Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Help with AR-15 223 varmint load

I bought a WOA Upper last fall. It is the Varmint Model with the 26" 1-12. It is on top of a RRA lower.

I haven't had much time to shoot it and finally got in 2000 rounds of prepped brass so I am ready to develop a nice load for it.

The 2 main bullets I am seriously looking at using in it are the 50gr V-Max and the 40gr Nosler BT. I might also take a look at the 50gr BT as well if I should. Would also look at other recommendations.

Would like to know what powders are recommended? Loads?

I have only used H335 in it for the 20 rounds that I have fired and have noticed and read that it is pretty dirty burning so might want to look at other powders.

Thanks for any help.
Mike

I am using 335 for now with 40gr Blitzkings. They are super accurate and explosive. I have a DPMS with the 16inch bull barrel. Seems to shoot everything I have fed it very well. Going to look at some 53gr TSXs for deer this yr. HAPPY HUNTING

Mike,

I usually use H-335 and 40 Ballistics to complete satisfaction. In truth, I am totally ignorant about ARs and the problems that might arise from powders that leave a bit of a residue.

The cleanest powder I have ever used in the .223 is Hodgdon's Benchmark. It both shot superbly and gave really decent velocity, so I would recommend that you try Benchmark.

By the way, one of Hodgdon's top ballistics engineers, Rob Reiber, loves Benchmark in the .223. His vote is worth a zillion of mine.

Steve

Don't overlook Ramshot TAC.

It is DANG clean...

Another vote for TAC, 26.2g (work up, yada yada) with 52g Nosler CC shoot really, really well for me. Good velocity and really clean.

RL 7 for the 40s will generate the fastest velocities..
RL 10 also does well for the 50 grainers...

If you have to use flake powder, BLC2 is a lot cleaner burning than H 335 in my experiences...

BL(C)2 is ball powder and works real well in .223. The 50 v-max is a real good match to BL(C)2.

I haven't run it through an ar, but 26gr H-335 and a 50 v-max is just the ticket in my M-700.

I've used H335, Benchmark, W748 and BL(c)2 with 50, 52,53 and 55 grain pills with excellent results. It's a 1/9 twist. I think my favorite of the four powders is H335. Its dirty but its more than worth it (in my gun anyway).

I use Benchmark and 10X (RL10) in my AR for 223's.

Thanks for all of the replies guys. If I can find it I would really like to try the TAC. How does the X-Term compare?

I've used X-term with good results too but never TAC, yet. Many guys on here seem to prefer TAC. It has a copper inhibitor in it. Had I known that, I would have tried it first. I picked up X-term on the basis of the loading guide, but will try TAC one day too.

Same here except my favorite in the AR is W748.

My favorite is 50 grain Ballistic Tips loaded with W748

I was in a SD dogtown in June with a few rifles. My son was shooting an AR with some older H335 loads. It eventually got dirty enough where it had some issues. No I don't blame it all on the powder. I did have some newer TAC reloads with me. Fast FWD to a few weeks ago. After shooting some 204 loads with TAC I looked through the barrel & could hardly see any powder residew at all. Yes, anecdotal evidence but I have moved over to TAC from H335. I just mail order it since it can be hard to find.

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Another vote for Benchmark with TAC as a second choice. TAC works very well in my 222s.