H335 vs. IMR4895 in 223

Pbchucker

Pbchucker

New member
I am going to be reloading some rounds up for my ARs and will be using 52gr bthp. I was just wonder if any of you could give me some extra info from your experience between these two types of powder H335 and IMR 4895. Example: Which one flows more consistantly through your powder dumps? Which type of primers would you recommend from your experience with each of these powders? Any downfalls with either of these types of powders that you have experienced?
Thanks in advance for your help and experience.
 
I've not loaded anything with IMR4895. H335 flows well through my podwer thrower, it should it's a spherical powder.

My bushmaster vamint special loves 25.5 grains of H335 pushing a hornady 53 grain match bullet. 26.0 grains is the max powder charge.

In my opinion, H335 burns "dirtier" than other pwoders I load - Benchmark, Varget, Reloader 7 and IMR 3031.

I put up with the extra cleaning because it's a joy to load and it works well in my Bushmaster.
 
I've shot H335 with Hornady VMax bullets from 40 grains up to 55 grains and all shot well from my Savage FVSS, grouping well under 1/2" at 100 yards. Under ideal conditions, the load I prefer to use, the 40 grain VMax, groups under .300" for 3 shots, consistently. I use Federal cases and Federal 205M primers.

I use a Lee Perfect powder measure for that load and out of 20 drops, no more than 2 will vary from the setting and they will be within .1 grain. I normally will weigh each charge for my varmint rifles, but I don't with that powder.
 
Thanks layoutman, when you consider "dirty"...do you get any functional problems with it in your AR when shooting say 100 rds or more before you have to thoroughly clean it? I will be shootind pdogs and yotes with these loads.
 
Neither really, although both have been sued with success, both have their drawbacks. If your looking for the "silver bullet" in .223 powder, look to Winchester 748, and don't look back.
 
H335 flows like water and the drop weights are very consistant. W748 has all the advantages of H335 and burns cleaner, it can also be used in a wider variety of cartridges. I use it for .223 and .308 both, so for me it's a "must have" item. I will say I had good luck with H335 when I did use it. IMR4895 is also good, but I hand weigh the loads since the powder measure "crunches" its way through it and the weights vary more than a spherical powder. That has been my experience, for what it's worth.
 
I like Benchmark in the 223. I used H335 for many years before switching to Varget then to Benchmark. I still use a lot of H335 in my 223 AI bolt gun.
 
I'm in the process of finding a PD load for the AR. H335 has been (so far) the powder of choice for it. While I use Benchmark in the .204s, for some reason my AR doesn't like it so much. H335 is doing well with 40 VMax and 50 SBK bullets. Although it's well below a MAX load, 26.0gr under a 40 with a BR-4 primer is shooting well under MOA.
 
I use H335 in both my Stevens in .223 and my AR. I shoot 55 grain Vmaxes in both and have shot great groups with both. In the bolt gun I use 25.5 grains of H335 and in the AR I shoot 24 grains of H335. I prefer Winchester brass and CCI 450 mag primers. I have been lucky enough to find great loads fast for both of my .223's with H335. Good luck.
 
I also prefer H335 for my Savage 223, and it shoots Sierra 52/53gr match bullets fantastic with 25.5gr H335. I see I'm not the only one with that recipe.
 
Quote:
Thanks layoutman, when you consider "dirty"...do you get any functional problems with it in your AR when shooting say 100 rds or more before you have to thoroughly clean it? I will be shootind pdogs and yotes with these loads.



Dirty = More patches down the bore.

No 'functional' issues but I'm not a high volume shooter either. My AR gets cleaned after each range session where I typically shoot 50-60 rounds.
 
The thing I see with H335 being "dirty" is that I seem to have more buildup around the gas ports/bushings on both the Mini-14 and AR when shooting it. It's never caused any kind of problem, but I clean my rifles after every shooting session. 100 rounds isn't going to be an issue. I'll still use H335 if I find it's the most accurate load in a given rifle, don't take my criticism as a reason not to give it a try. It's good stuff.
 
I really appreciate all the info guys...looks like I'll go with the H335 and load up 100 rds and see how it does. My main concern was with how well it flows through the powder dump and getting a consistant load. On my deer hunting loads I always measure out each load and reweigh each one, but when loading for varmits I reweigh about ever 5th round loaded. I haven't loaded up any varmit rounds in the last 5 yrs due to the price I could pick up preloaded factory round or remanufactured load just about as cheap as reloading them myself. With ammo prices now, I need to start reloading varmit rounds again. Again...thanks for the help.
 
Quote:
On my deer hunting loads I always measure out each load and reweigh each one, but when loading for varmits I reweigh about ever 5th round loaded.



Exactly what I do. I set my measure about a gr. light and trickle up to weight in the scale pan. Any of the spherical/ball powders (like H335 or W748) have dropped a consistant weight through my RCBS powder measure. One thing I do is fill the hopper, throw about 1/3 of a hopper back into the can using the handle (to settle/pack the powder into the hopper), refill the hopper, then throw a load and weigh it. I weigh about 5 loads and if they're consistent +/- .1 grs. I start loading. I weigh every 10th load and keep the hopper between 2/3 and full. I also "double-tap" the handle when throwing every charge. Use the same force and technique every time you throw a load and that powder measure can be pretty accurate. If the small cavity charge block will hold the load you're throwing, use it, it's more consistant. That's how I do it and I was getting good charge weights and turning out rounds pretty quickly. If you just fill the hopper and start throwing into the scale pan and adjusting, you'll be fiddling with the micrometer adjustment for quite a while. An old-time reloader taught me this, it wasn't something I "discovered". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
Or you could buy an electronic scale/trickler. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I thought about an electric scale/trickler at first, but I can load up about the same amount without it in the same amount of time. If I were loading up a lot of deer hunting ammo I could see spending the money, but I already have an electronic scale and the RCBS micro powder dump. Who knows maybe one of you could convince me on why I should really switch and spend the $$$. Kind of short on it right know...no thanks to Dan Carey! Just picked up my 4th AR from him last night /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif RRA predator pursuit and had him flute and bead blast the barrel. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif I also dropped off my Armalite to have him flute&bead blast that one too. I would recommend Dan Carey to anyone looking for an AR or needs fluting or bead blasting done. He is a great guy and down to earth businessman. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
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