Last year on cyber Monday I purchased bulk ammo directly from Nosler for a great price of $99 for 400 rounds of 223 Rem with 40 grain ballistic tips. My motivation for the purchase was a great price, quality brass to reload and some cheap practice ammo. I wasn't expecting to get better ammo than I've been able to load for my 223's. I would like to replicate it and hopefully learn something in the process about creating quality ammo. I'm trying to figure out what type of powder it is and hope someone might be able to identify it.
They shoot around 3700 fps in my bolt 223 with 22" and 3700 fps in an AR 223 with with 22" barrel. I'm consistently getting 5 shots less than 1/2 MOA and often 5 shots less than 1/4" MOA. To get 1/2 MOA with 40 gr Varmageddon's I have to slow them down to 3400 fps. At 3700 fps the group opens up to 1 MOA.
The main reason for this project is to hopefully learn how to make better quality loads, not necessarily create the exact ammo Nosler sold me. I was frustrated by the fact that I put considerable time and effort into creating quality 223 ammo and it doesn't shoot as fast or tight of groups as bulk ammo that I purchased for less than $0.25 each round. I have a couple theories on why the cheap bulk ammo shoots better than my handholds. I've never tried 40 gr Nosler Ballistic tips and maybe it is just the bullet. I have tried 40 gr bergers and 40 gr Nosler Varmageddons without as good of results. I think my brass and primers as as good as the bulk Nosler ammo. My suspicion is that if I try a different powder than the CFE 223 that I'm using for Nosler Varmageddons, I may get better results.
I looked at the Nosler manual to get an idea of what powder Nosler might select. This picture is from the Nosler 8 manual. The Nosler 7 manual has the exact same information.
Before I pulled the bullets, I suspect that A-2015, Viht N120 or Benchmark where likely powders due to velocity. (24" barrel was used by Nosler and I shot this bulk Nosler ammo in two different 22" barrels at 3700 fps.)
I pulled 5 bullets and weighed the powder. It varied from 25.6 gr to 25.9 gr. I was disappointed by the variance in powder weight but this was sort of expected in bulk factory ammo.
I know it is not Benchmark powder. the below picture shows Benchmark in a cap and the powder from the Nosler factory ammo in the silver pan.
This next picture shows CFE 223 in the cap and the Nosler factory ammo powder in the silver pan.
It also isn't A-2015. The below picture shows A-2015 in the red cap and the Nosler factory ammo powder in the silver pan.
I also have Varget, H414 and Superformance on hand and know it is none of those.
My suspicion is that it is Alliant 1200-R or Viht N120.
The concentricity is as good or better in my hand loads than this factory ammo. The powder weight variation in my hand loads considerably better than the Nosler bulk ammo. I would think that I should be able to make just as good of hand loads as this bulk ammo.
At the moment I'm going to try A-2015, Benchmark and CFE 223 with neck turned Norma brass and BR4 primers and some Nosler 40 gr Ballistic tips. It may take a month or more for me to run some tests but I'll post results when I do. If I get 5 shots consistantly 1/4 MOA at 3700 fps, I'll stop testing and use that as my formula. If not I'll look at buying Alliant 1200-R, Vihnt N120 and possibly another powder or two. I also have Winchester primers and federal primers I might try. I could also try using the once fired Nosler Brass (which from I understand is made by Norma)
This is mostly a project to learn how to be better at loading ammo. It is much less expensive to practice and test hand loads from 223 than my 338 Lapua or 300 Win mag. Hopefully I can learn something from this that will improve my ability to load ammo in the future.
Do any of you know what powder this is or have any ideas on why my loads are not as good as cheap bulk ammo from Nosler?
They shoot around 3700 fps in my bolt 223 with 22" and 3700 fps in an AR 223 with with 22" barrel. I'm consistently getting 5 shots less than 1/2 MOA and often 5 shots less than 1/4" MOA. To get 1/2 MOA with 40 gr Varmageddon's I have to slow them down to 3400 fps. At 3700 fps the group opens up to 1 MOA.
The main reason for this project is to hopefully learn how to make better quality loads, not necessarily create the exact ammo Nosler sold me. I was frustrated by the fact that I put considerable time and effort into creating quality 223 ammo and it doesn't shoot as fast or tight of groups as bulk ammo that I purchased for less than $0.25 each round. I have a couple theories on why the cheap bulk ammo shoots better than my handholds. I've never tried 40 gr Nosler Ballistic tips and maybe it is just the bullet. I have tried 40 gr bergers and 40 gr Nosler Varmageddons without as good of results. I think my brass and primers as as good as the bulk Nosler ammo. My suspicion is that if I try a different powder than the CFE 223 that I'm using for Nosler Varmageddons, I may get better results.
I looked at the Nosler manual to get an idea of what powder Nosler might select. This picture is from the Nosler 8 manual. The Nosler 7 manual has the exact same information.
Before I pulled the bullets, I suspect that A-2015, Viht N120 or Benchmark where likely powders due to velocity. (24" barrel was used by Nosler and I shot this bulk Nosler ammo in two different 22" barrels at 3700 fps.)
I pulled 5 bullets and weighed the powder. It varied from 25.6 gr to 25.9 gr. I was disappointed by the variance in powder weight but this was sort of expected in bulk factory ammo.
I know it is not Benchmark powder. the below picture shows Benchmark in a cap and the powder from the Nosler factory ammo in the silver pan.
This next picture shows CFE 223 in the cap and the Nosler factory ammo powder in the silver pan.
It also isn't A-2015. The below picture shows A-2015 in the red cap and the Nosler factory ammo powder in the silver pan.
I also have Varget, H414 and Superformance on hand and know it is none of those.
My suspicion is that it is Alliant 1200-R or Viht N120.
The concentricity is as good or better in my hand loads than this factory ammo. The powder weight variation in my hand loads considerably better than the Nosler bulk ammo. I would think that I should be able to make just as good of hand loads as this bulk ammo.
At the moment I'm going to try A-2015, Benchmark and CFE 223 with neck turned Norma brass and BR4 primers and some Nosler 40 gr Ballistic tips. It may take a month or more for me to run some tests but I'll post results when I do. If I get 5 shots consistantly 1/4 MOA at 3700 fps, I'll stop testing and use that as my formula. If not I'll look at buying Alliant 1200-R, Vihnt N120 and possibly another powder or two. I also have Winchester primers and federal primers I might try. I could also try using the once fired Nosler Brass (which from I understand is made by Norma)
This is mostly a project to learn how to be better at loading ammo. It is much less expensive to practice and test hand loads from 223 than my 338 Lapua or 300 Win mag. Hopefully I can learn something from this that will improve my ability to load ammo in the future.
Do any of you know what powder this is or have any ideas on why my loads are not as good as cheap bulk ammo from Nosler?
