Thread: .223 Velocity With Heavier Pills

Originally Posted by TLB

Been using a .223 for many years now but only ever used 55gr to 62gr loads. Thought I might give some heavier pills a go so loaded up some 75gr elds. They have been killing really well, both deer and goats.

However I put them over the chronograph the other day out of interest and the load of 22.7gr of AR2208 was giving me a fairly anemic velocity of 2520fps.
This is out of a Howa mini action.

What has everyone else found to get a bit higher velocity with the heavy pills?
Was thinking of giving the 77gr tmks a go soon too.

Cheers

Greetings TLB,
I crunched the numbers for your load of 23.7 grains of AR2208 behind the 75 grain pill, Hodgdon used a JLK VLD projectile in the ADI/ Hodgdon data. I used a 20 inch barrel and the velocity came out to 2,670 fps. My .223 rifles are pretty well right on the button with AR2206H but I have had less than projected velocity with AR2208 in other rifles where AR2206H was right on the button.
It crossed my mind that you may have a slow lot of powder or your rifle has a 5.56mm chamber (if so it should be stamped). In any case I believe that AR2208 is too slow for the .223. I have found AR2206H a bit slow as well in my short necked chambers so am going to BM8208 which is a little quicker and denser. Interestingly BM 8208 is close to the old AR2206 I used to use before is disappeared in favour of AR2206H.
Regards Grandpamac.