Best powder for .223/5.56

[jlfornoff]

i have a ton of 5.56 brass and i need to get to reloading them. what powder does everyone suggest. i'm sure someone else has posted this but i can't find a thread. I've done a whole bunch of .44 mag and some .444 marlin. i know that .223/5.56 can be much harder to reload... but i'm up for it. i'll be using a Lee single stage press(i know this will take a while), hornady bullets with CCI primers in lake city brass. any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Remow2112]

I am still using up a ton of DP2200-I bought years ago as surplus. But Accurate (Western powders) has a commercial version AA 2200. I use it for 223 / 556 loads and am pretty pleased with it.

Dan...

 

[Isnake]

Varget, good for everything.

 

[Flash]

All guns are different and the only way to find the best powder for your AR is to try several in different loads and see which is the most accurate.

 

[Suck My Glock]

In my opinion, unless loading on a single stage press, never use powders other than spherical ball types. I've loaded 5.56 with just about all the powders within the appropriate burn rate range, and I keep coming back to either the Accurate Arms 2230 or Hodgdon's CFE223. I have not used the 2200, so I can't comment on that.

 

[Harrier]

I like AA-2230, AA-2460 and for heavy bullets AA-2520
I have tried several others but none of the CFE series

 

[Jack Dupp]

I like AA2230 and surplus WC844

 

[xerts1191]

My 5.56 load, 23.9 gr. IMR 4064/Sierra 63gr

 

[delta6]

As Flash mentioned, all guns are different, so your results may vary. I have used the following powders for years, depending on availability, with 52, 55 and 62 grain bullets, and they have all performed fine.
WW748, H110, AA2230, H335, WC844

 

[storage_man]

Since the OP eluded to not ever reloading .223/556 rifle rounds, if he hasn't, be aware there several important basic steps that are needed prior to actually reloading a rifle round. Depending on the type of rifle (Bolt vs semi-auto), you need to prepare the brass (ie: Trim to length, Re-sizing including returning the shoulder angle and last but not least, primer pocket prep if resizing military brass which always contains a Crimped primer pocket.).

If you have done it before, then you already know this.

 

[theflatline]

Had good luck with AA2230, Win748 and TAC. Also with military cases, which are thicker, you will need to reduce charge slightly. Prefer ball powders over stick type as its much easier to charge the case given small caliber neck.

 

[Abbey]

H335 for 55 or 62gr, Varget for 69gr+

+1 to storage_man's comments on brass prep. .223 is one of my most common, but probably least favorite cartridge to reload. Have to trim the cases pretty much every damn time.

 

[Harrier]

Case prep is definitely a time consuming and finger aching job. Once you get a couple of the one-time operations out of the way (flash hole uniforming, primer pocket reaming, neck turning and annealing... you can pretty much just clean, sort, size, bump, trim and load as normal for most other cases... the main problem is there are so many of them.

 

[Pscipio03]

Varget.
Runs consistent and reliably in everything from my 10.5” Mk18 to my ultralight 18” gamer gun.
I’ve shot 77 gr SMK down to 55 gr FMJBT.
And, the main reason, I moved here from Michigan, and I’ve run an AR in sub zero weather to 100+ of Paulden and Phoenix and the velocities stay very consistent.
Downside- stick powder and it doesn’t meter as well as CFE and others.

 

[Flash]

I'm busily using up 16 pounds of H4198 I got for $100.00 (couldn't pass it up) and believe it or not, it meters within a tenth of a grain when I check it and is very accurate.

Even I couldn't believe it.

 

[mtuck]

I've used Varget, CFE223, and H335. H335 is my favorite. Meters really well on my Dillon and I've had good results with it.

 

[Roneyj]

I have loaded thousands of rounds with TAC. It meters like a dream. Have also had good luck with Varget and Reloader 15.

 

[TheJediknight]

CFE 223

 

[rbt50]

i have been using winchester 748 for years. i have tried other powders but always went back to 748.

 

[Howlin Mad]

i have been using winchester 748 for years. i have tried other powders but always went back to 748.

Same here.

55gr Hornady FMJ, CCI primers and mil brass, been using the same load since the '80's. Couldn't tell you how many thousands.

Better than 3 MOA in every AR pattern rifle I've tried, the good ones will do <1 MOA.

Worst was 4 MOA, but that was a Mini-14, which is actually really good.