Looking for some powder suggestions, 40 SW and 223 ar's

S

steve stanley

Well-known member
I'm looking to get my son setup to load his 40SW and a 223 AR (piston) gun. I was wondering what most of you are using powder wise in these guns. The 40sw is shooting 165gr bullets and the 223 will be using 55 gr bullets. I like a fairly bulky powder for the pistol to make double charging cases harder to do, I have used some accurate #7 and #9 in the 40 and they seem to do pretty good but it's time for some more powder so I thought I would see what most are using. These will be loaded on a dillon 650b so the powder needs to meter well. Also on the primers for the ar, the 223 primers are just a hard cup to prevent slam fires, at least that is my understanding. So do you need a special primer or just a hard cup primer like win or cci. I have loaded for years but very limited experience with the 40sw and the ar's just never held my interest. Thanks for the help, there is a gunshow close next weekend and I thought I would try to pick up what I need there so as not to have to pay hazmat fees. Thanks again, Steve
 
Varget and H4895 are good. I haven't tried it, but Hodgdon's Copper Fouling Eliminator powder would also be worth a try. I think they call it CFE-223. Something that prevents copper fouling building up in a semi-auto 223 would have to be good.
Sorry, but I've got nothing to offer re the 40SW.
Ben
 
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consdider accurate 2 and 5 for the 40 with 165.....both work fine in the dillon andwill provide case fill with good pressure for a clean burn.

for 223 i think i would keep it in the family and do a2230( ...that designation is not an accident...)about 25-25.5 gr with a 55 in 223.....

both n133 and imr8208 will work well also


you did not list bbl length in each case..

as always work up and use safe practices.

( skip both 4895 and varget as neither meter well enogh in a dillon.....)

mike in co
 
I use CFE 223 and 69 gr. sierras in my .556.Varget shot better groups but the CFE meters better on my 550 dillon. Cant help ya on the .40 just got 9s and .45s. they like ww 231 meters good in my Dillons.
 
How many 223's are you going to load or I guess the question should be...how much powder do you want to buy?

Bartlett Reloaders has WC844 (military surplus for 5.56) for 100.00 per 8 lbs. Might give them a call. The last I bought of this powder, I got from Hi-Tech ammo a few weeks ago for 85.00 per 8 lbs but they no longer so it for sale.

This is a very good powder for the AR.

Hovis
 
I figured to get at least 8 lbs of each. I have several 8 lb jugs of the old 8208 from my ppc days. What would be a good starting point for that with 55 gr bullets? Thanks for the help so far.
 
OUCH...SELL THE 8208...but some 844 or 2230....

mike in co
( oem 8208 or current imr8208 ???)
 
I am using W231 for my 165 gr loads in the 40 S&W and Unique for my 180s. I have 8 lb jugs of Unique for shotgun reloading. Might be better powders but these work well for my. I primarily use Varget in my 223, but it is with 69 SMK. Highly accurate.

Luck, Tim
 
steve stanley said:
I'm looking to get my son setup to load his 40SW and a 223 AR (piston) gun. I was wondering what most of you are using powder wise in these guns. The 40sw is shooting 165gr bullets and the 223 will be using 55 gr bullets. I like a fairly bulky powder for the pistol to make double charging cases harder to do, I have used some accurate #7 and #9 in the 40 and they seem to do pretty good but it's time for some more powder so I thought I would see what most are using. These will be loaded on a dillon 650b so the powder needs to meter well. Also on the primers for the ar, the 223 primers are just a hard cup to prevent slam fires, at least that is my understanding. So do you need a special primer or just a hard cup primer like win or cci. I have loaded for years but very limited experience with the 40sw and the ar's just never held my interest. Thanks for the help, there is a gunshow close next weekend and I thought I would try to pick up what I need there so as not to have to pay hazmat fees. Thanks again, Steve
Click to expand...

I have been using V V 3N37 for years for 40 S&W. Produces excellent results for me. I use H335 for 223. also excellent
 
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Power Pistol is my choice for the 40, 180s at 1100fps, also works well in all kind of other pistol calibers.
 
HOW LONG IS YOUR BBL ??
CAUSE IT AINT LOGICAL TO GET A 180 TO DO 1100FPS IN A 5" BBL AT LESS THAN 35000 PSI..with pp....in a 40 s&w....

any combunation i look at is atleast 110% of case vol and is still less than 1100fps.....

any 1100fps figure is in excess of the 35000psi limit...

I SHOOT180'S AT 1250 IN A 5" 10MM WHICH IS 37500 psi...but i have higher pres and more case volume than a 40 with has a 35000 limit...
i shoot a lot of PP.....i have about 10bls right now...

i'm listening...
mike in co

Tesla said:
Power Pistol is my choice for the 40, 180s at 1100fps, also works well in all kind of other pistol calibers.
Click to expand...
 
Don't know about the .40, but for the .223/5.56 with 75/77 gr bullets Reloder 15 works well, as do 4895 and Varget, but RL-15 shot best in mine. A lot depends on bullet weight that you're going to use, but Varget and RL-15 are about as slow as you want to go in an AR. I haven't tried CFE223, but have tried TAC and it didn't cut the mustard with 75's. 2520 works well with 62's.
 
youse guys gotta remember he said he is using a dillon 650 to load wit....
some of your powder reccomendations don't do well for uniformity and the small case mouth of the 223....

mike in co
 
Thanks for the help guys, I picked up several different powders to try in each. Once I decide which works best I'll see about rounding up some 8lb'rs. Thanks again and merry Christmas.
 
It is a CZ TS 5.4" barrel. Do I trust my chrony 100%, no.
mike in co said:
HOW LONG IS YOUR BBL ??
CAUSE IT AINT LOGICAL TO GET A 180 TO DO 1100FPS IN A 5" BBL AT LESS THAN 35000 PSI..with pp....in a 40 s&w....

any combunation i look at is atleast 110% of case vol and is still less than 1100fps.....

any 1100fps figure is in excess of the 35000psi limit...

I SHOOT180'S AT 1250 IN A 5" 10MM WHICH IS 37500 psi...but i have higher pres and more case volume than a 40 with has a 35000 limit...
i shoot a lot of PP.....i have about 10bls right now...

i'm listening...
mike in co
Click to expand...
 
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then i stand by my comments.
to get 1100 fps from a 180 and power pistol is not possible...within safe saami specs...
180 at 1.135 with a 115% case capacity of pp( 15% compressed load) is less than 1100 and right at max pressure.(34900)

mike in co
Tesla said:
It is a CZ TS 5.4" barrel
Click to expand...
 
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