Hodgdon powders for .223?
by Slow Hand 
, Indiana, Tuesday, January 19, 2016, 17:15 (3170 days ago)
I hay have a hook up for a good deal on Hodgdon's powders and am looking to buy an 8lb jug or two. I'm looking to load up some bulk .223 and the only Hodgdon's powder I recall using for .223 is Varget. I like it for .308 as well, so having a big hug of it wouldn't be a bad thing, I just didn't know if anyone had any other suggestions from the lineup. I figure 8lbs will get me a little over 2000 rounds of .223, which I have other components for, just not the powder.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Doug K
Hodgdon powders for .223?
by Cherokee , Medina, Ohio, Tuesday, January 19, 2016, 17:32 (3170 days ago) @ Slow Hand
edited by Cherokee, Tuesday, January 19, 2016, 17:38
I have been using H335 for my 223 loads with 45-60 gr bullets since the 1970's, works for me. For the 69 gr match bullets, I use H380, not hot loads but very accurate for me. H335 also works great in my 7.62x51 loads for M1A wherein I also use H380 for heavy match bullet loads. H380 may not be the best for the use I make of it but it works for me. Just my experience... Oh, I did try Varget and was not impressed, went back to H335. Again, my experience only.
PS H335 flows like water thru powder measures.
Varget!!
Excellent powder. It's been the best power I've used recently for the .223,.22-250,.243. Next I'm going to try it for the .308.
or H4895
by bj , Wednesday, January 20, 2016, 19:55 (3169 days ago) @ woody
If they still make it. But then I've read that Varget and 4895 are pretty much the same thing anyway.
People in highpower competition like Varget and 4895 but they frequently use heavier than normal bullets in 20" or longer barrels. 55 grain bullets in 16" barrels might benefit from a faster powder.
There are a lot of powders usable in .223. Nobody has mentioned H322 yet but I've heard that it works well with lighter bullets.
Hodgdon powders for .223?
by Creeker , Hardwoods, Wednesday, January 20, 2016, 05:26 (3169 days ago) @ Slow Hand
I'm using WC844 the military version of 335. As others have said it was made for the 556/223. A greart feature for bulk loading it meters perfect.
Hodgdon powders for .223?
I use 748, but if it has to be Hodgdon, I'd also use its close cousin H335
I use 748 as well but have used 335 with great success.
by Hobie , Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Wednesday, January 20, 2016, 08:14 (3169 days ago) @ Ken O'Neill
H335 works well in the 7mm TCU, too!
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Sincerely,
Hobie
One of the absolute best things about 844/335
is how well it works across a wide range of cartridges. Excellent general purpose powder. Not the best for the cartridges at the extreme ends of its range, but it works. Laid in a supply of WC844 years ago and it works well in 5.56 to 35 Whelan. Meters well, as others have said.
If I were limited to one rifle powder, this would be it.
Question best things about 844/335 vs 846/BL-C2??
I have a limited amount of both 844 and 846, but need loads for 222(50 and 55 grain) and 223 (55-69 grains).
Have been working up 55 grain loads with the 846 in 223, but maybe should go back and try the 844?
What say ye?
And to make this on topic for the board I recently tested 296 @ (15.2) and 4227 @(14.5) in the 357 with 358429 and they are more accurate than any load I have shot out of the 357.
I thank Glen for the 4227 load and fecmec for the 296 loading suggestions.
Both are right there in the 3rd edition of the Lyman Cast Manual, but for whatever reason never tried. If the backside of a 1 gallon jug of water is a hint, at 50 yards they hit with authority.
Question best things about 844/335 vs 846/BL-C2??
by Cherokee , Medina, Ohio, Wednesday, January 20, 2016, 14:58 (3169 days ago) @ RidinLou
I use the 846 for 308/7.62x51 loads. Its a slightly slower powder than 844 although both will work in either 762 or 556 when you work up loads for your guns. Some people have called H335 the 4895 of ball powders.
4895
by Sarge , Central Misery, Thursday, January 21, 2016, 06:46 (3168 days ago) @ Slow Hand
Has been my go-to bottleneck cartridge powder for decades. Hodgdon's version is what I use when I can get it.
Thanks guys!
by Slow Hand , Indiana, Thursday, January 21, 2016, 07:07 (3168 days ago) @ Slow Hand
I have been loading out of a jug of surplus 844. But it's getting low and my source for it went away. I have used Varget and I do have part of a jug of H335, so I must have tried it somewhere down the line. I also recently picked up a just of surplus 4895 and have been loading bulk .308 for my FAL with it. I only recently read about guys using it for .223. The bullets I have on hand are mostly 55grfmj and a couple thousand of the 62 gr SS109's. They will be shot out of everything from a 10.5" sbr to an 18" coyote rifle, although the 18" gun gets mostly specific target loads with hunting Bullets.
I appreciate the suggestions and I'll have him look into pricing on all that were suggested.