748 for 223

[Sugarbug]

I've been looking for Varget, but cannot find it anywhere. A buddy of mine gave me a pound of Winchester 748 and it looks like that's what I'll be using.

Any of you guys use it?

I'll be using WCC brass-- or Lapua if I can find it before I start loading rounds. Will be pushing 80gr Amax.

What kind of velocities should I be planning on achieving? If anyone has a good starting load for 80gr AMax with 748, I'd appreciate it. Neither of my manuals has the info for it.

 

[Dan Newberry]

W748 is in my opinion one of the best 223 powders, though it can be a bit temperature sensitive in the cold weather months (your velocities may drop a bit). It burns about the same speed as Varget, and you normally find the powder charges for the two powders end up being pretty close as far as accuracy nodes go.

Look between 23 and 23.8 grains (ease along, of course)... for a good load with your 80 grain bullets.

Dan

 

[rgky1]

Hornady 9th lists Win 748 with the 80 gr. A-Max. They tested with Win cases and WSR primers.
80 A-Max----Win 748----start 21.0-2300fps---21.9-2400---22.7-2500----maximum 23.6-2600fps
They listed oal at 2.390"

 

[Juma]

748 best with 222. Benchmark2 best with 223.

 

[milo 2.0]

748 is one heck of a good 223 powder, but like DN says, temp sensitive on the cold side. Another drawback, 748 was hard to come by before this mess we have today. It'd show up and bam, gone for 9 months so even then you better buy quantity.

 

[stewfish]

W 748 is my #1 powder in the .223. My daughter and I burned through eight pounds of it in one summer when I was teaching her to shoot at 200 yards. Holy smokes 748 makes some accurate loads! Our load shoots great at 95 degrees or 10 degrees.

 

[colt933]

I have no experience with 748 and heavy bullets, but with the 52gr SMK - it's just awesome. I get 1/2" or less at 100 yards with this combo.

 

[Rattler56]

H 335 works great also.

 

[Ring]

ive used 748 for 223 since i started loading in 1994... great powder... kinda slow on the heavy bullets, but will still shoot well.
works best for speeds in the 40-60gr loads

 

[Big Z]

I use a medium 335 load data to start with 748, and plan on going higher than the 335 max load.

 

[Mad_Charlie]

I use a medium 335 load data to start with 748, and plan on going higher than the 335 max load.

Why not use 748 data??

 

[Big Z]

Because there's not always 748 data for a bullet, or at least not as often as 335 data is available. All a loader should need is a starting point.

 

[samnev]

I have no experience with 748 and heavy bullets, but with the 52gr SMK - it's just awesome. I get 1/2" or less at 100 yards with this combo.

I use the same 52gr SMK with W748 with the same results. That is my go to combination for both my semi's and bolt action 223 PSS.