Favorite ar15 loads

[scooter1979]

Hey guys....been tinkering with my ar a little bit, its a 1:9 twist 16in barrel.  Ive got a pretty good assortment of .224 bullets from 40-60gr and mostly h322, varget and imr4064 for powders.  The 50gr vmax with H322 seems to shoot decent for me but not quite what I want.  Pretty sure the heavier 60gr vmax will do better, just wondering what kinda recipes you all might have. 
Thanks guys

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[Bugflipper]

My 60 gr vmax load was the same for many years. 24.9 varget in win brass 2.46 col and cci primers. I probably used that from the mid 90s when the 60 gr came out until about 2 years ago. I tried benchmark since it was supposed to be the one to beat. All the same components with 24.5 gr benchmark. I have to fully size since it gets shot in several guns. Groups shrank in everything though. In a bushmaster 1-9 16" I'm showing a 1.06" group. I know that doesn't breed the confidence of sub moa groups. But this is a chrome lined run of the mill m4 copy with 2 piece hand guard and home trigger job with a 3-9, so not bad at all. In some of the bolt actions it will go sub 1/2 moa. The best I saw was a .36" but again not neck sized, this is full formed brass so results could be much better with precision reloading.

[Old Syko]

My 60 gr vmax load was the same for many years. 24.9 varget in win brass 2.46 col and cci primers.

Since the OP is asking about AR ammo it should be noted that the above load is listed as MAX by many sources and should be worked up to and the col listed make it impossible to shoot in an AR since the max col that can be put into an AR mag is 2.260 and most of us hold that to 2.250.


The OP also needs to be aware that many lightweight bullets of the varmint variety are thin jacketed enough that the 1-9 twist will spin them fast enough to break them apart if pushed.  The older 50gr. SX bullets will not hold up to a 1-9 when pushed to max velocities. 


The 3 powders listed by the op will all work with Varget being the best of the 3 for AR use.  H335, WW748, AA2230, IMR4895 and some others are the standbys for most AR shooters shooting 55 to 69 grain slugs.  How much of each is up to the loader, who should always stick to published data and proper work up procedures. 

[OldSchoolRanger]

I've been using whatever powder is readily available. 

I recently loaded a bunch of 55gr FMJ, using 25 grains of IMR 4320.  Not the best powder for that caliber, but it gives me almost the same POI as the "el cheapo" steel cased Wolf ammo, and military surplus 55gr loadings I was using, prior to the ammo "shortage". 

I was using a Hornady powder thrower, and every 10 rounds, I would check the charge weight.  I actually found  a variance of between 24.5 grains to 25 grains.  I found for the AR, this variance isn't a deal breaker.  If your looking for more consistent accuracy, you'll want to weigh each charge.

[theratdog]

i have loaded 55 grn spitzers with 4895 25 grns .  both  shoot better with 62 grn bullets 1-9 twist my rock river will shoot 3 through same hole my delton won't 1/2 inch groups.good enough for me.

[scooter1979]

Thanks for the replies guys! Ill see what I can come up with with varget and 60gr vmax.
Syko, thanks for the heads up, Im always careful not to use loads people post, I always start low and work up.  I just like getting an idea of what combos you all use, so I can get heading the right direction. 
Thanks again for the input guys, keep em coming

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