Ready to do a run of SS109 reloads, have H335 and BLC-2 powder, will be using federal military primers. Which powder is best for use in a 16in barrel, mid length handguards?

TAC

Federal military primers? Care to expand there? I need to learn I believe.

AA2230 or the H335.

kwg

Rost495, CCI 41 small rifle military primers. Don't know if their a new product or not, have never seen them before. Have had the SS109 bullets for years, finally getting around to loading them up. Did a little internet research as can't find any date in my manuals for them. Results were confusing, had H335 set aside, but my research suggested that may not be a good powder with that bullet so bought the BLC-2. Did a little more looking and now can't make up my mind, was hoping someone had used either with good results.

I wouldn't worry too much about getting the "optimum" powder for these bullets. They are just blammo anyway. You got all the disadvantages of a FMJ plus the wildcard of the core seating.

I'd start with data for the Sierra 60 or any one of the other 60-65gr bullets on the market.

Ah, got it, cci primers been around a long time, I had not heard of federal making a military type primer for sale to the public.

Been using 41s since they came out.

Tyrone says the 62s are junk. I've not loaded them, but I knew a guy that bought em in big bulk years ago, on a tight budget and did a bit of weight sorting and says he usually managed 10 shot groups at 200 that were MOA or just a bit over. FWIW.

I've not had good enough luck with 55 fmjs, though some of the new ones might be ok...

They are generally even worse than 55 FMJs because of the core.

I've loaded and shot a bunch of pulled SS109's with 24.0 gr. of AA2230C and they have been surprisingly accurate. Some of those pulled bullets were visibly deformed and they still shot under 2 MOA from a heavy barreled AR. You might be pleasantly surprised at how they shoot.

Let's just make this real clear-


SS109 projectiles will NOT consistently hit a sub 2 MOA target. The bullets mechanically can't do it. Occasionally put three "sub MOA"? Sure..... And then the next is 3+ MOA out.

They are blasting bullets- nothing more, nothing less.

At the cost of banging ammunition today, it's a waste of time & effort loading bullets like that, imo, unless you just like loading ammunition to kill time.

MM

I know a couple of high master competitors that could buy them cheap years back and always swore they were ok. The same folks said what I always said about 55s.. junk..

Just saying.. me I just paid for sierra 60 flat base HPS for practice.... they were not that high at the time.

With as good & cheap as Dogtowns & Varmint Nightmares are, just not much reason to buy milsurp bullets for blammo.

I don't know pricing, but as I"ve said a few times, 62s have been above average for FMJ stuff. agree or not.

I don't know that I"ve ever put more than maybe a thousand fmj downrange in my life though.

My blasting bullets are typically NCC's from Shooterpro shop....or what ever else they have for cheap.

Their SHOT's can sometime be had for under $10.00 a 100 and shoot great for the price.

CFE-223 works well in my 16" barrels

Same here, for 55gr, 62gr, 63gr, and 65gr bullets.

Ed