Looking for discussion and opinions on reduced loads for the Rem 223 TC with a 55 grain cast, using 700x or 800x, 4756 or Red Dot. Pros and cons for each powder. I'm researching again for my buddy up in northern Ontario. He would like to know what is the most popular powder and what was the most successful. He's asking me because he doesn't know about chat rooms and stuff. But then again I'm barely in the know about forums myself. :confused: Thanks in advance.

IMR is probably the best powder to try, since it's made in Canada and would probably be easier to get.

There isn't much data floating around for reduced loads in the .223, but there is some cast bullet data that could be used as a starting place. Lyman's Cast bullet Manual #3 and the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual #1 both list 3 or 4 of the powders you could probably get pretty easily, but remember they are cast bullet loads that will be slower and develope more pressure with jacketed bullets.

Red Dot, WW brass, CCI 400, 6.6 gr-8.6 gr
700X, WW brass, CCI 400, 5.5 gr-7.5 gr
SR 4759 (Note: this is NOT SR 4756)WW brass, CCI 400, 10.0 gr-12.0 gr
PB WW brass, CCI 400, 6.5 gr-8.5 gr

All of these are 2000 fps or less, but should put you in the .22 Mag class with a heavier bullet.

From a manual that I have in my desk...I have not tired any of these. I won't say their name, but they specialize in cast bullet loads.

54 grn

Unique 6.7 1805fps 9.0 2110 fps
H110 13.7 2120 18.0 2699
Red Dot 5.4 1675 8.6 2100
700x 5.4 1680 7.5 1970
The hotter loads, of these listed show about 40K CUP, in the book.

55grn
Red Dot 6.6 1682 8.5 2022
700X 6.4 1742 8.0 1995
Grn dot 7.0 1752 8.8 2061
Unique 7.6 1853 9.0 2081

BTW, I like Unique w/reduced loads. I killed a Javeline w/a 90 grn HP, out of a .270, loaded to about 2000-2200fps and it shot real nice, no kick no noise

Mark me down as a Red Dot guy.

Prefer a plain based bullet (which you pretty much have to make by milling the gas check base off the mold) and lower speeds...something in the 1100-1500fps range seems about best for plain based bullets, with the best loads usually in the 1300-1350fps range. This is the area of 3.2-3.5gr. of Red Dot.

Good gas checked based bullets without the gas check do pretty well at the same speeds, which might be an option for some very cheap plinking loads.

Gass checked, will move on into the range of loads listed above...5.2-5.5seems a good area to play in.

I have a whole article on what are called Bee loads in the .223 at my website www.reloadingroom.com

James Calhoon (bulletmaker) was the original experimenter in this field, and many people have done work beyond Jim's excellent beginnings. They are based on jacketed bullets rather than cast, and seek to duplicate Hornet or Bee performance from the .223. The load ideas above are great for even lower speeds and cast bullets.

Rocky,

I read your article on Blue Dot in the .223 and even loaded some 35 gr V-Max in my Hornet with 6.5 gr of Blue Dot (that's close to a 10% decrease from the load you listed). I also loaded a few 46 gr Win HP with 5.5 gr, but haven't actually shot either one yet. I have a bunch of the Win HPs and need a use for them!

This article (http://www.gmdr.com/lever/pistolpowi.htm) prompted a lot of my uses of pistol powders in rifles and Blue Dot is one of the better ones to use. Of course, that article is dealing with CAS velocities with cast bullets, but it does show the accuracy potential and how low the load can go (some are less than 20% of the total case volume) and still be safe.