HighDesertWolf

what are the ideal powders for the AR gas system? I dont want to over stress the gas system. Ive been using H4895 but was told i should be using H335. any input is appreciated thanks.

whiskeysnoot

Varget and BL-C(2) are two fine powders for ARs. H-322 is good but does not produce the velocity of the former two. Varget is quickly becoming my favorite powder. Excellent in an AR-10 also.

RLoving1

Some reloading manuels may suggest using magnum primers with H335.I use all powders mentioned with no problem. The BL-C is about like the mil spec powder I heard and some military guys shoot alot of rounds and don't have a chance to clean weapon and they keep on functioning! Sometimes I think if cornmeal would burn a AR could be loaded with it! I don't load any of the compressed loads,not much need in it.

BlackLab

IMR 4895 works good for me. Tried imr 4198 with mag primers and the cases won't eject. The accursey is good just won't spit out the caseing. This is comming from a manual that has ar loads .

RLoving1

Do you use small base dies Blacklab? If s/b dies aren't used even unfired rounds will stick trying to eject unfired round,I use standard dies but I have taken about 5 thousandths of the shell holder which does the same thing...works the case closer to the webbing near primer pocket.

BlackLab

Rloving

The dies are standard, and I don't have this problem with imr 4895. The ar spits them out like a bad taste . Imr 4198 just might be to fast for my ar. So I have to eject them manually.Oh that doesn't sound right .I still have a few differant loads to try and see what happens.

HighDesertWolf

I decided on Benchmark, I was already using benchmark in my .223 load for my bolt action. Then got into a conversation with a couple of the guys from the local hi power matches and they use benchmark. sofar benchmark is working out very well.

survival shop

I mostly use the mil. spec ball type powders and have no problems . I also use small base RCBS dies and I taper crimp . I have seen a lot of problems with roll crimping .223 's, you can make an almost undetectable ridge @ the shoulder and cause a lot of feeding and head spacing problems , which of course can also cause case expansion problems( failure to eject ).

Howler

I'm using H4895 in my AR.204 with good results. I've always used H4895 for my 22-250 and I wanted to stick with it instead of buying other types of powders to clutter my reloading area. I don't crimp and I don't use small base dies, and I don't have any problems.

HighDesertWolf

Im begining to have tomany different types of powder around lol. Im trying to get it down to like 2 or 3 powders for my rifle and 1 or 2 powders for pistols and shotgun. I have nearly a whole pound of H4895 I think Im gonna use up in the AR in plinker loads. Idealy id like to get it down to just Varget and benchmark for my rifles. I bought the H4895 originally for .223 loads but then I found benchmark which Im really liking velocities arent as good as H4895 but the metering is phenominal and the accuracy is insane.