lets talk powder.....

[Gamikatsu]

what do you guys seem to have the best results with.....
8208?
CFE223?
Benchmark?
Varget?
4166?
TAC?

I have 39 grain sierra BK's... and plenty of brass... going to use Gold medal Match small rifle primers, and plan on just grabbing one powder for now.... Which do you guys seem to prefer?

Edward

[Bill K]

8208 is used by many, I started with it, but have gone too CFE 223, for the most part now. 32 & 39 grain bullets. Bill K

[Gamikatsu]

i'm fairly certain i'm going to the CFE223. Its just easy to find, and the .204 is a known copper fouler as it is. also it seems as its a good velocity powder as well. Of course in this caliber, I won't be chasing velocity, i want to really hit the gong at 600 yards! I"ll dope the shot as much as necessary!

[Bill K]

Check out Hogdon's Data site and start a little above their start loads and work up towards max and you will find a load that will show good accuracy in your rifle and you will be please with the FPS also. Bill K

[204Nut]

H4895 for me.

[Getemclose]

H4895 for me also

[triggerfingers]

So far I’m have very good results with Reloader 10X.

[randyman]

I've been going back and forth with CFE223 and BL-C (2) mostly due to availability and have had good luck with both. I've also used some 4198 and just got some Reloader-15 to try out. I've found that my Tikka likes some powders at the lower charges and some at higher or max charges. It's time for me to quit fooling around and go with one powder/bullet combination but I just can't help myself and keep trying different stuff. It's my excuse for going to the range to see how something different works. If I had just one powder to use it would be the CFE223. Randy.

[Bill K]

Randy. Although I have used and like a few others, I am just about 98% settled on CFE223 also in my 223 and 223ai cartridges. Good velocity, right up near top, and accuracy is just fine. Bill K

[jpx2rk]

I tried Varget but it's a PITA to get into the cases. Benchmark is working good for me right now in my FV12

[randyman]

I've used Varget myself but after cleaning up more than a couple of charges from the bench and having to crunch thru powder (an Oxymoron) in my powder measure, I tend to go with the smaller grained stuff. Although I got very good results from 4198 (also a stick type) I keep going back to CFE223 because it shoots well and is easy to work with. I haven't tried the Reloader 15 (stick ) yet but hope to load some up this week to see how it does. Randy.

[brooksb]

My 22-250 shots very nice groups with Varget, but since I'm burning through a lot of ammo on Belding's I'm sticking with powders that disperse well, so BL-C(2) W/32 V Max's and H4895 for 39 SBK's and since the V-max's are 7 or 8 cents less than the SBK's mostly BL-C.

[brooksb]

...talking about my Savage M12 in .204 of course.

[Hippy]

H-4895
Benchmark
10 X
In that order the 1st 2 for 39/40 10X for 35/32 gr
Winchester brass 7 1/2 Remington

Jim

[Gamikatsu]

well, i bought H4895 just so if i didn't like it i could use it in my .30-06 as well... and well, its not going in the 06 ....

worked up to an over max book load, 3787 fps and .6" 5 shot group with a flier. .343" 4 shot group without the flier.

Needless to say, i'll deal with the crunch from the powder throw, and the pain getting it into the case.