# .223 Remington Reloading Recipies



## buckeyeguy (Aug 20, 2006)

Just finished loading up some PMC brass with 26.0gr H335, Magnum CCI Primers with Hornady 55gr FMJ-BT for my AR.

What are some loads that your guns seem to like?

Has anyone used H335 with regular primers? Did your groups get larger without the magnums?


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## ODNR3723 (Apr 12, 2007)

I just started loading last winter for rifle and the first recipe shot great out of my bushmaster predator. 26.5 grains of varget with a 55 grain nosler. Shot a dime group with this load at 100 yards


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## Blue Pike (Apr 24, 2004)

The gun likes the load, very much.

Ruger #1 .223 26"stock ruger barrel.
93 Lake City brass fire formed and neck sized (lee collets die)
H322 24.5 gr. Hornady 55 gr. sxsp
cci 400 primer. The bullet is set to touch the rifling.
3050 fps and very accurate. 

As you can see, this is not a high speed load. Most of my loads that shoot well are on the slower end of the speed scale.

I do have a Contender .223 that likes a bullet (Nosler B/T) speed in the 3,200-3,300 range.

Just for the heck of it.

A reduced load for the .223.

The rifle Rem. 700 bull barrel 24&#8221;
Lake City brass , CCI 400
James Calhoon 37gr DBL bullets
Powder 800X

3.0 gr. --1250 fps
4.0 gr.-- 1350 fps ---- My favorite Squirrel killer. The Contender likes it. 

As always Double check any and all loading data. Nothing beats a good loading manual.

http://www.jamescalhoon.com/


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## buckeyeguy (Aug 20, 2006)

Its funny how different load manuals are. I have the newest Speer manual and a majority of the STARTING loads are hotter than the Hornady's MAXIMUM loads. This is comparing comparible bullets.

I started off on the hotter end due to it being for an AR. I know a couple of guys who have had some cycling problems with the lower speed loads. Usually I am like you, I don't feel like I have to burn out my barrel to have an accurate gun. My muzzleloader for example can take 150gr of Pyrodex but I load it around 95gr due to better accuracy.

How about brass.... I assume that you crono your loads due to your velocity data. Have you seen any difference between the Lake City 5.56 brass vs. .223 brass?


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

I have always had good luck with Win 748 in the 223, it has worked great in several rifles with bullets anywhere between 40-52grs, presently Im shooting a 40gr V-Max in my 700VS, the Hornady SX bullets are great and fairly cheap, I have used the 50gr in both the 222 and 223, out of the 222 it only got about 3000fps but boy it was pure death on the hogs, I use mainly Remington and Winchester commercial cases.


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## buckeyeguy (Aug 20, 2006)

Went to the range today and shot 30rds of my new loads. I just scoped the AR and put some PMC through it to get it close. I noticed my loads shot better groups than the PMC but I wasn't to happy about the results. Part of it was my fault though (forgot my butt rest). I think I'll drop to 25gr and see what happens. I'm kind of embarrased to say this, but my three 5 shot groups averaged 2.2" at 100yds. The first one was really bad, but the last two came in a bit when I started to rest the butt of the gun on my arm.


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## 2120Tom (Jul 2, 2008)

With a bit more tweaking and that rest you'll have your AR doing one ragged hole! 
I have a Rock River predator pursuit that will get it done with 60gr vmax and 23.5grs of H335. Have tried a few of the top 223 powders and they all gave decent results,, just like the ease of the ball powder best.


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## beagle52 (Apr 15, 2007)

I am shooting 26 grs.of benchmark with 40 gr V max out of my 223 varmit Syn. It was my most accurate load in 223. Winchester brass & primers.


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## Nikster (Mar 14, 2007)

Varget.

Won't give you the exact specs, cause what I shoot in my rifle may not be the sweet spot for yours.

Been there & done it. A friend of mine really liked the my set-up. Bought up some Varget & loaded his own to my specs. NO-GOOD. Just could not get it to work for any reliable accuracy (now we are talking about pin-point competition shooting) 

Oh, it was a good round but shot better in my rifle than his. 

Nik,


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

I use 21 grains of IMR 4128 and a 50 grain Speer TNT hollow point CCI primers. Drive tacks! Shooting them out of a H&R Handi Rifle with heavy barrel. Crazy accurate for an inexpensive gun.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

saugeyesam said:


> I use 21 grains of IMR 4128 and a 50 grain Speer TNT hollow point CCI primers. Drive tacks! Shooting them out of a H&R Handi Rifle with heavy barrel. Crazy accurate for an inexpensive gun.


Im curious what kind of velocity are you getting out of that load?? I never have tried the TNTs but I have heard they are killer.


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

We graphed them at 2990, I tried the Hornady V-Max and Nosler Ballistic tip and just didn't like they performed, on a whim i bought the TNT's and i'll never shoot anything else. From hogs to coyotes it knocks them stiff. Wish they made them in a heavier bullet maybe 55 or 60 grain.


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

If you get a chance try the Hornady SX bullets, they make them in 50 and 55grs, fairly cheap bullet but plenty accurate and very explosive as the name implies, I have shot them in both a 222 and 223 and they are great.


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## buckeyeguy (Aug 20, 2006)

Hit the range with my new load today. 25gr of H335, 55gr Hornady FMJ-BT, CCI 450 primer. 

This load did considerably better than the previous with 26gr. My best group was 1.058" and the worst group was better than my best grouping at the previous load. I think i'll knock it down another grain and give it another try.


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## 2120Tom (Jul 2, 2008)

Maybe knock it down just a half grain,,(or load some of each). With the 450 primer it "may" perform better with less powder. 
Also,, I've loaded the boattail 55 grainers, and found my most accurate loads were with the flat based bullets.........that's my gun though.


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