In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
.223, H335, and magnum primers?
NeoBlackdog
Member Posts: 17,194 ✭✭✭✭
My Speer manual says to use magnum primers with H335 for a 223 load with 55 grain bullets. Other sources I've seen recommend Rem 7 1/2 primers and still others say any small rifle primer. These will be loaded to modest velocity to be used as plinking rounds.
What do you guys recommend?
What do you guys recommend?
Comments
Try what primers you have and if happy with the results go for it.
I use mag primers in my 22 and 6BR with ~30 grain charges of Varget, velocity seems to be more consistent.
Ball powders can be hard to ignite, especially when very cold.
Try what primers you have and if happy with the results go for it.
I use mag primers in my 22 and 6BR with ~30 grain charges of Varget, velocity seems to be more consistent.
That's interesting info. I would have intuitively thought that given more surface area per weight of ball powders that they would ignite more readily. Thanks for the info, bpost.
I have many thousands of .223's with H335 and Standard small rifle primers. They always work for me. From 25-110 degress.
Have you tried them much below 25 degrees? One of my projects will be working up a load that I can use for cougar hunting with my AR, and chances are it will be less than 25 degrees during one of those outings. I also need to find a bullet that will not blow clear through the animal and ruin the pelt but will still put it down reliably. A buddy of mine shot a 180lb cat a couple years ago with 22-250 and wound up putting 5 rounds in him before killing it.
Maybe I need to re-think/refine my strategy here...
Deterrent coating on small grains is more effective. I remember reading about some new powder that was better able to function evenly over a wider range of temps. I'll google it later.
I don't think the temp played much of a part in taking 5 rounds for a cat.
I load to velocity goal(within pressure indicators) not to max pressure in my AR ammo.
Most of my 223 for AR is loaded with WCC844(H335 data) but the accuracy stuff is loaded with RamShot Xterminator.
I've always had good luck with the Remington 7 1/2 primer. It was designed for the .222-.223 class of cartridges. It has a little stiffer cup and (I think!) it's a little hotter than the 6 1/2. Since Remington does not make a small rifle primer that they designate "magnum", the 7 1/2 has to be it.
I've got about 1500 of these around, that might be the way to go. Maybe I'll use my CCI 400's in my plinker rounds and the 7 1/2's in the hunting rounds.
NeoBlackdog, A question. 5 shots on a 180 pound cat...what did he do? Shoot him once in each leg and then once in the head? 22-250 and a 60 gr Nosler...one shot in the heart/lungs, it was like he was struck with lightning.... The bullet exited.
That's a good question! Evidently the cat came in to his calls at a dead run and he'll be the first to admit he didn't get good hits on it. He had two rounds in it and the cat went up a tree and they lost it. While trying to pick up tracks and a blood trail they walked under the cat twice! they finally spotted him in the tree when they were about 100 yards out and evidently he got a little buck fever.
Now I'm switching to H335, with CCI SR primers, for both bullet weights, and I think they should be fine. My other loads were tack drivers. I swear by CCI SR primers.
This will probably do for a plinker load, but I'm really hoping for a little more accuracy. The conditions on the range weren't ideal, we had a slight cross wind so that probably affect things a bit. Next experiment will be with 69 grain Sierra Matchkings.
A long time ago I had winter loads for below zero temps in a bolt gun for long range work. You would not want to shoot them in the summer or let a round warm up in the chamber.
Deterrent coating on small grains is more effective. I remember reading about some new powder that was better able to function evenly over a wider range of temps. I'll google it later.
I don't think the temp played much of a part in taking 5 rounds for a cat.
Probably IMR 8208 XBR. I have shot the same load in my AR (.223) from -5F up to 85F with no change in POI out to 300 yards.
I'm no expert, but to me, that equates to very little difference in speed or pressure between those two extremes in temperature.
Incidentally, the load is .2gr from max with a 69gr SMK or a 65gr SGK.