Range time yesterday

Gary

Gary

SE Kansas
Got my Lower put together and set a AR Stoner 18"SS barreled 22 Nosler Side Charging Upper. Loaded some 55gr FMJ with 29gr Varget and some 62gr FMJ with 30gr BL-C2. I'm no shooter, but I got it on paper @ 100yds (approx 2~3 MOA) and started to see which load(s) would work best. Varget load showed no signs of over pressure, but the BL-C2 certainly did. Flat primers (one primer pocket pierced) and the case heads had an imprinted ejector mark. Both the loads messed up the case head, only the BL-C2 imprinted and flattened the primers. Nosler's own load data shows I was within load parameters @ 30gr of BL-C2 (29~31). All pwd charges were hand weighed for accuracy. Only small rifle primers I have are Tula. Do I have a over gas situation; or need a heavier buffer, or what?
 
waco

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Was it hot out? Varget is supposed to be temp insensitive. BL-C2 not so much.
 
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Gary

Gary

SE Kansas
Yeah, pretty hot (95°), but the Varget acted OK, it was the BL-C2 that flattened the primers. I noticed over on Hodgdon's load data site that the starting load was lower, so I'll try that and see what I get.
 
Brad

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
BL-C2 can be quite heat sensitive. 30° can make a big difference. Let a round sit in a hot chamber for a bit and it is even worse.
 
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Ole_270

Well-Known Member
Gary, might try some TAC or Benchmark on the lighter bullet if you have it. They are about all I use in my 20" Rock River unless I go for heavier bullets.
 
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Mitty38

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
When it comes to jackets, and an AR15. I have yet to find a (bad) load with H335. Like it so much I bought 8 pounds of it.
Seems like I just can not mess up a load for the .223 for it.
Have tried 4064 with pc plikers but still working on that, looks like it is going to happen, just have not put enough time in yet.
 
358156 hp

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
Just out of curiosity are you running a carbine length buffer tube? If so, what weight buffer?

I agree that BLC2 is your likely culprit, but I can't help being curious.
 
Ian

Ian

Notorious member
FWIW, I have an AR Stoner 5.56x45mm NATO-chambered barrel and the throat was so tight it blew the primers out of anything headstamped 5.56. Did OK with .223 Remington factory loads. Maybe their .22 Nosler barrel suffers the same problem.

As was said a few times, the medium Hodgdon ball powders are very screwball when the temperature swings; "Extreme" powders that have been developed to be consistent in a more broad range of temperature are a lot more than marketing hype.
 
358156 hp

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
I've had casehead separations in AR with max. loads worked up in the fall, but fired in the following summer with BLC2, so I'm not surprised to hear this.

Thanks for the info Gary, I'm collecting background information on other AR calibers for future reference.
 
R

Rushcreek

Well-Known Member
A friend has a 22 Nosler AR15 and his best results so far have been with CR223 and H335.whe he bought it he stated to me that it is a 22-250 equivalent and I laughed so much he hung up on me.
 
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