Acceptable 5.56/.223 Powders

[kwg020]

Im pretty green to loading for an AR but I've had good luck with IMR 3031. 22.4 grains grouped nicely under a 55gr FMJ at 50 yards in my Mk12. I was trying to develop a blaster/training load (not super focused on accuracy, but cheap and consistent) so I could throw it on the Dillon and crank a bunch out. I've put that on hold now, I can't find any more 3031, and I was caught with my pants down rifle primer wise. I normally just load pistol in bulk. I'm going to focus on precision 77gr loads for the Mk12 now.

3031 is probably not a good powder for a progressive loader. It's stick powder and it doesn't load as smoothly as ball powder. Look for AA2015, AA2230, H335, AA2460, Benchmark is also a good powder.

[chadbag]

3031 is probably not a good powder for a progressive loader. It's stick powder and it doesn't load as smoothly as ball powder. Look for AA2015, AA2230, H335, AA2460, Benchmark is also a good powder.

If you do use a non-ball type powder in a progressive like a Dillon, try tapping the powder measure a couple times between each pull of the handle. A couple small raps with your fingers. This helps settle the powder in the powder chamber in the powder bar and will lead to more consistent loads with "stick" type powders.

(There are actually devices you can/could buy that attach to the powder measure and vibrate it to settle the powder and you could get really consistent stick powder loads with standard powder measures with them. I don't have one but was helping a guy who had one and was trying to sell it like 12 years ago, until he passed in an unfortunate accident)

I'd still avoid stick powders in small necked cases like 223 as they can bridge inside the case (though rare) and they are not as convenient as ball type (spherical) powders or the very short cut stick powders (like Varget).

Right now it is use what you can find.

[PracticalRifleman]

If I want precision ammo, or stick powders,
I use a powder die and an automated powder dispenser. I know many with an autotrickler setup and it will pump powder out as fast as you can dump it.


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[chadbag]

I don't know if it is STILL available but earlier today powder valley had Shooter's World powder in stock. It is relatively inexpensive. They have one called AR-Plus which IIRC is like H335 roughly.

I bought 4 kegs but not AR-Plus (I got their Blackout, Buffalo, and their magnum pistol powder)

[chadbag]

Powder Valley has H335 in 8# kegs available this moment. Probably gone quickly

[2ndtimer]

Have heard a few guys say 4198 is 'ok' for the lighter bullets so I tried it one time and hated it.

Stuff has got to be the least 'easy' AR powder I have ever messed with and was just not worth my efforts.

Fortunately I will have to burn up a hundred lbs of 'good' AR powders and everything elsewhere will still have to be sold out before I ever get close to considering fooling with that crap again. If I had a bolt action in .223 I would be using it up and getting it gone but for AR use - Hell no. Not for me...

Finally someone else who shares my disdain for 4198. I would just use IMR-4064 before I would stoop to that garbage. At least 4064 gives decent accuracy while sacrificing a couple hundred feet per second. 4198 gave lousy accuracy and mediocre velocity, matched by its horrible metering from a powder measure.

[308sako]

Anyone have any experience with IMR 4166 Enduron? I’m going to run it with 75 he Hornady hpbt’s.

I have shot this powder with 69 Tipped Sierra's @ 25 grains velocity in a 24" Colt 1 in 9 twist was 3037 ft/sec.

Also with the 73 grain Hornady's ELD, to 24.4 grains velocity was 2897 ft/sec.

In both cases accuracy was so so

[CrowCommand]

3031 is probably not a good powder for a progressive loader. It's stick powder and it doesn't load as smoothly as ball powder. Look for AA2015, AA2230, H335, AA2460, Benchmark is also a good powder.

Thanks for that....trying to work with what powder I've got on hand (Varget, 4064, 4895, Win748), and have data for. I guess I will have to look for more powders, and ladder some more loads up. The quest continues....