Best load for 62gr SS109 — 223/556 with either BLC2 or W748

[Cj10488]

Looking to get a good starter load for some 62gr SS109s that I picked up for a really good deal. I have various powders on hand but would like to stick to blc2 or w748. Would like varget but it seems as though there's been quite a run on varget locally as I can't seem to find it anywhere. Right now I loaded up a few with 22.5gr of blc2 with cci mag primers and 25.9gr of blc2 with I think standard primers. Can remember if I used magnum primers on those as well without looking at my data. Anything helps. Whatever loads are posted I'm gonna drop lower than that and work up. Plan on getting a good load safe accurate and loading up 1k over the next few weeks as I'm off work til the 6th. So there will be plenty of range trips coming after tomorrow.

So please post your favorite loads?

Happy Holidays
James

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[DizzyJ]

That's one I've never loaded for, but I'm following!

 

[Cj10488]

I got 1100 pulled SS109s from American reloader on sale for like 60$ shipped over back Friday or cyber Monday. Can't remember. Tumbled all of them and not a single sign of them being pulled from my half way quick inspection of all them.

James

 

[Josh89]

I got some from that same deal. I had good luck with cfe-223 and cci small rifle magnum primers.

 

[gmerkt]

What reloading process are you using? Single stage or progressive? I'd choose a stick powder for single stage, a ball powder for progressive.

Re. the powders you mention. Varget is a bit on the slow side for your application to be ideal. 748 is a good choice, H335 has about the same performance. BL-C(2) is okay, better choice for .308. The military is now using something like a non-canister grade of CFE223 ("The Green Powder") in their M855A1 cartridge, mainly for environmental reasons. I'm not a fan of it because my experience is that it burns dirty. But I don't load to the upper end; maybe it burns cleaner at higher pressures.

You didn't say what you are planning to shoot these in. I will assume AR. According to my Speer No. 14 book, with their 62 gr. FMJ, minimum charge for BL-C(2) is 23.0 gr. and maximum charge is 25.0. Low end charges of these combinations are fine so long as they cycle the action. After all, a paper target isn't going to know the difference between 2850 and 3000 fps.

BL-C(2) is the civilian equivalent of military WC846, the powder that got the M16 in trouble in Vietnam. But after all these years, I haven't heard of any civilian complaints from using it in AR's. The military work-around was WC844, which we have in civilian form as H335 and I've liked for 55 gr. and 62 gr. bullets. But I really prefer stick powders, like IMR 4895 for .223. It doesn't meter well in my Dillon 550 hence I use the ball propellants when I load .223 in that rig.

Primers. Some books indicate mag. primer with ball powders, others don't. I don't often use mag primers. Matter of fact, I don't routinely use them with ball powder in .223's. However, I got a bunch of CCI No. 41's and these are supposed to be magnum equivalent. I've never had ignition issues with any powder or primer combinations I've loaded in the past 35 years. I never done any serious accuracy or chrono testing to specifically find differences between primer components because it just wasn't that important to me. BUT: Some shooter reloaders swear and be damned that they get best accuracy out of loads using magnum primers. I've read somewhere and it only makes sense not to load at maximum charges if you substitute magnum primers for standard in pistol cartridges.

 

[Cj10488]

So I only load on a single stage. Yes in an AR 1-7 twist 16". Been using W748 for my 55gr hornady FMJs and it seems to hold pretty accurate. I can get 1moa all day at 100yds. I do have stick powder but only 4064 and ?4831? . I use the 4064 for the 308 and the 4831 for the 30-06. I got the BLC2 as 748 was out of stock at the time locally but I gave since picked up more 748.

I read about magnum primers with Ball powder hence the reason for trying them. They are only 30 cents more per hundred here locally so I got a couple packs to see. Hopefully I can make it to the range tomorrow to test out a few of my loads. I saw a few people saying 26gr of blc2 is the favorite load out there so I tried to cut it short and its 25.9. Not much but I'm sure it can handle it right now with weather being cold. My Hornady 10th book says like 27gr ish max charge for 60-62gr so I should be safe. I'm the only one shooting them so I'm willing to take that chance.

I'm trying for about 3000fps as it's a nice even number lol.

Thanks
James

 

[gmerkt]

Thanks

You're welcome.

Yes, the numbers in the books vary. It's fun to compare data. I've got a bunch of reference material going back to Phil Sharpe's book dating to 1939.

First, we have to recognize that there is no "published" data, per se, for the 62 gr. SS109 bullet. At least not that I'm aware of and not in anything I have. The best we can do is look up data relating to commercially available product in 60-62 gr. I include 60's here because some firms don't make a 62. Sierra makes a 63 but doesn't list a BL-C(2) application for it (Hodgdon does). Here are some we can compare:

All using BL-C(2)

Hodgdon online data - test rifle (no make indicated) 1-12 twist, 24 in. bbl.

60 gr. Hornady V-Max

62 gr. Swift Scirocco SP 22.5 gr. 2772 fps 24.2 gr. 2949

 

[gmerkt]

Thanks

You're welcome.

The reference data varies a bit from one source to the next. It's fun to compare data. So far as I know, there is no commercially published load data available on the SS109's (which I assume are milsurp) for handloaders. You can find data online, not commercially published, for military ammo. They take it from TM's that are circulating. Here's one:

Ballistics Chart for Military Ammunition - Gun Shots

www.gun-shots.net

If you go down the column, you'll get to M855, which shows a load using WC844 (like H335), not WC 846 (like BL-C(2). It shows a charge amount. This is only a reference point, because as I understand it military ammo is loaded to a performance specification, not a strict charge amount. Meaning, different lots of powder vary slightly in energy content and don't all test out exactly the same. So test cartridges are loaded up for specific powder lots, then exact charge amounts are derived from that test data to match the performance characteristics desired.

Some precision handloaders do this for their favorite loads when they get powder of different lots. And it does vary; for example I've noted some pretty good deviations in different lots of IMR 4064. But my shooting isn't so precise that I need to pay a whole lot of attention to this. It's way more important for the military because of the scale of procurement. Like 40 foot shipping containers full of cardboard barrels of the same lot. Not to mention the need for uniformity of performance across a wide user base.

So we just have to make do with comparable weight bullets that are available commercially to us. Keeping in mind the bullet design itself is something that isn't like what we can buy as hobby loaders. There are a number of bullets in appropriate weights that we can comp data for.

All using charges of BL-C(2)

Hodgdon online data - test firearm (brand not listed), 1-12 twist 24 inch bbl.

Hornady 60 gr. V-Max 25.0 gr. 2948 fps. 27.0 gr. 3137 fps.

Swift 62 gr. Scirocco 22.5 gr. 2772 fps 24.2 gr. 2949 fps

Sierra 63 gr. SP 24.0 gr. 2847 fps 26.0 gr. 3054 fps.

Speer No. 14 book - test firearm Ruger Model 77 Mk II, no twist listed, 22 inch bbl.

Speer 62 gr. FMJ 23.0 gr. 2476 fps 25.0 gr. 2782 fps.

Hornady 10th Edition - test firearm Rem. 700, 1-12 twist, 26 inch bbl.

Hornady, 3 diff. 60 gr. 23.1 gr. 2700 fps. 26.8 gr. 3100 fps. and, in the "red zone" a max charge of 27.7 gr. 3200 fps.

The Hornady V-Max (and their other 60 gr. offerings) look like pretty zippy little bullets. The SS109 has a steel core, maybe some consideration should be given to it possibly being a harder bullet.

Read the data and believe any or all for what they are worth. Note differences in barrel length of test rifles. Provided for comparing data, use at your own risk.

When I'm loading a ball propellant, I usually settle right about in the middle of a range. If you total all the load columns above, then average, you arrive at a middling range of 24.75 gr., round to your choice for simplicity. That includes the highest charge given by Hornady. I know this isn't very scientific, but it's based on the science that the several manufacturers have provided. The average I arrived at is likely a very safe yet efficient load for your bullet that has no published data.

Oh, and you just know that Hornady did the same kind of averaging to get their blanket data that covers three different 60 gr. bullet designs.

I won't bother to average the velocity data given; I think these numbers sometimes are bogus. I would chrono my own loads for that information. If you're firing an AR, these days it probably has a shorter barrel length than any of the test firearms used to obtain the data shown above. And therefore you will get a lower velocity.

Merry Christmas.

 

[Cj10488]

You're welcome.
Merry Christmas.

Thanks. Now Thats a lot of info. Pretty much all the same data I was finding with a lot of added info so thanks for that. Looks like I will probably be taking a range run and maybe picking up some h335 locally and trying that out as well. I will probably pull apart a few m855s as well just to see where they are at for powder. I think my max load I have setup right now with 25.9gr of BLC2 and cci450s are right there in the upper zone but still safe. I will make up quite a few 10rd ladder charges from 22.5gr to 26gr of blc2 and probably do something similar with 748 and h335. Not like I don't have enough to play around with. Once I get a good stable load I will post up some of my data. I have a chronograph but with the rain probably won't be using it til it starts getting dry.

Still working on trimming and prepping 2k of 223 brass. Hence the 6am post lol. All Thats left is primer pocket crimps uniforming the pockets and cleaning them. Then once I get a good accurate load I will load up the remaining. I plan to have all loaded up by end up year. I'm callng it a night finally. Hopefully my new Larue MBT-2S triggers will be here soon so I can really have some fun. Ordered one for each the ar10 and ar15 since I knew I would like it and regret not getting 2. Lol

Thanks again and merry Christmas to all
James

 

[Core]

...Hopefully my new Larue MBT-2S triggers will be here soon so I can really have some fun. Ordered one for each the ar10 and ar15 since I knew I would like it and regret not getting 2. Lol

Thanks again and merry Christmas to all
James

I think you'll enjoy them. Make sure you use the Aeroshell type grease on them, it will break them in nicely. Just a dab on the sear surfaces. I also oil the parts prior to greasing.
Merry Christmas to you too!

 

[Cj10488]

Well I was able to make it out to the range today. Tested out the 62gr SS109. 22.5gr of blc2 with cci 450s was way too light. Kinda sounded a little louder than a 22. Lol. 25.9gr of blc2 with Cci450s seemed to be spot on the money. Didn't have any sight in targets. All I had was crummy ones. But they were all atleast 1moa. But they were all weighed and identical weights when I loaded them. I also triple checked the weight 2 digitalis and the rcbs beam. Case length was all identical as was the COL. Didn't bring my chronograph. Will do that next time now that there was no pressure signs on any of the cases.
. However 25.9gr of blc2 with the 55gr FMJs wasn't as accurate as 24.6gr of w748. But that could have just been me. It's cold out there and I've had a few too many rockstars at that point.

Thanks
Jamss

 

[Cj10488]

Back on sale for 60$ for 1000ct of pulled SS109s shipped.

https://americanreloading.com/en/22-caliber-222-227/1903-223-62gr-m855-ss109-steel-penetrator-1000ct.html

Get them while they are in sale if you want some.

EDIT:
Well crap. Just noticed they are out of stock now. Sorry guys. But just an FYI. I've looked over all mine after running them in the tumbler for 8hrs (forgot about them lol) and I didn't find a single defect. Looked like they were never even used prior. Not a single pull mark or mark of them at all. Excellent deal that's for sure.


James

 

[mele]

This may be a little late, but the load I use is 22.5 gr of Benchmark for ss109's per Nosler's Load Data.

 

[Cj10488]

Thanks. I had a pretty good load worked up but scrapped it when I swapped from a 1/9 barrel to a 1/8 barrel. Barrel works great with the Nosler 77gr Custom Comps. Will have to give this a try. Been loading a lot of the custom comps lately for the 223.

To be honest I've been tempted to sell the remaining 800ish SS109s that I have left and just use the Custom Comps exclusively

James