Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

[RadarsRUs]

Hello Gent's,
Any input or real-world experience of how AR-Comp should / does cmpare to RL-15 when running 69 g. Nosler CC's in a 1-8 twist, 18" barrel? Not interested in Varget as I may as well put pop-corn kernels in the PTX measure. Sometimes so bad it closes sized neck with up-stroke force to shear the powder grannules. Just too much of a hassle.

Also curious of kernel make-up for progressive loading powder measure? I can get Benchmark to stay spot-on or 1/10th up-down, but not even close with that stinking Varget!

WOA lists RL15 as the best 69 g. bullet accuracy-powder in very strong words. I think that was written before AR Comp came to market. If AR-C is as consistent at launching the bullets AND hase great Temp. characteristics I will probably go that way. I just need some security on the "Bug-Hole" making capabilitiy of this powder.

I want to start loading & shooting just <span style="font-weight: bold">1</span> load but I want it to be <span style="text-decoration: underline">as good as Possibel for small-group, bench shooting at from 100 - 400 Yds</span>.

I can't plink at my range and all I do is shoot for groups... I know, get a bolt-gun..., but I LIKE shooting my hi-precision AR!

Standing By & Thanks for all input.

UPDATE:

Oh Crap, just bought a lb. of this AR COMP and some pills locally at an obscene price for working up some experimental loads with the 69 Nos. and these "popcorn" kernels look Just Like Varget. Noooo...!

 

[Temp9]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

My AR-Comp is fairly fine grained extruded powder and meters a fair amount better than Varget. If it doesn't meter to your satisfaction, I highly recommend a good ball powder. BL-C2 and Ramshot TAC come to mind. The only ball powder I've played with is WC844, and it metered amazingly. It mostly stayed within +/- .05gr through an RCBS. I can't imagine the two powders I mentioned are much worse.

Accuracy with AR-Comp has been quite good for me. In theory, you should be getting 100% powder burn with AR-C, which lends itself to very consistent velocities.

By the way, not sure what you mean by "popcorn-kernels". Both Varget and AR-C are extruded (ie. stick) powders. Varget is cut to look like tiny cylinders, while AR-C is cut in a more random fashion. Neither look like "popcorn-kernels" to me.

 

[RadarsRUs]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

Hi Temp9, great info there and thanks much. By the "popcorn" remark I meant the crunching & chomping it sometime takes in the reloading press stroke to shear-through those darn Varget kernels. It just reminds me of chewing on un-popped corn kernels.
I looked closer with both AR-C and Varget on a surface together and I do see a generally smaller more random size to it. I'm just hoping it will measure within .1 Gr. for me in my LNL- AP. Varget almost looks like it is "precision machined" and its hard as a rock. The consistentcy of Varget drops can vary .3 & even .4 sometimes. Bad Ju-Ju for tight groups on the target.
So you think this AR-C will shoot as accurately as RL-15?

 

[wvlapua]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

Get some BL-C(2). It meters well and performs. My .204 ruger loves it.

 

[Temp9]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

I've never used RL-15 due to the temperature sensitivity of it, but I doubt you'll be disappointed with AR-C so long as you can get it to meter well. I've found that almost all extruded powders will crunch a little bit, even H322, which is incredibly fine grained. Using a powder baffle will help, if you aren't already. For the record, I trickle all my extruded powders, so watching for weight variances in my thrown charges is not a high priority. If I recall, though, AR-C does tend to stay within .1gr, but it'll occasionally (1 out of every 50) throw .2-.3gr over/under.

BL-C2 and Ramshot TAC are both ball powders that are popular for .223 Rem. Both of those will meter well without crunching.

 

[BCP]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

Well, I hear 8208 is a little smaller than varget and still temp consistent. Also AA2460 is ball and gave me great results. Or you could use a different thrower for your varget loads I know people who do that as well.

 

[RadarsRUs]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

Great feedback everybody. On TAC comments above, I see that stuff would progressive-meter like water if anything like their X- Terminator. I don't have any feel for how close TAC will get to Match-Bench grade accuracy. You just never hear it used in that context and that is really the Only kind of shooting I am after. Just a group-shooting geek."
Living in S. FL makes for nasty hot and humid summers and really nice winters. I am also thinking of the heat-sink into chambered rounds before squeezing trigger. This is the appeal of the very high Temp. Resistance of the AR-C.
If not concerned about Temp screwing with accuracy I would prob. just throw W748 or A2230.
I noticed in Nosler tables they got something like 300 fps more V for the
MOST accurate load than the best Varget load's accuracy. Wow, that is some real speed dif. and it was their highest accuracy load with 69 BTHP's to boot at close to 2650 fps!

 

[wrhunter]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

Give 8208xbr a try. It measures much more consistently than Varget out of my rcbs uniflow.

 

[RadarsRUs]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

Hello xmark,

AR-COMP is just not holding really well in the progressive press measure as I was hoping for. Better than Varget, YES, but still an un-predictable range of .1 - .3 spread. Too Much for my liking.

What has been your experience on the 8208-XBR for pushing 69 g. bullets? Is it well suited to the heavier pills as well as the 52-55's?

I will burn this AR-COMP up in the next couple of weeks, but will not replace because of drop inconsitentcies. I can drop Clays, T-G or Benchmark all day and hold .1 so that is what I am after in a Match-Accurate power in .223.

I hope it doesn't go as far as the old-fashioned, temp. sensitive, W748 for the required results.

thanks

 

[wrhunter]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

8208 works great with 69's but every rifle is different. I wouldn't expect accuracy to be better than hand weighed Varget. I like 8208 because I can throw charges and still get around 3/4 moa. I'm currently using Hornady 75bthp because the price is great.

 

[wrhunter]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

FYI

I've never used AR Comp so I don't know if 8208 willl be any better in your progressive.

 

[cotntop]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

I shoot AR-C in my Grendel and it meters better than varget. Varget is a lot cleaner powder than AR-C, that is only con to AR-C. Velocity is great with Grendel. 69gr HPBT needs Varget and plenty of it.

 

[Temp9]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

8208 is still an extruded powder. I wouldn't count on it metering super well if AR-Comp isn't. Like I said before, ball powders are where it's at for accurate metering.

 

[RadarsRUs]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

If it's anything like the extra-small extrusion kernel of Benchmark it will be great in the progressive. I just don't know if the 8208 XBR is made up of extrusions like AR-COMP ( a little smaller than Varget) or the really small and easy to throw extrusions of Benchmark.

I'd love to just use benchmark but I think it is really more for the 52-55 gr. pills and not well suited to driving the heavier bullets.

 

[Temp9]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

Not my picture:

 

[*greenhorn*]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

i actually use re-loader 15 i know im going to get some flack but i think it is just as good and im getting good muzzle vlos out the pipe and consistent strikes

 

[RadarsRUs]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

Thanks for posting a Picture Temp9!

Now I have a Really Good feel for kernel size with the best possible things to compare them to...the other powders...Super!

I think I will give that stuff a shot after I burn-up the AR-COMP. It' looking pretty close to Benchmark kernels and that stuff meters +,- .1

Thanks very much.

 

[RadarsRUs]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

Update: I found this AR-COMP a little too inconsistent in the rotary powder-measure of the Hornady LNL-AP. I did, however, test about a half-dozen loads with 69 Nos-CC's and came up with this result.

I think it was 23.0-23.2 grains but it did require a lot of charge checking and tweaking throughout the 100 rnds.

This stuff also generated a bit of soot, but no bg deal. I will finish this Lb. and not replace it just because it is not enough of an improvement over Varget for charge-throwing consistency... but GOOD powder if you are weighing them out.

Rats, can't figure ut how to drop a picture into this post...?

 

[rg1911]

Re: Reloader 15 and AR COMP Accuracy

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YourNameHere50</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Great feedback everybody. On TAC comments above, I see that stuff would progressive-meter like water if anything like their X- Terminator. I don't have any feel for how close TAC will get to Match-Bench grade accuracy. You just never hear it used in that context and that is really the Only kind of shooting I am after. Just a group-shooting geek."
</div></div>
Have not used TAC in .223 (yet), but I use it in a blown-out 6BR case with 87-gr. V-Max bullets. 1.5-inch 5-shot groups at 425 yards seems reasonable. Once got two prairie rats with two shots at 550 yards.

Cheers,
Richard