Written by the late Kim Lockhart, a master gunsmith.
223 Remington Centerfire Rifle Cartridge:
The popular 223 Remington centerfire rifle cartridge is a commercial, rimless, bottleneck cartridge case design that is loaded commercially (factory produced ammunition) or reloaded by individual handloaders with various combinations of primer, powder and .224″ diameter bullets. Handloaders can calculate the kinetic energies of their handloads with the use of these formulas.
223 Remington Reloading Specifications:
Bullet Diameter – .224″.Primer Size – Small Rifle / .175″ Diameter.Case Neck Diameter – .253″.Case Shoulder Diameter – .354″.Case Base Diameter – .376″.Case Rim Diameter – .378″.Minimum Case Length – 1.750″ / Trimmed.Maximum Case Length – 1.760″ / Stretched.Minimum Cartridge Overall Loaded Length – 2.125″.Maximum Cartridge Overall Loaded Length – 2.260″.
223 Remington Reloading Data:
For the Predator hunter hand-loading or reloading his or her own 223 Remington ammunition, Western Powders, Accurate 2520 rifle powder does an impressive job of launching 60 grain .224″ diameter bullets at high velocity. Accurate online reloading data shows that a 60 grain .224″ diameter Nosler Partition bullet using 23.0 grains of Accurate 2520 powder can be driven to a velocity of 2,856 feet per second loaded at a maximum cartridge overall length of 2.205″ in the 223 Remington. This load does not top out until the 60 grain bullet is at 3,121 feet per second at a chamber pressure of 54,500 PSI.
For the 60 grain bullet reload if you sighted your 223 Remington hunting rifle in dead on at 210 yards it would only be 2 inches high at 125 yards and only 4.8 inches low at 275 yards which would be an excellent Predator load.
| Test Powder Used = Accurate 2520. Test Bullet Used = Nosler – Partition – .224″ Diameter. Test Primer Used = Winchester – WSR. Test Case Used = Winchester – 223 Remington. Test Case Trimmed Length = 1.750″. Loaded Cartridge Overall Length = 2.205″. Test Barrel Length = 24″. Test Barrel Twist Rate = 1 in 12″. | |||||||
| Nosler Bullet Weight Grains | Nosler Bullet Sectional Density | Nosler Bullet Ballistic Coefficient | Powder Start Load Grains | Start Load Velocity Fps. | Powder Maximum Load Grains | Maximum Load Velocity Fps. | Maximum Load Pressure P.S.I. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | .171 | .228 | 23.0 | 2,856 | 25.6 | 3,121 | 54,500 |
| Short Range Ballistics Table For Above Load: | |||||||
| Recommended Cartridge Usage: | Bullet Weight Grains | Bullet Ballistic Coefficient | Muzzle Velocity Fps. | Muzzle Energy Ft. Lbs. | Rifle Zero 100 Yds. | Bullet Drop 200 Yds. | Bullet Drop 250 Yds. |
| Predator | 60 | .228 | 3,121 | 1,296 | 0 | – 3.3″ | – 7.3″ |
| Long Range Ballistics Table For Above Load: | |||||||
| Bullet | 100 yds. | 200 yds. | 300 yds. | 400 yds. | 500 yds. | 600 yds. | 700 yds. |
| Velocity Fps. | 2,704 | 2,323 | 1,974 | 1,660 | 1,390 | 1,179 | 1,041 |
| Energy Ft.lbs. | 974 | 719 | 519 | 367 | 258 | 185 | 144 |
| Trajectory | + 1.7″ | 0 | – 8.2″ | – 25.3″ | – 55.3″ | – 103.3″ | – 176.4″ |
223 Remington Load Data Sources:
Hodgdon Reloading Data Center: The reloading data information displayed on this site, including ballistic data, was derived from tightly controlled laboratory conditions, by ballisticians and expert handloaders. Lists pressure test results as well. Features load data using Hodgdon, IMR & Winchester Rifle Powders.
Accurate Reloading Data Center: The reloading data information displayed on this site, including ballistic data, was derived from tightly controlled laboratory conditions, by ballisticians and expert handloaders. Lists pressure test results as well. Features load data using Accurate Rifle Powder. Accurate is an exclusive brand of Western Powders Incorporated.
Ramshot Reloading Data Center: The reloading data information displayed on this site, including ballistic data, was derived from tightly controlled laboratory conditions, by ballisticians and expert handloaders. Lists pressure test results as well. Features load data using Ramshot Rifle Powder. Ramshot is an exclusive brand of Western Powders Incorporated.
Barnes – 223 Rem.: Load data for the 223 Remington featuring the use of Barnes bullets.
Nosler – 223 Rem.: Load data for the 223 Remington using Nosler bullets. Features; varying case capacity and load density for each bullet weight and accuracy loads.
Norma – 223 Rem.: Load data for the 223 Remington featuring the use of Norma rifle powders.
Vihtavuori – 223 Rem.: Load data for the 223 Remington featuring the use of Vihtavuori rifle powders.
IMR – 223 Rem.: Load data for the 223 Remington featuring the use of IMR rifle powders.