Long Range .223 IMR 4895

[Danny]

Does IMR 4895 have any application for use in 1000 yard .223 loads for mainly 75 gr. projectiles, possibly 80? I've seen some data, but not enough for good information.

Danny

[Mr. X]

I'm not exactly a long-range expert, but I've never seen anyone use 4895 across the course. People who do a lot of ATC shooting seem to load Varget and Vitavuori -- N140 if I am correct. Personally I use Varget as VV powders are expansive and not always available.

Anyway, Varget and N140 are slightly slower than 4895 and will give higher velocities, which you will need to push a .223 that far.

The other thing to consider is that Varget is a coated "extreme" powder that is very consistent in hot ambient temperatures, and also when loaded with hot charges. And you'll need to load hot to shoot a .223 at 1000 yards!

Save the 4895 for a Garand or M14 and try Varget in the .223.

BTW where in NE Ohio are you? Have you ever shot at Solon? I've thought about going there but haven't yet...

[Danny]

Hi,
I've used Varget a lot as well as some VV N540, but thought that if 4895 could be used (and used well), that I'd do it. The N540 is pretty expensive! I have shot .223 Long Range a few times but don't have a good long range load worked up yet, so when I have done it, it's been "ugly" in how the loads perform, which show in my scores. I'm in the South/Southeast Suburbs of Cleveland, about exactly midpoint on a straight line between Cleveland and Akron. I've never shot at Solon Sportsmen, but I'm on their highpower events email list, so I know what's happening. I'd like to make it there one day, but I've been pretty busy lately, and the weather has not been cooperating for shooting this year. I beloing to the Alliance Rifle Club and the Ohio Penn Rifle League.

Danny


I'm not exactly a long-range expert, but I've never seen anyone use 4895 across the course. People who do a lot of ATC shooting seem to load Varget and Vitavuori -- N140 if I am correct. Personally I use Varget as VV powders are expansive and not always available.

Anyway, Varget and N140 are slightly slower than 4895 and will give higher velocities, which you will need to push a .223 that far.

The other thing to consider is that Varget is a coated "extreme" powder that is very consistent in hot ambient temperatures, and also when loaded with hot charges. And you'll need to load hot to shoot a .223 at 1000 yards!

Save the 4895 for a Garand or M14 and try Varget in the .223.

BTW where in NE Ohio are you? Have you ever shot at Solon? I've thought about going there but haven't yet...

[Parashooter]

4895 is a little quick for maximum performance with heavy bullets in .223, especially if you're limited to the service barrel length. At 1000 yards, you need all the velocity you can get just to stay supersonic out to the target. In a service mousegun, this means pushing the envelope. My preferred 1000-yard (and Palma) load for Perry was a Berger 75 VLD over 25.7 grains of RL-15. This is a seriously compressed load, even with bullets seated pretty far out. Pressure is high and cases are trash after one or two uses, but it gets an honest 2850 fps MV in a 20-inch barrel - enough to keep well above Mach 1 at 1000 yards. I've had it punch a fair string of X's when I doped the wind right and remembered to hold and squeeze. Such loads are not recommended by anyone remotely sane and could easily be excessive with a different lot of RL-15 or in another rifle.

In a long barrel, nearly any reasonably stiff 600-yard load can give you 2800+ MV and do the trick at 1000 - it's only when you want to compete at long-range in the service rifle category that you have to stretch the .223 beyond what you can get with IMR 4895.

[remus]

I have not been able to get enough velocity out of my ar15 service rifle barrels with IMR4895 and 80 grn. bullets. Seem to develope pressure enough to blow primers before getting even close to what I need.

600 yds was the furthers I shot using that powder and 80 grn. bullets. Not a mild load but very near the top to use safely.

Like has been said, powder lots are different, and so are rifle chambers.