how much powder is enough ?

[rebs]

I have been loading 223 for my Ar with 24.0 of H335 and a 55 gr bullet. I see on the jug that is says 25.2 gr of H335 for 55 gr bullets. Should I try working up more powder of stay with what I have been loading ? The loads I am loading now with 24.0 give me plenty of groups 1/2 inch and under at 100 yards. I am loading Nosler varmageddon hp's, Varmint nightmare hp's, Hornady soft points and V-max's. All 55 gr bullets.

[Olorin]

Why change if it is working fine?

[oldpapps]

I agree with Olorin.

'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'.

Enjoy,

OSOK

[maggys drawers]

25.2 is maximum load. Somewhere in little teeny tiny fine print it probably says to back off 10% and work up to maximum.

I'm with the others here....if you are getting 1/2" and under groups at 100 yards, it ain't broke and doesn't need fixing.

Like my old Warrant Officer buddy says- "better is the enemy of good."

[Sevens]

You never really stated your needs for this load.

Know that using MORE powder will cost a little more money in the long run, and it's going to be a little be harder on the rifle and on the brass.

If you don't need anything more with regards to velocity and you get groups that you like--the answer seems plainly obvious.

[rebs]

That is why I asked the question because I don't know if there would be any benefit to loading close to max. I was just curious if there would be anything to gain from a hotter load. From your responses I believe I am going to stay where I am for the amount of powder.
Like Sevens stated, more powder = more cost per load, more wear and tear on the gun and the brass.
I am 75% target shooter, 25% plinker but I get 100% satisfaction reloading my own rounds.
Thank you for all your replies, I appreciate it.

[RC20]

The only advantage would be if you were really pushing the edge of the range capability and the higher velocity would give you a flatter trajectory out longer (and it maintain the lethality but thats not a factor for you)

Did you work up to that level?

Asking because if it works as good at lower levels you can use those is a bit easier on the gun and you get more barrel longevity. You have a good barrel so the longer you can keep it......

curious as to what make the upper is or what barrel is on it?

[hooligan1]

Rebs if I'm understanding you right, you are wanting to know if you should be loading closer to max, because why?

In those books you should be reading about handloading, and everything you've harvested from this forum has lead you to believe, (or lack of belief) that your loads are not satisfactory, or your testing isn't finished.

You post numerous threads asking information, which is fine but it tells me your not really confident in your handloading ability, or your absorbtion rate is fickle. In other words, you have tested your loads right? And they seem to be repeatable right? And if so, WHY would you want to stuff more powder down that case if you are getting the performance you are striving for?
Look it's expensive enough without wasting powder, man that adds up quick if you put pencil to it.... just saying....

[shootniron]

Why change what works?

[Boomer58cal]

I get people that say why do you use that OLD 4895 and 2400. "You can get 20 fps more if you use this new fancy smancy powder." I say it's worked for the last hundred years and it will the next hundred. No broken! No fixing!

[rebs]

I have read forums where people are striving for more velocity, loading to the max load. I did work up to my load of 24.0 gr of H335. No signs of pressure at all. I thought I was close to max according to my Lyman manual, but then I read on the powder jug 25.2 with a 55 gr bullet.
My AR is a S&W Sport with 16" melonite barrel, 1 in 8 twist, R5 rifling and I put in a RR 2 stage trigger with a Nikon 3-9X40 scope.

[tobnpr]

Max load is very rarely the most accurate load.

If you're shooting at only 100 yards, velocity is all but irrelevant. I would care less about the velocity and strictly about accuracy.

In long-range shooting, however, there can be a trade-off between velocity and accuracy because velocity is a driving variable. It can sometimes be advantageous to accept a slight degradation in accuracy in the interest of getting the bullet to the target faster- with less time for external effects to act on it.

[m&p45acp10+1]

I load 55 grain bullets with 25.0 grains, using any small rifle primer I can get. Accuracy of the load is well beyond what I can milk it for. Oh and Sierra list loads going up to 25.7 for AR rifles. Hotter than that for for bolt action. Nostler list 25.0 as max. I started at Nostler starting load, and worked up to my current load. It has worked well in a large number of AR rifles, and my Savage bolt action.

[pathdoc]

I loaded to maximum just once (in careful increments, naturally), to say I had done it and because I read that some loads in some rifles can tighten up near it. As I understand it, the groups will first tighten then start to open up again - that's where you stop, unless you hit the published maximum first.

That's when I found out that my rifle liked minimum loads for some reason. I'd have liked to try loading BELOW minimum in order to see what happened, but I understand this is a big no-no with the potential for unexpected and disastrous surprises.

[rebs]

I load 55 grain bullets with 25.0 grains, using any small rifle primer I can get. Accuracy of the load is well beyond what I can milk it for. Oh and Sierra list loads going up to 25.7 for AR rifles. Hotter than that for for bolt action. Nostler list 25.0 as max. I started at Nostler starting load, and worked up to my current load. It has worked well in a large number of AR rifles, and my Savage bolt action.

Are you loading H335 powder at 25.0 ?

[oldreloader]

From the horse's mouth (Hodgdon's web site).
55 GR. BAR TSX FB Hodgdon H335 .224" 2.180" 21.3 2920 48,900 PSI 22.7 3063 53,000 PSI
55 GR. SFIRE Hodgdon H335 .224" 2.220" 21.4 2969 47,000 PSI 22.8 3099 51,800 PSI
55 GR. SPR SP Hodgdon H335 .224" 2.200" 23.0 3018 40,800 CUP 25.3 3203 49,300 CUP

[rg1]

From my 20" barrel 24 grains of H335 gets not quite 3000 fps, around 2975 fps average. At 25 grains it's around 3100 fps. So you could gain around 100 to 150 fps by raising your charge by one grain. That won't change your bullet drop very much at normal shooting ranges for your AR with 55 gr. bullets. If you get good accuracy and have confidence in your load then it might be best left alone but that's one benefit to reloading is that you can change and experiment. Your 24 grain load should be safe with any case, primer, or 55 grain bullet but getting up to near maximum you'd have to be sure that you have no pressure signs with a particular heavier case or a primer switch etc.

[45_auto]

Maybe if you work the load up more towards the top of the weight range you'll get 1/4" groups instead of 1/2" groups. Who knows, no way to tell unless you try it. Is it too much trouble for you to load 10 rounds at 24.2g, 10 at 24.4g, 10 at 24.6g, etc?

[LarryFlew]

back her down as others have suggested and then work back up. Guessing you will find somewhere in the 24.x area will be the most accurate.

[m&p45acp10+1]

Rebs to awnser your question. Yes I load 55 grain bullets for .223 Rem in mixed head stamp brass (mosly Lake City) with 25.0 grains of H-335 loaded to an over all length of 2.250 or there abouts. To standard magazine lengths.
With 55 grain V-Max they shoot like lazer beams. I have shot a lot of them out of several AR rifles as well. (I used work up loads in the AR rifles before getting to that load.)

[10 Spot Terminator]

This is why I have changed my line of thinking as of late on load developement and now use the ladder test to get me on track. As a rule I use far fewer bullets and primers to get on track and at times get not only one but 2 sweetspots in that test that allows me the option of faster or slower ? More powder or less ? No more hit and miss for me . Pick a powder that is known to perform well for your calibre and all just tends to fall into place. Try it you will like it.

10 Spot