I know this isn't commonly thought of as a go to powder for the 223 but I tried this in a Ruger MKII sporter and was surprised at how well it shot. 26 grains with a 50 gr. V-Max isn't real fast, a little over 3100 fps out of a 22" barrel but accuracy was as good or better than some of the faster 223 powders with this rifle.

Ive shot a pile of it in .223s, behind all kinds of bullets...had good luck with it too...
Ingwe

I've been using 26.0 grains of H-4895 and several different 50 grain bullets to get the best accuracy I've ever gotten with several 223's and two 222 Rem Mag rifles. Winchester WSR primers are an important ingredient for good accuracy, as Fed 205's don't get the job done.
I initially tried IMR-4895, and it wasn't as accurate as the "H" counterpart.
I get some fine accuracy with H-335 and 748 also, but H-4895 rules.

I use 25.5gr of IMR4895 under a 50gr Hornady Vmax and sparked by a Rem Small Rifle BR primer (RP case). I got just under 3300fps with a 24" barrel. I recently bought a 700 SPS Varmint with a 26" barrel. I hope to work up a load with the same components.

RH

I also have found the Hodgdon flavor -H4895- to give very good accuracy and velocity in the 223. I`ve burnt gobs of it under 52gr MatchKings.
Benchmark is another excellent choice IMHO

43shooter

I think you hit on something in your statement. It isn't the fastest or most accurate but in a pinch it could get you by. Too many better faster more accurate powers with the bullet weight you're talking about.

There's faster powders for sure but in this rifle I tried H335, IMR4198 & W748, none were more accurate and 3100+ is still fast enough for my use.

I'd kind of forgotten about this powder till a few months back when I realized I had a few pounds. Don't mean to get too far off the subject but the way things are getting it's good to have a lot of something like this or RL15 that'll work in a wide range of cartridges.

I have found both IMR and H 4895 to be very tractable powders in the 223. They work splendidly with 50 grainers.

Just how good were those 5 shot groups?

I will have to agree with Ol' Joe 100% on his contention regarding "H 4895" in the 223 - several of my 223's just absolutely "LOVE" H 4895.
I have been using this powder in my 223's for more than 25 years now and have passed it's phrase along to may other shooters since then and they have virtually all been happy with it.
Try H 4895 for sure.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I shoot three shot groups with sporter barrels. The first group I tried with IMR 4895 was.350. I shot two more three shot groups at another bull and the total for those two groups together, one on top of the other, with some time in between groups was .565.

I've never gotten three groups as good with that rifle since but the other faster powders have never done as well either, they all, including IMR4895, come in around the same, around 3/4".

seems to work pretty good for me

Good shooting, there's some 5 shot groups. IMR or Hodgdon, what kind of rifle?

That was 22.5gr IMR 4895 and a 68g Hndy match bullet. The rifle is a Sav. M25LTV. It's slow only about 2500fps but thats quick enough to kill paper. 25.5 gr and a Sie 40gr Blitz shoots almost as good.

I'm loading 25grains of H4895 with 55gr vmax boat-tails. i'll get back to you on the results. About 3400 fps.

HTB

You'll be breaking all records if you get much above 3100 fps out of that load.
Take a look at Hodgdon No. 26

I shot 26.5/H4895 (all I could get in the case and seat the bullet properly) and was lucky to get 3200 with a 24 inch barrel.

I have liked the way IMR 4895 behaves in my 223s with 50 and 55 grain V-Max bullets. In fact, it has been one of the better propellants I've tried when I've wanted to see small groups.

43Shooter: Are you primarily after "accuracy" or "velocity" in your 223?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Accuracy first at a reasonable velocity. I'm not saying IMR 4895 is the most accurate 223 powder, just that I was surprised and pleased (since I've got a lot of it) that so far nothing else has been more accurate in this rifle and it's fast enough for my purposes.

I too, have shot some good groups with adequate velocity with 4895 (both H and IMR) in my old Savage .223. It seemed to really like the 50 gr Siera bullet if I recall. H-335 worked pretty well, too. I had no luck at all with H-4198, mediocre accuracy and lousy velocity with 50 or 55 gr bullets. If you are interested, a couple of other powders you might consider trying are Accurate 2015 and my current favorite, Ramshot TAC. TAC measures great, is very consistent and temperature insensitive. It also gives good velocity and seems to burn very clean. I have shot some of my best groups with 2015 and it also gives very good velocity with 40 and 50 gr bullets. But I hear what you are saying about the wisdom of keeping versatile powders on hand that can perform reasonably in several calibers. The 4895's certainly fit that bill.

I've got a pound of TAC but I haven't used it yet. From everything I've heard it's good stuff. The two high volume shooters I know say what you do about it burning clean. I'll probably stick with the 4895 till it's gone. It's 12 years old and since it works I'll use it up first.

A fellow at work was showing me some groups he shot using 4895 and 90 gr. VLDs from his Savage.
They were a little under an inch.

Not bad load/shooting for 320 yards.

Thats about all we used in both .222's and .223's at the ranch that I used to work at. Four triple deuces and a lot of .223's.

It seemed kinda strange to me at the time......... like using 4831 in a .308.
But, it worked well with both accuracy and velocity.

Also helped to have a 100 lb. keg of surplus 4895 on hand!

Funny how some of us can agree whole heartedly on one thing and then totally disagree with the other....

I don't waste the money on Hodgdon's 4895... If I am going to buy some Hodgdon powder for 223 use, it will be H 322, Benchmark, and Varget long before their 4895...

Yet IMR's has been a staple of the 223, 22.250, 220 Swift for a lot of varmint shooters for as long as I have been alive and those cartridges have been around..

goes to show, we all have different tastes and different luck..

yet at the same time, I will not question the opinions of guys like Varmint Guy, DMB, Ol Joe, and Dave Skinner...

I've read their posts enough, to know that their writings are based on a lot of experience...

so if the can is going to say 4895 on it.. mine is going to say IMR on it also..regardless of cartridge..

loaded some 22/250 with IMR 4895 and Nosler BT 55's and first three shots went thru one ragged hole at 100 yrds,next 2 shots opened things up a bit but the gun and load was still well under 1 inch and a 3 shot 200 yrd group was aroung 1 1/2" . Speed was around 3400 fps. I think I will stick with this load combo for a while.

Amen, I forgot about Benchmark in the 223. 25.0 gns of it, or close, shoots great groups.

So many powders work very well in the 223 which may be why certain combinations are not as well known. However, IMR 4895 is such a flexible powder in so many different applications it is no wonder that it works well in the 223. It isn't the fastest, but it is easy enough to develop a fine shooting load IME.