In all of my .223 bolt guns I have notice that BL-C(2) shows exceptional accuracy with 50 and 55 grain pills. Seems that most who discuss the subject of powder for the .223, like Varget, Benchmark and other newer powders. Anyone else have a similar experience. I may be giving up a little velocity but the BL-C(2) and H335 both seem to shoot real little groups. Feedback?
Experience with BL-C(2)
- Thread starter UncleDoc
- Start date
Dirty Hippie
New member
I also use BL-C2 it is a very accurate powder and is giving me extremely good velocity. My rifles seem to like it on the hot side. I get firing pin dimples blowing out if I use CCI primers due to the thin cups, but Winchester or Remington's hold up fine. The 3340 FPS I get out of a 20" tube with 55 grain bullets is awesome for a .223.
How much of it are you loading to get "hot" loads? For some reason I went with the Sierra load data which tends to be a little more than Hodgdon recommends and I have not seen blown primers or any other signs of pressure. Now I did recently load some H335 (another one of my favorites in the .223) and I did see some signs of high pressure, so I backed off about a grain or so.
I have not chronographed my loads to check the velocity but missing fast is not my thing. Accuracy is the only thing I am interested in.
I have not chronographed my loads to check the velocity but missing fast is not my thing. Accuracy is the only thing I am interested in.
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Originally Posted By: Dirty HippieI get firing pin dimples blowing out if I use CCI primers due to the thin cups, but Winchester or Remington's hold up fine. The 3340 FPS I get out of a 20" tube with 55 grain bullets is awesome for a .223.
DH, as you probably already know, your load is right at maximum (according to Hodgden and Lee manuals) you might try backing off a tenth or so and I'd bet your pierced primers go away. Or you might switch to the CCI 41 Mil Spec primer with same results.
I've used CCI 400's w/o any issues in both bolt gun and AR, but a slam fire is something to be avoided. Excellent discussion on primers here:
Quote:CCI states: "The CCI 400 primer does have a thinner cup bottom than CCI 450, #41 or BR4 primers. The appropriate primer for an AR15 platform is the CCI #41 primer, which helps to prevent slamfires. With this primer there is more 'distance' between the tip of the anvil and the bottom of the cup." [as per: Linda Olin - CCI/Speer Technical Services]. Despite this, it seems that most AR15 reloaders have experienced no problems using the BR4 and 450 thicker cupped primers in rifles in good condition. The #41 gives the greatest safety margin however.
http://sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=56422.0
Another excellent article by James Calhoon complete w/primer dimension chart:
http://www.jamescalhoon.com/primers_and_pressure.php
UncleDoc, I've used both Ball C and H 335 w/very good results but settled on this load, which shoots well in both Savage and Bushmaster. It is a maximum load so work up slowly. Velocity in the Bushy is 3300 fps.
Regards,
hm
DH, as you probably already know, your load is right at maximum (according to Hodgden and Lee manuals) you might try backing off a tenth or so and I'd bet your pierced primers go away. Or you might switch to the CCI 41 Mil Spec primer with same results.
I've used CCI 400's w/o any issues in both bolt gun and AR, but a slam fire is something to be avoided. Excellent discussion on primers here:
Quote:CCI states: "The CCI 400 primer does have a thinner cup bottom than CCI 450, #41 or BR4 primers. The appropriate primer for an AR15 platform is the CCI #41 primer, which helps to prevent slamfires. With this primer there is more 'distance' between the tip of the anvil and the bottom of the cup." [as per: Linda Olin - CCI/Speer Technical Services]. Despite this, it seems that most AR15 reloaders have experienced no problems using the BR4 and 450 thicker cupped primers in rifles in good condition. The #41 gives the greatest safety margin however.
http://sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=56422.0
Another excellent article by James Calhoon complete w/primer dimension chart:
http://www.jamescalhoon.com/primers_and_pressure.php
UncleDoc, I've used both Ball C and H 335 w/very good results but settled on this load, which shoots well in both Savage and Bushmaster. It is a maximum load so work up slowly. Velocity in the Bushy is 3300 fps.
Regards,
hm
Rustydust
Active member
I sure have tried BLC-2 but, at least with the loads that I tried, I did not get the accuracy that I did with some other powders. Now mind you that was with just one of my .223 rifles but that was all that I had back then. After my favorite .223 became a .223AI I did not shoot a standard .223 as much after that. But both my AR-15 varminter as well as my CZ 527 both have shot their best groups with Varget so that has been pretty much my go-to powder for that caliber.
Maybe when the weather cools off a bit I will load me up a few dozen rounds of BLC-2 and head to the range and see how she does with some match bullets that I've got laying around. Give me something to do anyway.
Maybe when the weather cools off a bit I will load me up a few dozen rounds of BLC-2 and head to the range and see how she does with some match bullets that I've got laying around. Give me something to do anyway.
That's about the same load I shoot with the H335 and accuracy is quite good. H335 was a bit hard to find a while back and I decided to pick up an 8# container of BL-C(2)and was very pleased with how it pushed Sierra 55g soft points. But the other day I was shooting some Nosler BT (55g) with around 27 grains of BL-C(2) I loaded some time ago in a newly acquired rifle and the group was around 0.300" and when it shoots that good you are a bit resistant to change.
Originally Posted By: MatlockOnly thing I've been warned about with both H335 and BL-C(2) is temperature sensitivity.
IDK, but IMO, "temperature sensitive" powders may be somewhat overblown. Now, I don't live in AZ where temps get up to 120* or so, but they do get into triple digits here and down into the teens on rare occasion. I've never had an issue w/H335, or for that matter any other of the many powders I've used, but I'm careful not to let my ammo bake in hot cars, in sun on firing line or in hot rifle chambers.
Maybe the reason I don't see all that much difference in my loads is the fact that I take the time to identify the accuracy nodes on my loads, thus there would be less variation in POI w/reasonable temp changes?? JMO, YMMV.
Regards,
hm
IDK, but IMO, "temperature sensitive" powders may be somewhat overblown. Now, I don't live in AZ where temps get up to 120* or so, but they do get into triple digits here and down into the teens on rare occasion. I've never had an issue w/H335, or for that matter any other of the many powders I've used, but I'm careful not to let my ammo bake in hot cars, in sun on firing line or in hot rifle chambers.
Maybe the reason I don't see all that much difference in my loads is the fact that I take the time to identify the accuracy nodes on my loads, thus there would be less variation in POI w/reasonable temp changes?? JMO, YMMV.
Regards,
hm
Originally Posted By: hm1996Originally Posted By: MatlockOnly thing I've been warned about with both H335 and BL-C(2) is temperature sensitivity.
IDK, but IMO, "temperature sensitive" powders may be somewhat overblown. Now, I don't live in AZ where temps get up to 120* or so, but they do get into triple digits here and down into the teens on rare occasion. I've never had an issue w/H335, or for that matter any other of the many powders I've used, but I'm careful not to let my ammo bake in hot cars, in sun on firing line or in hot rifle chambers.
Maybe the reason I don't see all that much difference in my loads is the fact that I take the time to identify the accuracy nodes on my loads, thus there would be less variation in POI w/reasonable temp changes?? JMO, YMMV.
Regards,
hm
I agree somewhat with the above statement as long as shots are 200 yards or so or less. When you start stretching out yardages temp. sensitive can really start making a difference though. I live in Indiana. Summer temps can easily be in the 90's and winter temps can be below zero. That's why I tend to stick with Benchmark in .223. It gets me good velocity, accuracy and less than 50 or so FPS velocity difference in a 90plus temp range. H335 for me showed a near 300 FPS difference within the same temp ranges. That's the only reason I have stopped using it. Varget is pretty good too although not as good for me with less that 65 grain bullets in .223 with regards to velocity, accuracy or temp sensitivity. 65 grain and heavier bullets it's Varget for all of the stated reasons. I do not have experience with BL-C(2) because of the temp. sensitivity claims.
IDK, but IMO, "temperature sensitive" powders may be somewhat overblown. Now, I don't live in AZ where temps get up to 120* or so, but they do get into triple digits here and down into the teens on rare occasion. I've never had an issue w/H335, or for that matter any other of the many powders I've used, but I'm careful not to let my ammo bake in hot cars, in sun on firing line or in hot rifle chambers.
Maybe the reason I don't see all that much difference in my loads is the fact that I take the time to identify the accuracy nodes on my loads, thus there would be less variation in POI w/reasonable temp changes?? JMO, YMMV.
Regards,
hm
I agree somewhat with the above statement as long as shots are 200 yards or so or less. When you start stretching out yardages temp. sensitive can really start making a difference though. I live in Indiana. Summer temps can easily be in the 90's and winter temps can be below zero. That's why I tend to stick with Benchmark in .223. It gets me good velocity, accuracy and less than 50 or so FPS velocity difference in a 90plus temp range. H335 for me showed a near 300 FPS difference within the same temp ranges. That's the only reason I have stopped using it. Varget is pretty good too although not as good for me with less that 65 grain bullets in .223 with regards to velocity, accuracy or temp sensitivity. 65 grain and heavier bullets it's Varget for all of the stated reasons. I do not have experience with BL-C(2) because of the temp. sensitivity claims.
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Originally Posted By: whyI used BL-C2 in a 204 several years ago and pierced some primers on a hot day. You may not have problems but might see changes in velocity as temp goes cold to very hot. By the way accuracy was good in the 204.
I had the same experience with it. Threw what I had left into the garden.
I had the same experience with it. Threw what I had left into the garden.
Originally Posted By: reb8600Originally Posted By: whyI used BL-C2 in a 204 several years ago and pierced some primers on a hot day. You may not have problems but might see changes in velocity as temp goes cold to very hot. By the way accuracy was good in the 204.
I had the same experience with it. Threw what I had left into the garden.
Haha, I have used some powders that didn't please me at all, like Hybrid 100V and BL-C2 to burn designs in old barn wood for crafting purposes. Amazing how precise you can be with some cookie cutters and gun powder.
I had the same experience with it. Threw what I had left into the garden.
Haha, I have used some powders that didn't please me at all, like Hybrid 100V and BL-C2 to burn designs in old barn wood for crafting purposes. Amazing how precise you can be with some cookie cutters and gun powder.
ninehorses
New member
Several years ago I quit BLC-2 in 222 and 223 loads. It would shoot bug holes (.3's) working up a load at 60 degrees, then by mid day at 85 degrees it would go to inch and a half groups. I tried to tweek the load, with little success. The best shooting load was down close to what you would call a starting load, so speed wasn't there either. I also had problems with lot to lot differences, every time I opened a new can, you would have to tweek some to find a new load for that lot. As long as it was cool, it would shoot tiny groups. In 222 this was with 40-50 grain bullets, and in 223 it was 50 and 52 grain bullets. I moved on to IMR 4198 and IMR 4895.