I have been playing with some reduced loads in .223. Both rifles are Remingtons; a 700 and 600. The 600 has a 700 take-off barrel. 40 grain bullets shooting into ¼ inch in one barrel. ⅜ in the other. All this at 2700-3000 fps using Steel

The 50s aren't nearly as good in the 1-12 twist barrel. The 600 has a 9 twist and the 55s and 60s were sub MOA

I’ve loaded 40 grain bullets with a charge of A 2400 powder. I think I got the load out of an older Alliant manual, near 11-12 grains, don’t have data in front of me.

I chronographed the load, 2670 fps.

Do you have the load data handy for this?

I'm interested in load data also. I shoot alot of reduced loads using blue dot. Pretty happy with them, but always interested in new loads.

I used 13.8grs of SR4759 for some reduced loads that were decently accurate and went 2500fps IIRC. That was with 50gr Speer TnT's. Just .2grs above or below that and accuracy wasn't nearly as good. SR4759 is a bulky powder, and double charging it will have the case beyond full. Unfortunately, it's no longer being made.

I also have some AA5700 which is supposed to work well, but I have never used it. The Speer manual is the only place I have been able to find much data on it, although with Hodgdon acquiring them that will probably change. It's a fine grained extruded powder that could easily be double charged if you're not careful. Speer only shows a charge of 11-12grs when using bullets between 40-55grs, and velocity around 2000-2100fps.

I had my best accuracy with 12.5 grains of Steel and 40 grain Blitzkings. 10.5 grains gave me the velocity I was hoping for and groups went from 1/4 inch to 3/8-1/2 inch.

I settled on 11.5 grains of Steel with 50 grain Ballistic tips in my 600 which was shooting about 5/8 inch groups as I had a limited supply of 40s and wanted to reserve them for the two 12 twist barrels. I just found out my 8 twist 224 barrel is shipped so I can chamber it up as soon as my reamer arrives. That ought to let me shoot the 75s etc.

I can post the velocties if someone needs them but they are very barrel length influenced for some reason.

Thanks Dennis. I don't need velocities as I'll chronograph them in my rifle. I appreciate the data. Please keep us posted on how your new barrel performs with the heavier, longer bullets.

If you want a .22 mag type load Ive been shooting 55 grainers with 12.5 gr of 4198...I never clocked them but I reckon they are about 1950fps judging by the trajectory. Nice on edible varmints like rabbits.

iMR 4227 and 2400 work well in a 222 so I would think they’d do ok in the 223 too. The Speer 46 gr flat point delivers pretty good smack.

H4198?

I use nearly the same load as Ingwe, but I'm using 13.0gr of IMR 4198 with a 55gr Hornady SP. In my rifle, this load clocks in at 2,100 fps. Kind of like a 22 Mag +P.

I used to load similar loads in my .223, pretty much a Hornet load.

During the Great Obama Rimfire Shortage I wrote an article on reduced loads for various smaller-caliber cartridges for HANDLOADER, and eventually republished it in slightly different form in the BIG BOOK OF GUN GACK II. Here are some for the .223s, shot from a 26" barrel:

40 Nosler Ballistic Tip/19.5 H4198/2947 fps
40 Speer Spire Point/16.0 IMR4895/1586 fps
42 Calhoon HP/4.0 Blue Dot/1113 fps
45 Remington RN/6.0 Trail Boss/1814 fps

Got the Blue Dot loads from James Calhoon's website. Got the others from various other published sources. They duplicate anything from standard-velocity .22 Long Rifle ammo to the .22 Magnum to the .22 Hornet.

Thanks for the reminder of those loads. I had forgotten they are in GG II.

Using 8.5 grains Red Dot with a 55 grain HP is a lot of fun. My contender shoots them under moa.

Pretty hard to beat 13 gr of Blue Dot under a 40 or 50 gr Vmax.

well ya can beat it.... both of those will take 14 grains of B/D.... that is what I list as max for a 50 grainer...

you can push the 40 grainer to 14.5....

I have messed around with some 35 grain NTX Hornady bullets ( the lead free one).. they are about the length of a 50 gr V Max...

I've pushed those to 15.5 and 16 grains of B/D, but I normally do the 15.5 max... with a SR primer...they are running like 3500 to 3600...

and also with Berger 30 grain HPs...

just for those that might be interested if you come across any 30 grain HP Bergers....

223 Range Report

Powder: Blue Dot

Bullet: Berger 30 grain HP, Varmint

Rifle Used: Ruger 77 VT

Barrel Length: 26 inches

Primer Used: Winchester Small Rifle

Bullet O.A.L. : 15.55 mms

Cartridge O.A.L. : 57.93 mms


10 grs: 2844 fps

11 grs: 3082 fps

12 grs: 3210 fps

13 grs: 3407 fps

14 grs: 3712 fps

15 grs: 3797 fps

15.5 grs: 3814 fps

16 grs: 3873 fps

16.5 grs: 3957 fps.

Accuracy Potential:
Load of 15 grains of Blue Dot, 30 gr Berger, WSR primer:
5 shot group size@ 100 yds: 0.4260 0.224 bullet diameter = 0.202 group size
Scope: 6.5 x 20 Simmons.. setting at 10 Power.

Personally my max load is 15 grains.. the extra 150 fps between that and 16.5 grains is not much gained..