223 AI powder? What powder do you use and why?

derbyacresbob

derbyacresbob

Well-known member
I am hoping that brdeano, Steve Timm, Outlawkyote and any other experienced 223 AI re-loaders will reply to this thread.

After reading through the other 223 AI threads and any other 3223 AI data I could find I have ordered some H335 powder.

I have Benchmark and Varget powders. In my three Reloading manuals in the 223 Rem data for 50 and 55 gr bullets the Benchmark data looks to be pretty fast on the feet per second.

The Hodgdon 223 Rem data for the 63 gr SIE SP bullets, Varget powder looks to be about 150 fps faster than the H335 and Benchmark powders.

Is the H335 powder in the 223 AI with 50 gr bullets that much more accurate than the other powders or is speed and pressure also figured in on using H335?

Are you guys using different powders in the 223 AI for the different bullet weights?

I have no choice but to use lead free bullets in the areas I hunt. I want to try Barnes 50 gr Varmint Grenades, 55 gr MPG, 55 gr TSX and the 62 gr TSX bullets in my 223 AI. I also just ordered some of the Nosler Ballistic-Tip 40 gr lead free bullets.

Any warnings or recommendations you guys can give me on powders, powders and bullet weights or the friggin lead free bullets will be much appreciated.

Thanks

 
Bob, Stay AWAY from the varmint grenades on coyotes and cats!! They are a volatile round and tend to splash very very badly, great for prarie dogs though!

Not trying to change the subject here, just letting you know!
 
Its H335 I believe your referring to and its a good powder but if you decide to run max loads with it be sure and keep you ammo cool and out of the heat. With the lighter bullets(60gr and down) Benchmark is excellent and save the Varget for the heavier stuff.
I will be watching to see what folks say about the lead free stuff myself especially the MPG's.
 


I've had really great results with all bullet weights from 40-grains to 60-grains using good old H-335.

Benchmark, Varget and H-4895 are also true winners in the .223 Ackely.

Left with a single powder to use for the rest of my natural life in the .223 Ackley, it would be H-335.

By the way, same comments about powders in the .223 Normal.

Steve Timm
 
I too am looking for someone to figure out how to load the VG and MPG bullets. It seems that I have tried everything to no avail.
John
 
Thanks for the replies getemclose, venatic and Steve Timm.

pcammo, my 223 Rem AR and Tikka T3 with 1-8" twist barrels shoot the Barnes 55 gr MPG's decent with 25.5 gr of Varget.

None of the lead free bullets I have shot in 223 Rem, 243 Win, 243 WSSM and 300 WSM have shot as good as the lead bullets did in those same rifles.
 
My findings so far match 110% with what Steve posted above. Back when I built my first 223AI I went with '335 because that's what Steve said worked....and it does, very well. That stuff just meters like water.
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for bullets from the 40Vmax to the 62TSX I run H-335. For 75Amax's I run R-15. Now some guys have been getting great speed with the 75's using H-335 and I'm going to revisit that combo shortly.

I seen you mentioned the lead free bullets too, the only one I've ran in the 223AI is the 62TSX. 3300'ish w/335 is what my rifle would run, they'll shoot sub-MOA out to 600yds, which is the furthest I've shot them. Some guys are saying that they get 3400 w/62TSX's, but my rifle wouldn't do that.

 
Another H-335 fan here. Due to Mr Timm, and a fine man that he is, I have found that to be THE powder for my .223 AI. Using 30 grains of the stuff with the 40 grain Nosler BT that rifle just cannot seem to shoot over a half inch at 100 yards. Right at 3900 fps too. Steve was even kind enough to send me a multi page article that he had written several years ago praising the AI and he is right on the money about that little cartridge as it is a great round. I just got back from my local range an hour ago fireforming some more brass for it and even the fireform loads shoot well in that gun.

I got my order in yesterday from Powder Valley. With it was my first 8 lb jug of H-335 powder. It will not be my last I feel sure.

Thanks again, Steve! You really did open my eyes about this nifty little round!
 
H335 for me. Everything under 60gr bullets. Benchmark works in a pinch though.
Everything over 60gr bullets I use rel 15. I spent hours using Varget but rel15 burnt cleaner, grouped better and, had higher velocities than the Varget. Im to a point that I will never use Varget again. Never had a rifle that would group well with it.
 
Thanks for the information brdeano, Rustydust and Outlawkyote.

brdeano, the Barnes 62 gr TSX's didn't shoot very good in my Tikka T3 when it was a 223 Rem with Varget powder. I can't wait to try the 62 gr TSX in the Tikka with H335 powder when it is a 223 AI.

Rustydust, I just made a group buy powder order with three of my friends through Powder Valley yesterday. The H355 is on the way.

Outlawkyote, thanks for the tip on Rel 15 for heavier bullets.
 
Lots of good powders for 223/223AI. Best in my rifles are AA2015 and VV133 with 50gr. bullets. With 55's it's VV135. Best meaning most accurate with highest velocity.
 
H-335 is my choice for 223 ackley loads. I tried others and benchmark shot extremely well also, but H-335 was a more consistant load as far as standard deviation on the chono.
 
any ideas on how that new IMR 8208 xbr might work in a 223 ai?

say pushing 50 to 60 grain bullets?
 
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Make mine '15, but I only shoot 75gr Amax & 75gr Swifts out of my .223ai.

I have about 4lbs of '335 left, I should give it a shot to see how well it does. I love how it meters.
 
H322, 2015, benchmark, n-133 with the 50's and N-135 with the 55's is what I have tried and everything shot very tiny groups. The N powders were in a class by themselves in as far as speed goes.

I would recommend the use of thick cup primers if you are trying to achieve top speeds with this little case.
 
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laportecharlie, just curious how your loads with TAC have worked out. I have settled on 30.6 gr of TAC under a 40 gr ballistic tip with a wolf srm primer. Great groups and velocity of 3940 fps, a real plus is it is really clean after 100-200 rds

Scott
 
Originally Posted By: ackleymanH322, 2015, benchmark, n-133 with the 50's and N-135 with the 55's is what I have tried and everything shot very tiny groups. The N powders were in a class by themselves in as far as speed goes.

I would recommend the use of thick cup primers if you are trying to achieve top speeds with this little case.

++1
 
What Brdeano and Steve Timm said. H-335 is THE most accurate powder in my 223AI. And, based on Steve's postings in the past about using 40 gn bullets in his 223AI's, I decided to go the same route.
27.0 to 27.5 gns of H-335 and Sierra 40 gn Blitz shoot 3 shots at 100 yards into less than 1/2", with Fed 205's.
 
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