Powder choices CFE 223 or H335 for the AR?

[Welder84]

I was hoping to hear opinions on these powders. Is there a real difference?

 

[iH8DemLibz]

H335 is the bomb in 5.56/.223

No need to crimp. Or ever so lightly.

Very easy to bulge a shoulder.

 

[shocker998md]

I like 335 because it's cheaper where im at and uses less powder for my 55 fmj plinking loads.

They both meter well in my 550b and out of my spr will shoot under an inch at 100.

Either will work

 

[outrider58]

Extremely variable. Depends on bullet and barrel. I've never loaded CFR 223, but I have loaded plenty of H335. The H335 shoots very well with a wide selection of bullets. It's said that it burns a little dirty.

 

[steves1911]

H335 is a great powder in 223 all the way up to 69gr bullets. Its usually cheaper than most other powders and even during the powder shortage i could still find it.

 

[Welder84]

I used H335 for two years, but this year I have been using CFE223. I have not noticed a difference in accuracy. I have noticed it does seem to leave less dirt in the gun. I was wondering what others have experienced?

 

[iH8DemLibz]

I used H335 for two years, but this year I have been using CFE223. I have not noticed a difference in accuracy. I have noticed it does seem to leave less dirt in the gun. I was wondering what others have experienced?

Do you find the grain sizes of those two powders to be the same?

My RCBS Uni-Flow powder measure has a hard time with all, but the finest of powders.

 

[Welder84]

The two powders seem very similar. I use a lee auto drum, and it throws 25g of CFE 223 or H335 with no set up change.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

The two powders seem very similar. I use a lee auto drum, and it throws 25g of CFE 223 or H335 with no set up change.

Ya gotta like that.

Always good to have a back up powder in mind.

There was a time, in the not too distant past, when even the most common of powders weren't available.

Thanks.

 

[alucard0822]

Used to use 25gr of H335 for my bulk 55gr FMJ loads, now use 27gr of CFE223. Both produce good accuracy, but CFE is definitely cleaner and slower, can turn the gas block adjustment down a bit with it, and get a little better velocity with an ideal load, seems fairly insensitive to temp and round count too.

 

[Traveler]

H335

/thread

 

[byf43]

H335

/thread

^^^What he said.

 

[offthepaper]

H335 works very well in my AR's.
For plinking ammo, 55gr fmjbt over 25 gr of H335.
Always gives me good results. My 30-30 also shoots well with it.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Ya gotta like that.

Always good to have a back up powder in mind.

There was a time, in the not too distant past, when even the most common of powders weren't available.

Thanks.

Or better yet, several.

Been a project of mine since the last powder shortage to work up viable loads with multiple powders for .223. Not only was my long favored H335 very hard to find, but in terms of viable replacement powder, it was darned near impossible for a while there to find the same replacement powder twice. The good news is that decent .223 loads can be had over a pretty wide range of the burn chart. Not all are optimal necessarily, but options can at least keep you shooting.