Hodgedon H322 powder ?

rebs · September 9, 2013, 01:51 PM

Is anyone using this powder for reloading 223/5.56 for an AR ?
How well does it meter and does it produce accurate loads ?

HopeandChange · September 9, 2013, 02:02 PM

Are you kidding?

This is my favorite powder for .223. H322 is rooted in Benchrest. It meters fantastic in my dillon. I use it for 77s and 69 gr SMKs.

Although on paper it's a relatively faster burning powder, it is amazing with heavies..... Combine this stuff with russian/WOLF primers and you'll get crazy low standard deviations.

hodaka · September 9, 2013, 05:17 PM

Yep. What he said.

histed · September 9, 2013, 05:52 PM

I don't own an AR, but this is one of the two powders I usually reach for when loading my Model 70. Produces great accuracy for my varmint loads. No reason it won't work well for an AR.

rebs · September 9, 2013, 07:58 PM

will this powder work good with 55 gr bullets in my AR ?
Since it is a little faster burning than H335 I would think it should be good in a 16" barrel, am I right ?

hodaka · September 9, 2013, 09:06 PM

It will work as well as anything else. I also use it for my 6.8 and 7.62x39 loads. Good stuff.

Clark · September 10, 2013, 12:29 AM

I bought 32 pounds of surplus pull down bulk 4895.
It does not behave like 4895, but the pressure and velocity will match in Quickload if I call out H322. It has the same density as H322, so I feel like I have loaded a lot of it.

It produces great groups in 223, but even with the powder compressed with 55 gr bullets, it cannot come close to the kinds of velocities that H335 can produce.

rebs · September 10, 2013, 07:03 AM

Quote:

I bought 32 pounds of surplus pull down bulk 4895.
It does not behave like 4895, but the pressure and velocity will match in Quickload if I call out H322. It has the same density as H322, so I feel like I have loaded a lot of it.

It produces great groups in 223, but even with the powder compressed with 55 gr bullets, it cannot come close to the kinds of velocities that H335 can produce.

I mainly shoot 50 to 300 yds so with H322 producing less velocity than H335 would H322 still be a better powder for me ? I am more concerned with accuracy than velocity.

HopeandChange · September 10, 2013, 08:33 AM

We shoot H322 21.8 gr (published max), 77 gr SMK, and Wolf Primer out to 1000 yards regularly out of a Rem 700 5R 20 gun.

This load also shoots outstanding in all of our ARs in 10.5" SBR up through a 20" Colt Match Hbar.

We nabbed 32 lbs of it from Brunos during the panic because running out of H322 was too much of an emotional risk to take on.

Clark · September 10, 2013, 08:14 PM

I notice that the groups at 200 yards are higher on the target with H335 than with [H322], but the [H322] groups are smaller.

HopeandChange · September 11, 2013, 08:58 AM

Yeah... H335 is hotter ball powder. H322's one slight downside is velocity. But as we've found out... it'll still get to 1000 yards in .223 so...

MJFlores · September 12, 2013, 07:10 PM

I use H322 for loading 5.56 in my AR, and .223 in my M700. In my AR I have a few loads for 55 grain bullets, and 65 grainers...in particular Sierra's game king. It's a great powder and meters very well. I use a Redding Measure and it cuts the grains nicely anyways. I think you'll like it.

rebs · September 12, 2013, 07:58 PM

Thanks for the replies, now I have to decide on a starting load for 55 gr bullets.

MJFlores · September 12, 2013, 09:58 PM

Refer to the Hodgdon website, they have a bunch of load data for many varieties and weight bullets. They list 21.0 grains of H-322 as the starting load for 55 grain bullets.

September 9, 2013, 01:51 PM	#1
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	Hodgedon H322 powder ? Is anyone using this powder for reloading 223/5.56 for an AR ? How well does it meter and does it produce accurate loads ?

September 9, 2013, 05:52 PM	#4
histed Senior Member Join Date: April 9, 2013 Location: Central PA Posts: 254	I don't own an AR, but this is one of the two powders I usually reach for when loading my Model 70. Produces great accuracy for my varmint loads. No reason it won't work well for an AR. __________________ You Have enemies? Good. That means that you've stood up for something in your life. --Winston Churchill The right to buy weapons is the right to be free. -- A.E. Van Vogt

September 10, 2013, 12:29 AM	#7
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I bought 32 pounds of surplus pull down bulk 4895. It does not behave like 4895, but the pressure and velocity will match in Quickload if I call out H322. It has the same density as H322, so I feel like I have loaded a lot of it. It produces great groups in 223, but even with the powder compressed with 55 gr bullets, it cannot come close to the kinds of velocities that H335 can produce. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

September 10, 2013, 08:14 PM	#10
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I notice that the groups at 200 yards are higher on the target with H335 than with [H322], but the [H322] groups are smaller. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

September 9, 2013, 02:02 PM	#2
HopeandChange Member Join Date: September 4, 2013 Location: AZ Posts: 65	Are you kidding? This is my favorite powder for .223. H322 is rooted in Benchrest. It meters fantastic in my dillon. I use it for 77s and 69 gr SMKs. Although on paper it's a relatively faster burning powder, it is amazing with heavies..... Combine this stuff with russian/WOLF primers and you'll get crazy low standard deviations.

September 9, 2013, 05:17 PM	#3
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	Yep. What he said.

September 9, 2013, 07:58 PM	#5
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	will this powder work good with 55 gr bullets in my AR ? Since it is a little faster burning than H335 I would think it should be good in a 16" barrel, am I right ?

September 9, 2013, 09:06 PM	#6
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	It will work as well as anything else. I also use it for my 6.8 and 7.62x39 loads. Good stuff.

September 10, 2013, 08:33 AM	#9
HopeandChange Member Join Date: September 4, 2013 Location: AZ Posts: 65	We shoot H322 21.8 gr (published max), 77 gr SMK, and Wolf Primer out to 1000 yards regularly out of a Rem 700 5R 20 gun. This load also shoots outstanding in all of our ARs in 10.5" SBR up through a 20" Colt Match Hbar. We nabbed 32 lbs of it from Brunos during the panic because running out of H322 was too much of an emotional risk to take on.

September 11, 2013, 08:58 AM	#11
HopeandChange Member Join Date: September 4, 2013 Location: AZ Posts: 65	Yeah... H335 is hotter ball powder. H322's one slight downside is velocity. But as we've found out... it'll still get to 1000 yards in .223 so...

September 12, 2013, 07:10 PM	#12
MJFlores Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2013 Posts: 539	I use H322 for loading 5.56 in my AR, and .223 in my M700. In my AR I have a few loads for 55 grain bullets, and 65 grainers...in particular Sierra's game king. It's a great powder and meters very well. I use a Redding Measure and it cuts the grains nicely anyways. I think you'll like it.

September 12, 2013, 07:58 PM	#13
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	Thanks for the replies, now I have to decide on a starting load for 55 gr bullets.

September 12, 2013, 09:58 PM	#14
MJFlores Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2013 Posts: 539	Refer to the Hodgdon website, they have a bunch of load data for many varieties and weight bullets. They list 21.0 grains of H-322 as the starting load for 55 grain bullets.