Best Powders for the .223 Rem.?

[Rocky Raab]

It would a whole lot simpler to post a list of powders that are NOT good in the 223!

Earlier, my two "go-to" loads were 24.0 H322 or 27.0 W748 under any good 50-gr bullet. Both are still great, but my powder choices have changed to Benchmark and Ramshot TAC. Data for both available online.

Any extruded powder near H322 is superb. Those include AA2015, RL-10X, Benchmark, and VVN130 or 133. If you can still find any, the old RL-12 was wonderful.

Spherical powders include BLC(2), W748, TAC, X-Terminator, AA2230, and H335.

IMR3031 is the right burn rate, but the kernels are just too large and bulky to work well in such a small case - as you've found. If they ever came out with a "short cut" version, there would be resounding cheers.