Powder for 14.5" Barrel?

[Bimmer]

Hi all,

I've been lurking for a while. I already reload pistol rounds and .30 Carbine. Once I get enough brass piled up, then I'll start reloading 5.56/.223.

My AR has a 14.5" barrel, and this is the only .223 gun I'm going to have. I'd like to come up with a recipe that would suit this gun.

I see everybody raving about Ramshot TAC, but Ramshot's reloading data for .223 assumes a 24" barrel.

My question:

Should I use a different powder for a 14.5" barrel, something that burns faster? What should I use?

Bimmer

[Paulinski]

H335 is a good powder for 55 grain loads.

69 - 77 grain I use Varget.

[Bimmer]

H335 is a good powder for 55 grain loads.

69 - 77 grain I use Varget.

Did you choose these powders specifically for a short (14.5") barrel?

I'm going to be loading 55gr bullets, and I've heard of H335 — it's a ball powder and meters easily and it's pretty clean-burning, right?

It just seems odd that I'd be loading the type of powder for a 14.5" barrel as for a 24" inch barrel. Minus the chamber, the 24" barrel is almost twice as long. I'm worried that I'll just be blasting unburned powder out the end of the barrel.

Please advise,

Bimmer

[markm]

Don't read too much into Ramshot using a 24" barrel for data. Most ammo/powder manufacturors use 20 or 24 inch barrels for reporting velocities and such.

TAC isn't optimal in the shorter barrels with 55 grain bullets because of it's slower burn rate. Under 90 percent of the powder gets burned in a 16 inch barrel. So even less in your 14.5.

BUT... it's a cheap way to load very reliable practice ammo.

TAC is really better suited for heavy bullets. So if you want a hot defensive load, a different powder might be best. TAC works good as an economic bulk practice ammo powder.

[RyanB]

H335 and Varget are both military powders anyway. They are used regularly in short barrels.

[Bimmer]

Thanks, guys.

I just want to load basic practice ammo. Price is a concern, obviously, but I also want something that works correctly, and blasting unburned powder out the muzzle doesn't seem like a good idea.

Does H335 burn faster than TAC? Does Varget? Is there some kind of reference source where I can look these up?

[markm]

and blasting unburned powder out the muzzle doesn't seem like a good idea.


That will probably happen to some extent with any ammo in a 14.5 inch barrel. I think someone told me that 90% burn or better makes a given load efficient.

In my experience, ARs run better on medium or slow powders. Fast powders suck, as seen with the original Wolf M193 from a few years back.

[5pins]

If you would like to have an idea on how your load may perform in a short barrel then take a look at the pistol data in your manuals.

[HAIL-CAESAR]

If you would like to have an idea on how your load may perform in a short barrel then take a look at the pistol data in your manuals.

Yeap, get the reloading info for a .223 TC Encore with a 15 inch barrel and you are in the game.

[Bimmer]

How would I find loading data for a 15" Encore?

I've always just bought the little comb-bound caliber-specific manuals from Dillon...

[TomMcC]

I've been using AA2230 in both my 14.5" and 20". It is on the faster side of the burn chart. It meters very well, and behind a Hornaday 55 g. FMJ/BT is reasonably accurate. Can't say if it has a 90% efficiency in my 14.5" though.

[Bimmer]

This may be just as well... ideally I want to use the same powder for 5.56 and 7.62NATO (I've got an M1A). I doubt that I'm going to find a powder that's ideal for both.

[5pins]

The quickest way would be to go to the nearest book store and pick up the Hodgdon’s 2009 annual manual. It’s in the magazine section. Page 141 has pistol data for the .223 in a 15in barrel.
Most loading manuals have .223 data for pistols.

[Bimmer]

That's not quick! The nearest bookstore is a five hour drive away (round trip)... No matter, Amazon sells them.

Does Hodgdon's manual have reloading data for other powders?

Or do you mean Hornady's manual?

[5pins]

Here is a couple of links I think you will find helpful.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/PerCaliber2Guide/Handgun/Standarddata/22Cal(5.56mm)/223%20Remington%20pages%2051%20and%2052.pdf


The Hodgdon's manual has data for Hodgdon, IMR and Winchester powder.
The Sierra Manual has some pistol loads using TAC.

[Bimmer]

Thanks, 5pins!

I'd seen Hodgdon's online database, but the page from the Accurate loading manual for a 14" "pistol" is very interesting...

Maybe I'll buy myself a copy of Sierra's manual. Or is this data available on-line somewhere?