Need some good powder to reload 55gr. 223

[Lawdog-1]

I need some help to find some good power to reload 5gr. 223? I have beed reloading 230gr. ,45acp on my Dillon 550 and now I plan to reload 55gr. 223.

[KellyTTE]

I'm a big Varget fan. I use it both on .223 and .308 with good luck. I'm sure others will chime in.

[SpinRC]

I use h335 because it meters well and I get plenty of velocity with 55gr bullets without excess pressure.
+1 on varget it's a great powder.

[Mark/MO]

I like and use both H4895 and Varget. Downside of 4895 is that it doesn't meter as well but I've always had good results with it. I have begun to use Varget with 55gr. bullets and have had good results as well. I also use Varget in my high power loads so having one powder for both projectiles appeals to my Scottish blood.

[odiesplace]

Varget is my favorite for 223 and 308. Also use BL-C(2) shoots good just got alot of muzzle flash. My buddy gave me some AA223 will try some of those reloads today.

[markm]

A popular load here is 24.5 grains of TAC behind your favorite 55 gr bullet.

It's not a hot load, but it's a great, reliable practice round that's cheap on a per round powder charge cost. Plus TAC meters great in the Dillon.

[Lawdog-1]

markm, who makes TAC Powder?

[chadbag]

TAC is a RAMSHOT (western powder) http://www.ramshot.com/powders/

They also make one called X-Terminator which on paper is better for 55 grain than TAC though I have not used either and have both in my "man cave" as my son calls it.

Using the software that calculates such things it is my understanding that TAC only has about 85% burn or thereabouts while X-Terminator has a much more complete burn. This is with 55gr. With the 69-77gr the TAC does better.

[markm]

Indeed. TAC only gets you about 85% burn.

But the slower burn rate makes it run well across the board... from SBRs to Rifle gas systems. And it's cheap.

TAC used to be much cheaper. But it's still a good value. I need 2 full grains less powder in each round to make great practice ammo compared to my W748 load.

So I get an extra round of ammo every for every 12 rounds I load using TAC. And the ammo is better than most commonly available rounds out there.

[Molon]

They also make one called X-Terminator which on paper is better for 55 grain than TAC though I have not used either and have both in my "man cave" as my son calls it.

Using the software that calculates such things it is my understanding that TAC only has about 85% burn or thereabouts while X-Terminator has a much more complete burn.

Ramshot TAC is a slower burning powder than Ramshot Exterminator; however, without a reference to a specific barrel length and muzzle velocity for comparison, your “85% burn” figure is meaningless. Using Ramshot TAC to propel a 55 grain FMJ bullet to a muzzle velocity of approximately 2825 fps from a 16” barrel yields a percentage of powder burned of approximately 90%. Using Ramshot Exterminator to propel the same 55 grain FMJ bullet to the same approximate muzzle velocity of 2825 fps from the same 16” barrel yields a percentage of powder burned of approximately 94%; not exactly a “much more complete burn.”