14" Contender 223 Rem Best/Most Accurate Loads

[MarkA]

Whad y'all find to be the best load for the 14" 223 Rem barrel.  Bullet type, weight, powder and charge? Any or much varation w/ primers?

Anyone shooting the 'Steel Challenge' w/ 223?

[MnMike]

My gun likes Varget and Siera 45s or 50s. 26-28GR for the 45s, 26 to 27.5 for the 50s.  Work it up slowly. I use Win primers.

mike

[Special Ed]

I have had excellent results with H322. I can't recall the powder charge, but it's right out of the Speer manual. Usually use 40gr ballistic tips or the old Speer #1035 52gr hp's
 

[TC Shooter]

I have also used H322 with great results in the 14" .223. The bullets that I used most often were Sierra 52,53 gr match. Tried some Remington match primers and they worked very well. Also Federal match primers.

[Trickyasafox]

i've had good luck with 26.4 grains of win748 and 55 grain winc fmj loaded to 2.22 iwth fed primers

[neil]

I have had great accuracy with H-4895 and any premium 52 gr BR bullet, Fed 205 primers.

[fast*eddie]

I reload for my NEF Handirifle but I shoot 50 gr American Eagle hp's with
the TC 14" barrel. They're accurate and inexpensive .  :lol:

[RonF]

Mine seems to like about 27 gr. of RL-15 with the 50 gr. Speer TNT.  CCI primers.  Prairie dogs disappear - oops, that's not part of the loading data.

RonF

[sjf]

I have tried many powders in the 223 but I have three that I keep going back to. My favorites in order are Benchmark (great velocities and accuracy), bluedot (ok velocity but no recoil with great accuracy) and H4895 (great accuracy but not quite as good velocities as Benchmark).

Benchmark has quickly become my favorite 223 powder as it gives me 3200 fps with 40 grainers and .5-.75 in 5 shot groups. I have gotten my very best accuarcy with Sierra 52 BTHP match and 53 HP match, .5's. Also do well with 40 Nosler BT. Primers I start with rem 7 1/2's and then experiment from there if needed. For my true accuracy loads I use cases that are weight sorted and neck turned, don't know if it really helps but it makes me feel better.

[Dino Darnell]

My 14" barrel also seems to love the 1035 52gr speer hp's that special ed spoke of.

[poncaguy]

Winchester whitebox 45 varmit rounds very accurate in mine, an inch at 100 yards.

[MnMike]

I agree with poncaguy for factory loads. The Win white box 45gr gives me better than 1" at 100 yds. I have tried a few other factory loads and they don't compare. I still like my Varget loads (see above) for single hole accuracy. (JMHO)

mike

[MarkA]

Got a box of Barnes 40gr Varminators to try.  Loaded up two sets of BL-C(2) loads to test.  One set in my CZ Carbine and one in my T/C 14" 223.  Hoping for the big double of a dual load, probably not possible.

Tell me about Benchmark!  I've been seein' it alot for 223 and even 204 loads.  How much for a 40 gr in a T/C.

Thanks for all the good info!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Katahdin 4570]

I am new to this website but have been a BIG TC fan for years.
When I was hunting prairie dogs in Eastern New Mexico a few years ago.
I found a load that would put five rounds into an inch and a half at two hundred yards.
14.5 grains of 2400 and a 40 grain bullet stopped pairie dogs and coyotes in their tracks.