Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles .223 Reloading - Clean Slate, What should I get?

Centershot,

I have a TikaT3x lite, 1-8 twist in .223. Benchmark works great in the mid weight bullets. I load 25 grns with the Hornady 53vmax. You can always go with a heavier bullet with the 1-8 twist, which will help on the wind for those longer cross rocky canyon shots on rockchucks. Have fun with the new rifle.

Regards,

Manny

From what you listed you have to work with, go with the H335 - 25.0 gr. 55 gr bullets, CCI 450 primers (not the 400s). Load them with a crimp and be prepared to shoot tiny little groups.

If you can get some 75 gr bullets, they might do better in an 8 twist barrel. Look up Rocky Mountain reloading. They make a pretty good hp in that weight

Nice thing about a 223, it'll run and give good accuracy with pretty much ANY powder.. even shotgun and pistol powder...

So why sweat it... Under Obama 2.0 ( aka dumbass biden).. use whatcha got...

Hell lately I've been ringing steel at 300 and 400 yds, on targets about the size of my hand to twice its size...

and the load is anywhere from 8.5 to 9.5 grains of Unique...with about a 90% + hit ratio... 50, 52, 53, 55 and 60 grain bullets...

even was doing so with a 75 grain BTHP...

only time I really miss its operator, when I pulled the trigger a little too quickly... a quick jerk...

Which opinions on H335? The ones that like it or the ones that don't? lol How much speed/pressure jump do you see in a 40degree swing? Can one just load it back .5gr and be ok? Keep some of those loaded up for hot days?

😆 exactly. Not a thing wrong with 335 just don’t run long strings of max loads on 95+ degree days. 335 has just as bad of a reputation as H380 but I shoot a lot of 380, always keep 3-4 pounds of 335 around as it performs just as well as Benchmark but a little dirtier. Ohh, and Benchmark being an extreme still gave me pressure issues at max on a 97 degree day just like 335. Other thing is since all you folks hate 335 and 380 I could always find it on the shelf during every shortage except this one.

You didn't tell the OP about your love for H335..

Centershot,
I have had very good results with 25.0 grains of Benchmark and any thing in the 52-55 grain range of bullets. V-Max has been scary accurate. About out of those and am going to try the 55 Nosler BT.

GreggH

I have generally run TAC in our .223s ever since it appeared 20 years ago. The velocities are about the same as H335 with the same charges, but it's far cleaner-burning and less temperature sensitive.

Plus, like any spherical powder it runs far more accurately through a mechanical measure--which is by far the quickest way to load lots of ammo. And TAC has been far more available and less-expensive lately than most other .223 powders.

TAC and Benchmark are great powders for .223. Another one not mentioned already is X-Terminator. There are lots of powders that will work well. The old standby H335 works too.

Starline brass is good stuff.

only cause there ain't none...

Back in the 90's I bought 4000 WW Brass and have 2000 left. Resized, trimmed, primer pockets trued, flashholes deburred, also 2000 LC brass from the 90's and some Barnes 40 Gr. Varminators. PM me if you are interested.

I've been using H335 for quite awhile and haven't had the temp problems some mention-maybe I've been lucky? With powder being so hard to find I haven't had much of a chance to try other powders now that I have a couple ARs in 1-8 barrels I would like to push heavies with. Not too unhappy with the 40 grain pills I have been shooting so far, though.

From what I'm seeing you guys are getting some great deals on components. Went to a gun show yesterday and components are starting to show up again, finally. But prices were stupid- Large rifle primers were $175/1000, Powder was around $59/lb, etc.... if the trend continues and components start hitting the shelves I assume prices will start to come down around here also. Crossing my fingers..

As far as 223 brass, I've used everything in my 223s including pick up brass and never had a problem with any of it. I simply separate it by brand and load accordingly and everything goes bang and hits the target I'm aiming at (most of the time)... I've even used Remington for fireforming in my 223AI at full house loads and never lost a single case yet out of several hundred I've formed...

I've been using the standard RCBS dies for years with my 223s and never had a complaint. When I had the 223AI barreled, somebody on this site had a Redding micrometer die set to sell for a very reasonable price so I picked it up along with a neck sizing die set. So far I've been pretty happy with it but I'm not sure a standard RCBS die set wouldn't have worked just as well to be honest.

Again, what you are seeing on components is the new norm, primers are going to settle in about 70-90 bucks and powder is going to stay right at 50-60 bucks a pound. Hodgdons controls 95% of the powder distribution and when the military complex cools their heels you might see more primers. But seeings how the latest estimate on replenishment of munitions sent to Ukraine is pegged at ~10 years, don’t hold your breath.

Get a set of the Lee dies with the full length resizer/neck sizer/seater, they are inexpensive and they make very low runout ammo and by neck-sizing the brass life will be extended.
For brass I really like Lake City, it can be had as range pickup or found online for very few dollars, I sort them by year.
There is a lot of powder that works well for the 223 so pick whatever is applicable to the bullet weight you settle on.
Personally I prefer 40 gr projectiles for my 223's, V-Max and Nosler BT both give excellent accuracy and work great for gophers and the Noslers work well on coyotes.
H335 powder works well but it is temp sensitive and prone to higher pressures in hot weather particuarily when left to cook in a hot chamber - yes, I am guilty of doing it a few times and getting some overpressures so this is first hand experience.
Primers - whatever you can get at a reasonable price.

drover

coyote at 200 yds - one shot with 40 gr Nosler BT

Get a set of the Lee dies with the full length resizer/neck sizer/seater, they are inexpensive and they make very low runout ammo and by neck-sizing the brass life will be extended.
For brass I really like Lake City, it can be had as range pickup or found online for very few dollars, I sort them by year.
There is a lot of powder that works well for the 223 so pick whatever is applicable to the bullet weight you settle on.
Personally I prefer 40 gr projectiles for my 223's, V-Max and Nosler BT both give excellent accuracy and work great for gophers and the Noslers work well on coyotes.
H335 powder works well but it is temp sensitive and prone to higher pressures in hot weather particuarily when left to cook in a hot chamber - yes, I am guilty of doing it a few times and getting some overpressures so this is first hand experience.
Primers - whatever you can get at a reasonable price.

drover

coyote at 200 yds - one shot with 40 gr Nosler BT using the recommended items

Ive recently started reloading 223 for bolt action and I do like my 4895. I was talking with a shooter that has loaded a lot of Shooters World Precision in his 223's and loves it. Most people say its a pretty close match to Varget which has been very hard to get. Temp insensitive they say. My rifle is also a 8 twist and it shoots bullets in the 60's and up to 77's very well.

Based on my results and sucesses...my first choice for starting out making good .223 ammo and tiny holes would be...

I'd buy the Forster die set in the classifieds asap. The Redding micro seating die is top notch as well.
Lapua brass
Berger 73gr bullets for tiny holes, 50-60VMAX for varmints.
Varget is an easy first choice, H4895 as a 2nd . R15 as a 3rd pick.
CCI 450 primers, BR4 as a 2nd.

A decent neck turning setup is a plus as well.

Been using WW brass in 223 and everything else, for years. Don't be concerned about that component.

I use the Lee 4 die set and H335

I think you're pretty well on target. I'd probably grab the RCBS X FL set rather than standard .. removing trimming is a useful time saver. With the 1-8" twist, I'd look for the 53 grain VMAX if you can find them. If those primers are CCI 450s use them, otherwise I'd choose WSRs over CCI 400s. H335 is my favorite .223 powder.