[PoofNoEyebrows]

Here's what I am wondering: I normally load my .223 with 26 grains of W748 and prime with CCI450 primers. This is for a standard 55gr. FMJ. With this recipe I can get roughly 260 per pound of 748. So has anyone here done a 15% load reduction with W748? The reason I am looking to reduce is to get more bang for my buck out of a pound of powder for plinking rounds. At 15% reduction I can get around an extra 50 per pound. I have two concerns though. The first is too little powder equalling dangerous detonation, and two insufficient gas to cycle the rifle. Any thoughts?

[robocop10mm]

My standard load for the 55gr FMJ bullet is 24.6 gr of W-748 in a LC (mil) case. In commercial cases I load 25 grains. This load has proven safe and reliable over the last 25 years. There is still plenty of powder to avoid "detonation". IMHO you would need to load less than 15 grains of 748 to get into that kind of a problem.

The first load (24.6) Chrono's about 3200 out of a 20" bbl. 26 gr. should be hot at over 3350.

[PoofNoEyebrows]

Thanks thats what I was looking for. I am getting ready to do a run, and with that reduction i will be able to get over 500 extra rounds. Velocity isn't that big of a concern for plinking out to 75 yards.

[cpttango30]

That would put you down to 22.1gr of powder. If I remember right that is well below the boox min. The hodgdon site list 26.3 as the only ammount of powder. If your reloading manual says you can go that low then you can go that low.

This is dangerous though I would work down and not just drop 15% right off the top. I would work down to it.

If I remember right you can not even get that low with 748. You may want to look at another powder for reduced loads.

If you want some subsonic single load rounds then look for some trail boss, titegroup, or clays. These will take about 3 or 4 gr and produce just over 1000 fps. Now that is a lot of shooting. With the titegroup load of 3.1 gr that is 2258 rounds of ammo from 1# of powder. Can't get any better than that for plinking ammo.

If you switched to IMR 4198 not H4198 you can drop your load down as far as 18.8gr of powder. that is 8 gr less that what your using now.

[PoofNoEyebrows]

I have loaded .223 with 4895. The only reason behind wanting reduced loads is to get the most out of the 10 pounds of 748 I currently have. These are all strictly for kicking up dirt. Naturally I would start at 26gr. and drop down 5% at a time testing in 5-10 round batches to make sure of proper operation/safe conditions. I could just hand feed these through my Lee single stage until I find the right number. At 15% reduction on 26gr. I would gain 1000 rounds out of ten pounds of powder thats why I am interested.

[cpttango30]

I am just glad to see you are applying some good lines of thought to this question unlike others that have been in here lately.

[PoofNoEyebrows]

I've been reloading now for 6 years pistol and rifle calibers as well as casting various rounds. I haven't had an incident yet and I attribute it too common sense and applying best practices. I want performance not loud noise.

[RL357Mag]

Have you tried any Hogdon powders? I get excellent accuracy with Varget, H335, and H322. With the exception of Varget, the other powders call for less than 26 gr. behind a 55 gr. bullet. H322 is a very accurate powder in the .223 and requires only 23 gr. to drive a 55 gr. bullet at 3106 fps. Cutting back 10% would get you 338 rds. out of a pound and would give you outstanding accuracy. I have achieved 5/8" 100 yd. groups with H322 out of my 20" barreled RRA. Depending on your rate of twist you can also go to a heavier bullet and knock off another 2 grains - you'd probably get better accuracy still! My rifle has a 1:8 twist and shoots 69gr. Sierra HPBT's much more accurately than any 55gr. FMJ and I use less powder in the process.

[PoofNoEyebrows]

Yeah I have H4895 and i really liked the performance. The problem is I m sitting on 10 pounds of 748 right now. I do have some H110, HS-6, Universal but I don't think these are suitable especially the first two.

[robocop10mm]

Like sitting on 10 lbs of 748 is a problem. IMHO 748 is one of the most versitile powders made. I use it for everything from .223 to .30-06.