the 223, and what their loads are.


Yes. I've burned a good bit of WC846 in 556 Chambers.
My goto is 28.5gr behind a 52gr match bullet lit with either a CCI 450 or S&B small rife primer. It's very accurate in every 5.56 I've tried it in. This is close to the Vietnam era loading for M193 ball rounds. It's a max load. Be sure to work up to this, perhaps backing off a little more than normal to allow for the greater variance between lots of surplus power, but you already knew that.

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BLC-2 is my favorite powder. I use it in the 223 and 6mm PPC. The 223 bolt action likes the 55 grain Sierra spitzer BT the most. I was kind of surprised and expected the match bullets to do better but they didn’t with it. I use 27.1 grains of BLC-2. It’s not the max load, but anymore and it loses a little accuracy. The 223 AR hates it and likes TAC and CFE 223 more.

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I use lots of it, a bit flashy near and after dark.


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BL-C2 and 60 gr Hornady spire pts allways been a tack driver in my bolt 223's...mb


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i have used both with about equal results

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I won't use H 335 whatsoever, but I am definitely "Good to Go" with BLC2.... never an issue with it, and it turns in great accurate results..
That and W748 are my Ball powder "Go To" powders...

so much so, even tho I've tried TAC and CFE 223 and a host of other ball powders...
I just keep on circling back to BLC2 and W 748....

never let me down...


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JamesJr Offline OP
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Originally Posted by Seafire
I won't use H 335 whatsoever, but I am definitely "Good to Go" with BLC2.... never an issue with it, and it turns in great accurate results..
That and W748 are my Ball powder "Go To" powders...

so much so, even tho I've tried TAC and CFE 223 and a host of other ball powders...
I just keep on circling back to BLC2 and W 748....

never let me down...



Just curious as to why you don't like H335. I have found it to be a great powder for the 223.

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Originally Posted by JamesJr
Originally Posted by Seafire
I won't use H 335 whatsoever, but I am definitely "Good to Go" with BLC2.... never an issue with it, and it turns in great accurate results..
That and W748 are my Ball powder "Go To" powders...

so much so, even tho I've tried TAC and CFE 223 and a host of other ball powders...
I just keep on circling back to BLC2 and W 748....

never let me down...



Just curious as to why you don't like H335. I have found it to be a great powder for the 223.


335 is a great powder in 223, except it’s prone to extreme pressure spikes in hot weather. Sometimes it goes boom instead of bang. I use it once in awhile but never over 80 degrees.



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H335 also lays down a nice bed of tough fouling.

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Originally Posted by mathman
H335 also lays down a nice bed of tough fouling.

I trust you seafire and swifty on this subject, but I ran a confirmed 7+ pounds of H335 through this Ruger m77 mkII .223 rem with no ill effects, records show 2,000 rounds. It took a while, but the bore still looked great and rifle was still plenty accurate when I sold it. I know I must have been lucky. This is how the rifle shot right around the time I got rid of it, the reason the scope was off:
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

As for BLC2, I used it a little, but never found the accuracy I did with H335. So eventually gave up on it. The same can be said for IMR4198 and benchmark. While not doing extensive testing with that powder, I'm sure they are great. With that being said, I am thinking I'll sell some of the newer H335 powder I have, at my clubs next gunshow. I know a lot of my club members still use it with good success...


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I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
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I could cut some nice groups using H335 too.

What was your cleaning routine and interval for that Ruger?

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Originally Posted by PaintedDesert
BLC-2 is my favorite powder. I use it in the 6mm PPC. .


Guarantee you have never won a match with that combo
shocked

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Originally Posted by Seafire
I won't use H 335 whatsoever...


I am in that camp as well...much better options.

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Originally Posted by mathman
I could cut some nice groups using H335 too.

What was your cleaning routine and interval for that Ruger?


I did as well. It’s a good baseline.



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Originally Posted by boatanchor
Originally Posted by PaintedDesert
BLC-2 is my favorite powder. I use it in the 6mm PPC. .


Guarantee you have never won a match with that combo
shocked


You’re right. I don’t compete in Matches.

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Originally Posted by mathman
I could cut some nice groups using H335 too.

What was your cleaning routine and interval for that Ruger?

I clean after every use. Use shooters choice, so it takes care of the copper for the most part. Probably works well enough on powder fouling too. That Ruger was a great rifle. I foolishly sold it after I got into AR's. Figured I didn't need a 223 rem bolt gun. Now I miss the dang thing. It was very accurate for a Ruger..


Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.

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