Particularly on deer, the neck length means you may not be causing damage for the first half of the wound channel. For that reason I choose to not use bergers regardless of caliber for smaller sized game. Have seen much faster kills with tmk/eld style bullets. Keep it off the shoulder and meat damage will be minimized.
Pretty much going rate around my area. If you can find it I would buy it personally but I really like that powder.
You’re lucky. Every store around my area is 57-60 a pound for most powder but haven’t had xbr in prob a year.
Dang, ya powder in the store is pretty spendy here too. I did just get lucky and found some private party that just didnt use it anymore
I’m not saying that you are wrong but I had really good results with the 87 and 95gr Berger’s out of a .243 on white tails but I also didn’t have a very large sample. The 87’s also knocked down coyotes pretty good to
I think so, I’ve paid $59.00/lb directly from Hodgdon and once you pay hazmat, you are more than the asking price you noted. It’s a wonderful powder. I’d buy it whenever you see it reasonably.
Where are you located and how much is the jug of xbr? Currently sitting on 2 but do wish I’d have snagged another one or 2 a couple years back when it could be had for $250 a jug.Well, I've got a line on a jug of 8208. But this isn't my main hunting gun and have other items that take higher priority for this year. So.... Dang.
I haven't found many reports of accurate 2520 here, just a few. Both that and Lever seem like good options for speed. Are they accurate?
Perhaps since I'm using a 16" barrel I should use a faster powder like benchmark that might not give as much up as a slower powder in a short barrel, like varget or 2520. But, has that myth been busted for a 16" 223?
The plan was to just go with benchmark, lever, staball match, or 2520 since I can find them locally and affordably for 1lb. But then I went and found a couple 1lbers and a jug of 8208! I really want that unicorn dust but don't know if I can justify it
Anyway, black arc 77otm reman seems to shoot ok in my factory 223. This is 20shots. I think I had 120ish rounds down the barrel before these. Didn't get velocity. Had 1 cull out of a box of 50. The neck mouth was folded over and it chambered very hard and cause a bit of shaving on the bullet on the opposite side. I didn't fire it. Single shot wolf brass from a range is what the owner said. It's not bad for 0.063/round. It was gusty left to right. I didn't hold for wind and I'm pretty sure the 2 shots to the right were during a gust.
View attachment 833146
I paid about $60/pound last year when a local shop happened to get some in. $65/pound with how rare it’s been doesn’t seem too crazy. I’ve spent $10 on lots dumber things then the perfect 223 powder…
Yeah they both had around 2900 ish muzzle velocities and all kills on deer were between 200 and 300 yards. I never did push them out far enough on game to see what lower impact velocities looked like.
I haven't found many reports of accurate 2520 here, just a few. Both that and Lever seem like good options for speed. Are they accurate?
Perhaps since I'm using a 16" barrel I should use a faster powder like benchmark that might not give as much up as a slower powder in a short barrel, like varget or 2520. But, has that myth been busted for a 16" 223?
The plan was to just go with benchmark, lever, staball match, or 2520 since I can find them locally and affordably for 1lb. But then I went and found a couple 1lbers and a jug of 8208! I really want that unicorn dust but don't know if I can justify it
View attachment 833146
I have found decent velocity - 20" AR 2815 fps w/ 75 gr Gold Dots - but not stellar accuracy although my sample size is small and that barrel may not love that bullet and/or powder. I've also seen pressure spikes at the top end of 5.56 load data. So far I like Shooters World AR Plus better.
