Favorite 223 powder? Just got my reloading equipment today. Going to be reloading 223 & 22-250. I prefer Varget in my 22-250. Had it reloaded by my father in law. THANKS

So im not new but i just got my own reloading set up. Biggest thing is find someone who has done it for awhile to help you. Its amazing the little things you will pick up with help. Hopefully it will help you avoid costly mistakes. Now I have seen friends blow up guns. I never try to push my loads. All i want is an accurate, reliable, safe round. I am not chasing speed, shoot im use to archery speeds. However take your time. Its not a task i would ever try to rush, or skip steps. I have had one problem with my loads. I assumes all the brass i shot was the same. However i had 3 of them from the batch that were too long. After having to send the gun to the smith to have a case removed. I learned you can never be too thorough with reloading.

The best advice I can give a new reloader, is to take it slow, and do your research.

Begin with the end in mind. What do want this handload to accomplish for you? Then research your powders and bullets that are suitable for what you want to achieve. Load up 5-10 with a particular recipe and then head to the range. Invest in a chronograph, and remember to take good notes while at the range. This is going to give you valuable information as to what you need to change in your recipe to achieve your desired goal. Then go back and make your recipe changes and load some more rounds then back to the range.

Handloading requires patience. You better be ready to spend a lot of time at the range, bummer right?

Handloading is a lot of experimenting. It is a very scientific process.

You will find a lot of very good guys here willing to share their knowledge and help to make your handloading successful.

For .223 in autoloading rifles, I prefer ball powders like H335. It is pretty much the go-to but Ramshot TAC and Reloader 10X are excellent too. For bolt guns, IMR4198 or H4198, Hodgdons Benchmark (my favorite), RL7, Accurate LT30 and probably more that I am forgetting.

Varget works okay with heavier bullets but may be lacking for 60 grs or lighter. Reloader 15 is the same story.

I think the first way to go for reloading newbe's is to learn with the directions in one manual first. Do that and you'll learn to make safe loads and probably be some good ones too. Then once your really comfortable start looking for ways to tune your loads if you like. I found when I started that doing it the mundane way gave me good hunting accuracy, like all my rifles got down to 1" @ 100yds or better. I don't do near the tuning other do and today I have several 1/2" rifles. The tuning improve's usually just a bit at a time. But, learn to make good safe loads before you start much experimenting. Always nice to have some sort of reference for what your doing.

By the way, I said use one manual to start. Reason for that is they all say pretty much the same thing but in different ways. Learn one way to start!

Being the Lazy Indivdual I am.

I have failed to read the 20 pages for this 1st piece of advise... ( I need to note upfront I have stolen images from all over the internet to make my points and to assist in explaining forgive me as I have sinned)

everyone has discussed loading practices such as load for the
a. most accurate versus velocity.
b. Stay within published data,
c. drop starting loads approx 10%,
d. work loads up slowly,
e. don't seat bullet into lands but allow 15 to 20 thousands jump before engaging lands
.. I can't stress my advocation for this enough.

This is a hobby that feeds another hobby and should be fun NOT a chore.


In another post I seen the question of the term handloading versus reloading. "aren't they the same " I seen as a response. years ago one of my buddies and I had this same conversation in my office. Here is what we came up with between two wildcat handloaders.

Hand loading is basically working out the formula to the desire accuracy level given a set platform (gun) and componets.... Reloading is duplicating that same formula once developed without thought

Now I will discuss more advanced methods they are NOT REQUIRED, but are placed here for knowledge sake only, MOST will not have need for these Why post this ?? hopefully as the novices become more accustomed to the practice they might find this small primer helpful in producing better quality.

Brass preparation is in my opinion first and formost and it is easy to control.

1. Annealing!!!!!! I have seen Posted on the internet about using a oven to anneal, not here!! but on other forums

DONT do it !!!!!!!!!!!!

It will / can weaken the WHOLE case including the web resulting in disassembling your fire arm without the use of a screwdriver or tools maybe even a bolt in the eye socket. Of course this is a extreme example ...badddd stuff. Now some advise to use a oven to dry brass, I don't do this ever and will call B/S. why you ask? is my oven calibrated??/ no!!! what if I leave them in too long??? (anyone whom has done heat treating knows the answer you have a probablity of annealed the whole case) we will need the case head to remnain strong the brass case is a gasket therefore it need malability to seal the charge being iniated to send that happy little bullet along it's way

Annealing is usually done to extend the neck life and prevent spliting at the neck mostly done when forming brass. And is actually easy to do.

Should you anneal?? the answer is no/yes that depends on your practices.
Do I anneal yes I do.. when??? about every five loadings. Now on the 223 I usually dont unless converting to another case by necking up or down. 223/5.56 brass is so available and cheap so no need. Just wasting my time as in this cartriage I'm feeding a AR .... remember fun not a chore.

Harder to find cases i.e. 244 remington aka 6mm remington yes I anneal to extend the case life. And my quanity of this type brass is way lower count than my 5.56 /223 quanity.
annealing is used to soften the brass, as brass is worked (resized) it hardens, annealing adds malability back to the brass at the neck shoulder location.
here is a article that goes further into detail actually a LOT into detail probably way more than a novice needs.
https://www.6mmbr.com/annealing.html

My personal advice if a novice wishes to anneal is to use the water pan annealing method .. it's safer,, easier,, and cheaply done. and I run the water a bit higher than shown





2. Case head seperation
since we cant anneal the whole case one needs to pay attention to case head seperation a paper clip can be form as a inspection tool to feel for this, but is not required as usually the primer pocket will loosen first, auto loader are the worst for this. Especially when Small base sizing are used this is compounded with the sloppy chamer used for reliable loading. Bolt gun owner Ignore this you probably wont have a problem unless you use range brass alot from auto loaders, Or use a Belted magnum cartridge such as those based off the 300 H&H (7mm mag 300 Win Mag shooters you use that case as a basis) . Machine guns are the worst.

Here is the paper clip tool

here is a article relating to that
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2013/01/case-head-separation-causes-and-how-to-spot-problems/

If you suspect this as in feel it toss the case is my best advice.

3. NECK turning
IS IT needed??/ Majority of the TIME NOOO!!!
When is it need?? custom chamber with tight neck or done in small quanity to ring out that last nth of accuracy. Why nth degree? it casues the neck Tension to be uniform 98% this is just not needed. Again this should be fun NOT a chore. do I do it ???? yes I do but I actually enjoy doing it... MOST DONT

Another thing I do is Load at the bench, the local range here allows it.

I'll also do ladder test to find a accuracy node, which each bullet is loaded progressive a little hotter ( I use 1/2 grain unless it is a hot cartridge such as the dreaded 5.7 FN then I use a tenth grain) in order to find the two or three close together that give me a idea of where that node is. The novice will want to adjust scope leave it alone folks we need to see the dispersion and create the ladder. As the velocity increases the point of the bullet impact will be lower ( bullet is traveling faster thus gravity has less effect, doesnt sound right i know i see your rca dog look now,


but true because of angle of departure of bore centerline) here is a example by Hm1996 in one of his post





Below here is a example of a ladder test

Now with this example my node should be within 43.5 grains to 45.0 grains.
Why do I use the ladder test I burn LESS powder find that node I have only loaded 1 of each charge versus three to five of each charge searching for that magic grouping. now generally I'll target the middle of that node so right around 44 to 44.5grs , i'll shoot a conformation group. Once i have the best load I'll play with the seating depth Sometimes the recomended length is the best sometimes longer sometimes shorter but brand of bullet will dictate. Another key point is DOCUMENT EVERY LOAD AND RESULTS

I'll briefly discuss something.... I'll use a "fouling shot" on a clean barrel in my least charge in other words two rounds loaded the exact same. WHY you ask???? simple I don't care if you subscribe to "clean bore" or "cold shooter" camp it will help you in your evaluation attempts. DISCARD that first shot always. X it out on the target and ignore it doesnt matter I DON'T care why it done what it did or why the point of impact is differant. Another point is once this load is developed it should produce very closely to the same results if it differs a little bit its probably ok. As we are not loading benchrest shooting for score or groups we are after killing Vermin I think.

Charging the case with powder I use a powder measure Some will trickle the load to exactly the same weight. that is great if we are benchrest shooting. In my Highpower days I weighed everything to the nth degree. I spent more time loading than shooting I actually found out that If I load to volume as in using a powder measure it was quicker produced Just as good a result
REMEMBER FUN !!! NOT A CHORE this is a hobby that feeds my shooting hobby

I could go on and on... but I'll stop for now but will leave this link to a article by Orkan http://www.predatormastersforums.com/for...8218&page=1
I am in hopes that this helps some to understand or maybe maybe one or two methods I use will assist others in the enjoyment of this hobby. All opinions are my own and maybe biased maybe some might find racist only cuz i like black rifles as well as bolt guns (haha I crack myself up sometimes) But honestly best of luck to all in your persuits of this Hobby (s) of Handloading, Reloading Shooting, shooting vermin, rodents, Yotes or whatever

Hoovy I'll echo for 55grs and less Shell shuckers..YES H335, H332, TAC, 10X, Benchmark, I picked up a Lb of AA2015 just can't recommend right now until I try it ( but H335 is my preferred). For 69 to 80grs in the shell shuckers with a fast twist (anything faster than 1-12") CFE 223, Win 748, Varget.

I always empty my powder hopper after each loading session, If not, I ALWAYS put a piece of tape on it saying what powder is in it.

had a friend that went that route - didnt think that humdidity would be an issue.

the powder got all kinds of stuck inside his powder dispenser (Chargemaster).

took us over an hour to clean it out when i went to help him change over to a different powder for something else when i was helping show him a few things.

we threw out over a pound of powder and thankfully there appears to be no permanant damage to the dispenser, but still.

My rule is to only have one powder & one primer on the bench, period.

I agree it's best to put the unused away, but even so, with only one powder can & one primer package on the bench there's never any doubt as to what's in use.

Well here goes in addition to the solid advise people have already shared .
1. Start with a single stage press . You will learn what each step function creates . ( this helped a bunch , when later setting up a progressive )
2. Keep records ( I put my load data into my notes on my phone along with photo attachments )
3. Don't get caught in the trap of "I bought this bullet ,powder, and primer and it should work excellent." (this I have been guilty)
4. Lead core and Copper are not the same and not be treated as such . ( get the proper data for the bullet )
5. Continue to learn read and understand .
I have got great help over the years from bullet and die manufactures , they are a great source of information and help .
Enjoy your time at the bench . Be safe , ask questions .