.223 Accuracy Loads for Heavy Bullets

I have been collecting the loads for long range .223 here are some:

77 SMK (COL of 2.25):

24.5 R15
23.3 8208
23.5 Varget
21.7 H322
22.5 IMR 4895
24.5 AA 2520

I assume these charges are very close for 75-80 bullets.

55/52 grain loads (for 100-200 yard practice)
(COL of 2.25)

27.5 R15
26.5 Varget
26 IMR 8208
25.5 IMR 4895
25 AA 2015BR
25 VV133
25 R10x
24.5 H322

****NOTE!!!  ALL LOADS TESTED BY ME ARE MOLY COATED.  YOU MIGHT FIND YOUR LOAD IS .5 GRAIN LOWER****

77 SMK (COL of 2.25-magazine length Ar-15):

24.5 R15 -this is the THE “go to” Highpower “across the course” load.  Used for 75/77/80’s at magazine length and seated out to the lands.  R15 has a lot of black carbon, that looks like hell but doesn’t really effect anything accuracy wise of function wise.  I think it has a an anti-fouling additive that makes the carbon look real black.  No more heat sensitive than Varget in gas guns.  Throws to the .5 grain in a progressive…  which is still good enough for darn near everyone, including High Master Highpower shooters.

23.3 8208-  this is the the NEW/LATEST “go to” Highpower load that everyone is raving about.  I have not tried it, but their is ample evidence this is a shooter.  I tell you what, this stuff is CLEAN BURNING!!!  I love the small kernels too…  It throws like H322 (and looks like it) and is darn near as accurate out of a progressive as a ball powder.  It probably holds +/- .1 no problem without the usual long/short throw every so often.

23.5 Varget-  this was my 300 yard load for across the course Highpower for many years.  Seems like everything 1-9 twist or more shoots this load very well.  I found Varget to be very sooty (with kind of a grey colored carbon) but I kept my space gun well greased and never cleaned it (the old Derrick Martin trick of grease/strip/grease works very well), so it must not have been too bad.  My Kreiger barrel lost little in the way of accuracy over a week’s shooting.  Throws the same as R15.

21.7 H322-  this is the pet load of a guy here on this forum and he swears by it.  I am going to test it, as I love this powder.  It has those small kernels that work very well in progressives and an anti heat coating.

22.5 IMR 4895-  this is a load I used for 8# of powder.  It is at least .75 MOA in an AR-15.  It works MUCH better in some guys guns…  Like .25 MOA, but I never got it.  Good for surplus powder if you want to shoot accurate on the cheap.  See test by Derrick Martin.

24.5 AA 2520 – VERY accurate load, and was very popular when this powder was cheap.  Loads awesome in progressives, as this is ball powder.  VERY!!!  Heat sensitive in the summer.

I assume these charges are very close for 75-80 bullets.  Most guys I know used the same powder charge (shown above) no matter the bullet or seating depth within the 75-80 grain range.  Of course, some tweaking up or down might make a difference…  but darned if those guys doing extensive testing don’t keep coming up with almost the exact same loads…