Varmint Season: 223 & Alliant Steel - 01/13/22
Per a request.....I've got plenty of this powder, and lower than I care on Blue Dot. I've used it in the past, but never chronographed it and really explored the big picture.
it is bulkier than Blue Dot, so it doesn't need any filler ( same as Blue dot) and is not position sensitive in a 223 case.
started at 10 grains, based on the fact that a full case to the brim is 18.6 grains of Steel... so with that starting load its impossible to over load without over flowing the case.
Any way, here is what I found out.... and these loads proved to be safe in the firearm I use.. my Howa Mini in 223, with a 22 inch barrel.
Alliant Steel & 223 Load Data
1/6/22
Rifle Used: Howa Mini in 223
Bullet used: 55 Speer SP
1. 10gr ....... A)2402.......... B) 2394
2. 10.5 A)2376 B) 2443
3. 11gr A) 2497 B) 2495
4. 11.5 A) 2555 B) 2531
5. 12 gr A) 2631 B) 2618
6. 12.5 A) 2707 B) 2670
7. 13 gr A) 2741 B) 2757
8. 13.5 A) 2826 B) 2829
9. 14gr A)2874 B) 2862
1/7/22
Bullet Used: Hornady 50 gr SP
Rifle Used: Howa Mini in 223
1. 10gr A) 2496 B) 2509
2. 10.5 A) 2582 B) 2557
3. 11 gr. A) 2647 B) 2647
4. 11.5 A) 2731 B) 2730
5. 12 gr A) 2799 B) 2793
6. 12.5 A) 2838 B) 2862
7. 13 gr A) 2945 B)2939
8. 13.5 A) 2988 B) 2985
9. 14 gr A) 3067 B) 3052
1/11/22
Rifle Used: Howa Mini 223
Bullet Used: Hornady 60 gr SP
1. 10 gr A) 2249 B) 2287
2. 10.5 A) 2346 B) 2393
3. 11 gr A) 2446 B) 2457
4. 11.5 A) 2501 B) 2509
5. 12 gr A) 2570 B) 2562
6. 12.5 A) 2619 B) 2605
7. 13 gr A) 2676 B) 2659
8. 13.5 A) 2727 B) 2740
9. 14 gr A) 2791 B) 2795
1/10/22
Rifle Use: Howa Mini
Bullet Used: 40 grain V Max/ Hornady
1. 10 gr A)2681 B) 2716
2. 10.5 A) 2779 B) 2783
3. 11 gr A) 2871 B) 2884
4. 11.5 A) 2973 B) 2963
5. 12 gr A) 3039 B) 3034
6. 12.5 A) 3111 B) 3130
7. 13 gr A)3163 B) 3195
8. 13.5 A) 3262 B) 3297
9. 14 gr A) 3379 B) 3349
10. 14.5 A) 3432 B) 3435
This & That:
53 VMax 12.5 gr Steel:
A) 2673 B)2685 C) 2686
12.5 Steel & 68 BTHP / Hornady:
A) 2506 B) 2491
12.5 gr Steel & 75 BTHP / Hornady
A) 2401 B)2410
223 Case Capacity when Full to Rim: 18.6 gr of Alliant Steel.
Case Used PSD/ 2020 ( I believe this is English Manufactured)
for those that decide to use this data, it proved to be plenty accurate out to 250 yds for sage rat sized varmints...
I have used the 11.5 grain loads on shooting steel at 300, 400 and 500 yds at our local range... dial it in there and it consistently hits home on the steel,
and when it doesn't its a near miss and can be chalked up to operator error....
Temps were in the 45 to 55 degree range.
Don't start out at the max charge, and not sure how temp sensitive it is when it starts to hit 90 plus degrees, which we get in Southern Oregon..
to include plenty of triple digits.
cheers
seafire
Jan 2022.
it is bulkier than Blue Dot, so it doesn't need any filler ( same as Blue dot) and is not position sensitive in a 223 case.
started at 10 grains, based on the fact that a full case to the brim is 18.6 grains of Steel... so with that starting load its impossible to over load without over flowing the case.
Any way, here is what I found out.... and these loads proved to be safe in the firearm I use.. my Howa Mini in 223, with a 22 inch barrel.
Alliant Steel & 223 Load Data
1/6/22
Rifle Used: Howa Mini in 223
Bullet used: 55 Speer SP
1. 10gr ....... A)2402.......... B) 2394
2. 10.5 A)2376 B) 2443
3. 11gr A) 2497 B) 2495
4. 11.5 A) 2555 B) 2531
5. 12 gr A) 2631 B) 2618
6. 12.5 A) 2707 B) 2670
7. 13 gr A) 2741 B) 2757
8. 13.5 A) 2826 B) 2829
9. 14gr A)2874 B) 2862
1/7/22
Bullet Used: Hornady 50 gr SP
Rifle Used: Howa Mini in 223
1. 10gr A) 2496 B) 2509
2. 10.5 A) 2582 B) 2557
3. 11 gr. A) 2647 B) 2647
4. 11.5 A) 2731 B) 2730
5. 12 gr A) 2799 B) 2793
6. 12.5 A) 2838 B) 2862
7. 13 gr A) 2945 B)2939
8. 13.5 A) 2988 B) 2985
9. 14 gr A) 3067 B) 3052
1/11/22
Rifle Used: Howa Mini 223
Bullet Used: Hornady 60 gr SP
1. 10 gr A) 2249 B) 2287
2. 10.5 A) 2346 B) 2393
3. 11 gr A) 2446 B) 2457
4. 11.5 A) 2501 B) 2509
5. 12 gr A) 2570 B) 2562
6. 12.5 A) 2619 B) 2605
7. 13 gr A) 2676 B) 2659
8. 13.5 A) 2727 B) 2740
9. 14 gr A) 2791 B) 2795
1/10/22
Rifle Use: Howa Mini
Bullet Used: 40 grain V Max/ Hornady
1. 10 gr A)2681 B) 2716
2. 10.5 A) 2779 B) 2783
3. 11 gr A) 2871 B) 2884
4. 11.5 A) 2973 B) 2963
5. 12 gr A) 3039 B) 3034
6. 12.5 A) 3111 B) 3130
7. 13 gr A)3163 B) 3195
8. 13.5 A) 3262 B) 3297
9. 14 gr A) 3379 B) 3349
10. 14.5 A) 3432 B) 3435
This & That:
53 VMax 12.5 gr Steel:
A) 2673 B)2685 C) 2686
12.5 Steel & 68 BTHP / Hornady:
A) 2506 B) 2491
12.5 gr Steel & 75 BTHP / Hornady
A) 2401 B)2410
223 Case Capacity when Full to Rim: 18.6 gr of Alliant Steel.
Case Used PSD/ 2020 ( I believe this is English Manufactured)
for those that decide to use this data, it proved to be plenty accurate out to 250 yds for sage rat sized varmints...
I have used the 11.5 grain loads on shooting steel at 300, 400 and 500 yds at our local range... dial it in there and it consistently hits home on the steel,
and when it doesn't its a near miss and can be chalked up to operator error....
Temps were in the 45 to 55 degree range.
Don't start out at the max charge, and not sure how temp sensitive it is when it starts to hit 90 plus degrees, which we get in Southern Oregon..
to include plenty of triple digits.
cheers
seafire
Jan 2022.