Has anyone played with less powder in a .223 case for a pistol barrel? I don't know if the shorter barrel gets full powder burn or not. The drawback I see is that if you did make a "pistol" only load it may not be usable in a 20" barrel.
- Thread starter gunsnjeeps
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If you are sticking with a given powder for a caliber I would say there is no benefit of lowering powder charge for pistol or SBR loads, all you would be doing is hurting the performance in a barrel length that is already hurting for performance. Additionally when you decrease a powder charge you start to get inconsistent ignition which will effect accuracy and velocity from shot to shot. It won't make that specific load unusable in a longer barreled rifle but it will certainly give it undesirable characteristics in any rifle / barrel length used.
You could switch to a faster powder for shorter barrels. Slow powders for a specific caliber thrive in longer barrels (and often with heavier bullets, but that is a different conversation) but often give up some of that performance in shorter configurations. The other advantage to switching to a faster powder is economy. If you do use a faster powder for a short barrel you will lose a tiny bit of performance in the longer barrels but if you able to make an accurate load who really cares. A piece of paper, steel going or even a game animal won't be able to notice the slight drop in velocity.
I hope this helps in some way, good luck to you with your load development.
You could switch to a faster powder for shorter barrels. Slow powders for a specific caliber thrive in longer barrels (and often with heavier bullets, but that is a different conversation) but often give up some of that performance in shorter configurations. The other advantage to switching to a faster powder is economy. If you do use a faster powder for a short barrel you will lose a tiny bit of performance in the longer barrels but if you able to make an accurate load who really cares. A piece of paper, steel going or even a game animal won't be able to notice the slight drop in velocity.
I hope this helps in some way, good luck to you with your load development.
Fastest load is usually fastest load with proper loads unless we a really getting goofy short or super slow powder in ultra long barrel I think?
I've always just used what ran the best, never really noticed the 12.5 liking less varget or tac than the 16, outside of node stuff if course, but ymmv I suppose.
I've always just used what ran the best, never really noticed the 12.5 liking less varget or tac than the 16, outside of node stuff if course, but ymmv I suppose.
Thanks for the info. I'll just stick with a standard powder charge and shoot it in the 11.5 when I get it.
Enter your load data here and see where it currently reaches complete burn:
P-Max internal ballistics
www.p-max.uk
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