Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 223 Remington, Alliant Steel Varmint Loads

I did this for another forum member in 2022...and thought I might have posted it back then, but if not
this is being posted for forum member Son of the Gael., from down Oklahoma way... since he asked if I did Alliant Steel in the 223.

Here ya go my friend! :


Powder : Alliant Steel
case: 223 Rem, Lake City
firearm used for testing: Howa Mini, 22 inch barrel


55 grain Speer

1.10 gr: 2402 fps 2394 fps
2. 10.5 gr: 2376 fps 2423 fps

3. 11 gr 2497 fps 2497 fps
4. 11.5 gr : 2555 fps 2531 fps

5. 12 gr: 2631 fps 2618 fps
6. 12.5 gr: 2707 fps 2670 fps

7. 13 gr: 2741 fps 2757 fps
8. 14 gr: 2874 fps 2862 fps


40 grain V Max/ Hornady

1. 10 gr: 2681 fps 2716 fps
2. 10.5 gr: 2779 fps 2783 fps

3. 11 gr: 2871 fps 2884 fps
4. 11.5 gr: 2973 fps 2963 fps

5. 12 gr: 3039 fps 3034 fps
6. 12.5 gr: 3111 fps 3130 fps

7. 13 gr: 3163 fps 3195 fps
8. 13.5 gr: 3262 fps 3296 fps

9. 14 gr : 3379 fps 3349 fps
10. 14.5 gr: 3432 fps 3435 fps


50 grain Hornady SP

1. 10 gr: 2496 fps 2509 fps
2. 10.5 gr : 2582 fps 2557 fps

3. 11 gr: 2647 fps 2647 fps
4. 11.5 gr: 2731 fps 2730 fps

5. 12 gr: 2799 fps 2793 fps
6. 12.5 gr : 2838 fps 2862 fps

7. 13 gr: 2945 fps 2939 fps
8. 13.5 gr : 2988 fps 2985 fps

9. 14 gr: 3067 fps 3052 fps


60 grain Hornady SP

1. 10 gr: 2249 fps 2287 fps
2. 10.5 gr: 2346 fps 2393 fps

3. 11 gr: 2446 fps 2457 fps
4. 11.5 gr: 2501 fps 2509 fps

5. 12 gr: 2570 fps 2562 fps
6. 12.5 gr: 2619 fps 2605 fps

7. 13 grs: 2676 fps 2659 fps
8. 13.5 gr: 2727 fps 2740 fps

9. 14 gr: 2791 fps 2795 fps

Some extras tossed in:

53 V Max: 12.5 gr Steel: 1.) 2673 fps 2.) 2685 fps 3.) 2686 fps

68 BTHP/ Hornady: 12.5 gr Steel: 1.) 2506 fps 2.) 2491 fps

75 BTHP /Hornady: 12.5 gr Steel: 1.) 2401 fps 2.) 2405 fps.

Lake City Case Capacity:
Measured at the rim of the case mouth: 18.6 grains of Alliant Steel

Thanks, John.

Good information to have on hand, Thanks Seafire

So how close were the #'s to bluedot? Steel was the replacement powder for BD for use in cold temps because of bloopers in steelshot loads

Steel is a little slower than Blue Dot, so you can go higher in charge weight, but its also bulkier.

In my personal use, I use the same charge wts for Blue Dot and Steel.. just makes things simpler.

thank you.

Loaded a few yesterday to test next range trip, lots bulkier than BD. That's not a bad thing.

Good luck my friend and let me know how they do for ya...

I've also tried them with some of the varmint bullets on the 6 x 45 I've been playing with and learning about...

certainly were accurate, but everything thru this Douglas barrel seem to be...

doesn't have a tight chamber but sure has a tight bore.

Kinda thinking in the hunting fields, as far as hitting power, it will rival a 22.250 in lethality...
just maybe not as far of a distance... but ringing 300 yd steel targets has not been an issue.