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Old April 16, 2014, 06:45 PM   #1
603Country
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H335, BL-C(2), and my Ruger 223

I've been catching up on my loading for the last two days. I saved the 223 for last, knowing I had to work up loads with a new powder. Back when I couldn't get H335, I got 3 pounds of BL-C(2) and it was time to find a good load. Took a while, since the Ruger seems a bit finicky, but finally I found the load. It seems that 29.3 grains of BL-C(2) shoots Ok, but 29.2 grains is solid gold. Just a tenth of a grain. Who'd a thunk it? And the really good news is that the load shoots exactly where the favorite load with H335 does, and might even shoot slightly tighter groups. This is with the 40 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. I told all this to the wife and she said "now you can get back to the list of stuff I want you to do". That's why I'm telling ya'll.

And...I am finally a true believer in the Lee Collet Die. For some time it has been a toss up between that and the Redding type S bushing die, but now we have a clear decision.
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Old April 16, 2014, 07:38 PM   #2
Bart B.
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Quote:
It seems that 29.3 grains of BL-C(2) shoots Ok, but 29.2 grains is solid gold. Just a tenth of a grain. Who'd a thunk it?
How many shots did you shoot in each of how many groups with each load to make that much difference?

And at what range?
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Old April 16, 2014, 07:47 PM   #3
243winxb
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Quote:
Who'd a thunk it?
1/10 gr making a difference, not I.
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Old April 16, 2014, 08:44 PM   #4
Clark
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Quote:
Bart B.
It seems that 29.3 grains of BL-C(2) shoots Ok, but 29.2 grains is solid gold. Just a tenth of a grain. Who'd a thunk it?
How many shots did you shoot in each of how many groups with each load to make that much difference?
And at what range?
Bart I have 20 years of reading your posts [counting usenet] with great interest. But you have never convinced me to shoot a zillion shots into one group the way YOU do. My take home lessons from your posts is not to do what you do, but to not do what you don't do. If you don't bother, I don't bother.

I am never going to get a 3" 20 shot group at 800 yards, like you.
I will be satisfied, if before I die, I can get my no wind deer kill zone sized 5 shot group to move from 500 yards out to 600 yards.
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Old April 16, 2014, 09:30 PM   #5
603Country
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Bart, I'm with Clark. I do see the statistical relevance of shooting more holes in paper before you can claim how small the groups are, but I'm just not into that. So what I did was shoot a bunch of 3 shot groups, which were mostly rather poor, except at 28.1 gr and 29.3 gr. The 29.3 looked pretty good, so I went up to 29.5 and that was not good. Hmmm, so maybe I should go the other way, and I did. Another 3 shot group at 29.2 gr and it looked pretty darn good, though I pulled one shot just a touch. The other two were touching. That was my last clean target, so I rehung (restapled) targets and loaded up a 5 more of the 29.2 and adjusted the crosshairs 2 clicks left so that it should be dead on the inverted V's that I shoot at. I shot a nice group with the rounds, which was at the tip of the inverted V. I didn't measure it, but it was about 3/4 inch or a bit less. Then I shot 3 rounds of the H335 loads right into the grouping, Dead on top of the BL-C(2) group. Pretty darn nice combined group, and in a high gusting wind. I tried to shoot with a cool barrel, so I went nice and slow. The rifle will shoot a first cold bore shot right on the money, but as the barrel heats up, it walks a little bit.

So anyway, I got what I wanted, which was a good load with the BL-C(2) and then I got that little bit extra in that it shoots right on top of the H335 load.

And, like I mentioned, I'm going to stay with the Lee Collet Die now. The Redding bushing die will become a body die, which will get some use from time to time.

And if I can find a gunsmith that's reasonably close, I'll get the action/barrel squared up. This is the only rifle I have that hasn't had that done. And...I might have the barrel cut to 20 inches, but I am concerned that it might adversely affect the grouping of the loads I've worked up. I have no experience with shortening a barrel and how it impacts grouping. If you have knowledge of that you'd share, I'd appreciate it.
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Old April 16, 2014, 10:33 PM   #6
Jimro
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I think that you should watch for secondary pressure spikes with that high of a charge of BLC-2 and such a light bullet.

A lighter charge of a faster powder would be safer bet in my opinion. Slow ball powders and light bullets give me pause.

https://www.shootingsoftware.com/pressure.htm



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Old April 17, 2014, 07:49 AM   #7
603Country
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Jimro, I read the article. Thanks. But, the BL-C(2) has about the same burn rate as H335, and H335 is an often recommended powder for the light bullets in the 223. My load isn't a particularly hot one, being over a grain short of max.
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Old April 17, 2014, 01:43 PM   #8
Jimro
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603Country,

My concern was that AA2230 has a faster burn rate than either H335 or BLC-2 that it had a known tendency to experience Secondary Pressure Spikes with heavy charges pushing a light bullet.

http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html

As long as your loads work for you safely in your rifle, then all is well in the world.

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Old April 17, 2014, 02:34 PM   #9
603Country
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Jimro, I do appreciate the heads-up. I did a bit more reading on the subject, and it appears that the problem rarely presents itself in a barrel 20 inches long or less or in newer rifles (like mine) with non-worn rifling. That's all I need to convince me to take the gun to a smith and get the barrel chopped to 20 inches (which is what I've wanted anyway). I've gotten to where I'm fond of short barrels (lighter and handier rifles).

Again, thanks for the information.
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Old April 17, 2014, 06:57 PM   #10
Jimro
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You'll have to post pics, of the rifle and the target

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