.223 load development

[Elitesniper 1]

G'day fellas

I have a howa 223 with 1-12 twist rate and am working up some loads using 2206h powder with 55 grain hornady v-max bullets,I have full length sized all my brass and trimmed them to a uniformed length of 1.750,the ADI website suggests a minimum of 25grains and max 26grains for this particular bullet weight not compressed,I have already worked up 5 loads of 25.2 and have seated the bullet at 2.260 which fits perfectly in my magazine box, I have noticed that when I shake the round up and down after seating that I cannot hear any powder moving around at all and am a little worried to increase increments up to the 26 mark....is this normal.....just to mention I'm using a chargemaster and I'm sure it's dead on accurate...once again I'm a bit worried and hence why I'm asking if it's normal....cheers

[Flip]

I have found that the course powders like AR2206 and the like will tend to settle a bit once transported or moved about. As I have noticed that once they had been to the range and back to be pulled. could hear the powder moving then. That's why people use funnels with long drop tubes to help reduce this bulking effect.

If you tap not hit the side of the case gently once the powder is in you can watch it settle.

The fine powders like BM2 and BM 8208 settle down really fast.

Hope this helps a bit, I'm no expert but that's what I've observed.

Flip

[JasonF]

There is no problem with not being able to hear the powder moving when you shake the case. If you want to pack the powder in more tightly, get a funnel with a drop tube and drop your powder in a slow steady stream so it swirls into the case.

That said, lightly compressing 2206h isn't a problem either.

[makrand]

I am also working up .223 loads with 2206H, but with a variety of pills.
I'd be very interested in your results and will also try to post mine when I can find time to get to the range.

[Elitesniper 1]

I am also working up .223 loads with 2206H, but with a variety of pills.
I'd be very interested in your results and will also try to post mine when I can find time to get to the range.

I am curious to hear whether or not if you use the 55s whether or not you can hear the powder moving when you shake up and down....are you going to be using the same load development as me if you use 55s...25 min and 26max.....cheers

[kickinback]

If you are worried about compressed loads, start at minimum and pay particular attention to bolt lift after the round is fired. It is in another post here regarding primer flattening and is a good read.

[makrand]

The max I used so far is 25.0 (with 55gn Speer, SuperRoo's and Nosler Ballistic) and I can feel the powder moving up and down a little but can't hear anything. (I've got quite bad tinnitus.)

[CZ550]

G'day Elitesniper,

I worked up a load for my Dad's .223 with a 25" 1:14 twist Shilen, using 2206H and the 55 grain Vmax. I can remember attempting to use a starting load of 25.5g to work up to 26 in small increments, but found it was very difficult to fit in the case. With more time and care it may have been possible, but I wanted simple. Long story short, After testing a number of powder loads, I ended up settling on a load of 24.5g (yes below recommended ADI starting load) with the projectile seated .020' off the lands. With this barrel, the combo gives a very solid 3300 fps, sub inch accuracy and nails everything you point it at emphatically!

All the best with the load development,

Regards,

CZ550

[Elitesniper 1]

G'day Elitesniper,

I worked up a load for my Dad's .223 with a 25" 1:14 twist Shilen, using 2206H and the 55 grain Vmax. I can remember attempting to use a starting load of 25.5g to work up to 26 in small increments, but found it was very difficult to fit in the case. With more time and care it may have been possible, but I wanted simple. Long story short, After testing a number of powder loads, I ended up settling on a load of 24.5g (yes below recommended ADI starting load) with the projectile seated .020' off the lands. With this barrel, the combo gives a very solid 3300 fps, sub inch accuracy and nails everything you point it at emphatically!

All the best with the load development,

Regards,

CZ550

Thanks mate.....are you saying you did .1 increments at a time to find the right load as I'll be working in .2's......so far I've worked up 5 rounds of each starting at 25.2 and have stopped at 26...I'll be at St Mary's indoor tonight...hopefully I'll find what she likes.....cheers

[makrand]

I am curious why you are going for the hottest possible load.

Is it for energy at kill range?

[Brad Y]

It wont matter if you can hear it or not. Thats what min and max loads are for. Load at minimum and work carefully upwards. When you get cratered primers, excessively flattened primers or the bolt lift is hard after a firing you know your max in your rifle. Dont go past it. There are so many things that affect pressure other than powder charge itself. What might be hot in one rifle could be completely safe in another. If you want to be able to hear your powder moving around, then go for a faster powder like BM2 or BM8208 that wont have the case fill capacity.

[Elitesniper 1]

I am curious why you are going for the hottest possible load.

Is it for energy at kill range?

I'm not going for the hottest possible load,like I said I'll start from min and work my up until I hit the sweet spot...and yes it is for energy at kill range....I already load for .308 using AR2208 and am very aware of all the warning sighns in regards to reloading,it's just that I've never loaded for .223 and never used a different powder other than 08 hence why I was curious as in why I couldn't here the powder moving around after seating....I found out today from a few people I spoke to that it is normal with the 06H and that I have nothing to worry about that I'm well within spec....on my way to range...cheers

[Camel]

Try running 08 in your 223 as well as the 308, I use it in 223, 7-08 and 308, shoots pretty well in all of them. 25gn is a start for the 223 with 55gners, I think the max is around 26.5 or 27, both are compressed. Im not sure, but I don't think you could get enough in a 223 case to get into problems.

[CZ550]

Elitesniper,

Hope that you got that load worked out

When I did the load development I was very lazy and worked on 3 loads 24, 24.5 and 25 grains of 2206H. When I found that 24.5 shot best (sub MOA @ 100 yards with minimal vertical), I thought that the load was good enough for what we wanted to achieve with it!

Regards,

CZ550

[DSD]

Unless you are going to be shooting at max 50m St Mary's indoor is probably not the best place to do load work. Try to test loads at ranges shot. a load that works at 50 may not be to crash hot at 200 and vice versa. I like to do them at 300 because my general experience is if they work there they will work all the way out and can generally hit anything closer. Sometimes even your best 100m load may not be that good at 300 but then again with a good custom unless you are shooting past about 250m load development can be pretty useless as they just shoot to good to notice any difference any closer