**-.OAL and Max Load for a .223 H335.-**

W

Watch Dog80

New member
I have recently purchased some Nosler Ballistic Tip (varmint) 55 grain ammo. I read where someone recommended using 27 grains of H335 for a .223 loaf, but I don't want to push my luck. I am loading 25 grains currently. If it is safe to load 27 grains, what would you guys recommend my oal should be?
 
What ever Nosler says and then if I have enough shank I'd start loading longer after checking my distance to the lands. You've got a pretty large safety cushion. If the gun shoots well you are almost home free.

Greg
 
27g is a heafty load, and I expect you to have very difficult extraction with enlarged primer pockets....back off 3.0g and work up.

Test loads will tell all.
 
Last edited:
if you're gonna venture outside the box, i strongly recommend doing so only if you're not seeing any pressure signs at 25.0 gr and then probably only doing so only in .1gr increments.



every chamber is a little different. but then again so is every lot of powder.

its worth noting, if you're going to play outside the box it will always warrant doing some basic safety testing if you switch to a new lot # on the powder.


this is a great writeup that can help you understand how to read pressure signs in your firearm

https://www.primalrights.com/library/articles/understanding-pressure


its a bit of a read, but worth its weight in gold for your time spent vs knowledge that can be gained.
 
Originally Posted By: yotekiller47Nosler is showing 25.0 max. I don't think I would listen to some internet gurus loads. Don't believe everything you read. Better off looking at the manufactures load data and going by it like the guys above said. Should start low and work up. Each rifle is different. Nosler load data

https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/223-remington/

This is where an actual printed manual, if available, is invaluable. The best scene scenario is three or four manuals. Then even if you are looking at internet data from a trusted company you can compare data. The will never be the exactly the same but will usually be close.

The data you see in most manuals is for the 223 and in some manuals they load it up to 556 pressures. Some times they wil call this Service Rifle data. Sierra uses "bolt action" data and this runs at NATO level 556 levels. In comparison the AR load for a 55 a Sierra and H335 MAX is 25.7 whereas the bolts action MAX is 27.5. Given a 556 or Wylde chambered rifle I personally have had no issues loading the bolt action an Service Rifle data. Interestingly Sierra speaks to longer barrels in the bolt gun for higher speeds without resorting to higher pressures yet they clearly are recommending them with their MAX loads.

As a side benefit when you see the internet numbers from other shooters you can go look them over and see how the guys with the million dollar equipment think about those levels. Often you'll see loads claimed that are clearly over the top. Blind faith can take you over the safety edge and quite frankly common sense will have a fail for t the day if you don't do some comparison. I'm lucky to have Quick Load that is a computer MODELING program not a LOADING program that I can run numbers through to get a SWAG on any given load. Not cheap but a great tool.

Greg
 
For me, any freely gained load on the internet is:

1. Cross referenced against factory load manuals from the early 70's till now.

2. Double checked against a head high pile of Handloader mags.
 
My Lee manual lists a max load of 25.3 with 55grn bullets which is exactly what is printed on the 1lb tub of H335. I never exceed 25.0 grains with 55's and I never exceed 26 grains with 50's.
 
Last edited:
Remember, the manual listed loads are "recommended" loads, usually safe but it even states to start low and work up. You can have two identical guns chambered in the same caliber and one will shoot fine with a particular load while the other will find it too hot. Tolerances and variables will do that.
 
I'm shooting 26.2 gr H335 with 50gr Sp, very accurate load for cheaper powder and cheap bullets. No pressure signs but my black hole weaponry barrel keeps pressures very low I have noticed.

That's with CCi 400 primers, they recommend a magnum primer for ball powders so maybe if I switch to 450 primers there will be more of a pressure spike.
 
Back
Top