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Posted: 11/25/2015 10:34:11 PM EDT
| i picked up 1000 hornady 50gr zmax at a real good price.im wanting to load them for my 16 and 20 inch ar's.i have several powders,however i only have cci 34 and s%b primers.any suggestions on which powder to start with?i have varget,tac,imr4895,4895,benchmark,xbr,etc.thanks |
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I use the 50gr V-Max. I use IMR-4198 in a full length VTR-15. Velocity is 3400 and accuracy is excellent.
The Z-Max is very similar. I don't think you'll have any trouble getting good accuracy and performance with it. The only powder that you listed that is not listed in the Hornady manual for the 50gr is Varget so I'll take that as one to rule out. For maximum velocity it looks like TAC. If it was me and I was loading for fun range use I would go with the one that meters the easiest. Either primer that you listed would be ok. It really depends on your rifle and only you know it best. Motor |
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Except for primers, You have a high quality problem
Personally Work up to 25 gr TAC (Max load from Western 5.0) I have been meaning to try this load with Nosler BT forever, came highly recommended. Work up 26.5 Benchmark (Hodgdon Max).Got a lb of this just to try with 50-52 gr bullets. Dang XBR sure is tempting. The CCI 34 are large rifle, aren't they? Have you tried any of the S&B. I have no experience with those. |
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Your CCI #34 primers are of no use if loading .223 remington cartidges.
I have great success with two of the powders you have, TAC and IMR 8208XBR with the 50gr Z-Max bullets. TAC 24.8gr 2.255 COAL 1.750 trim CCI 450 Primers 3061 AVG FPS AR15 type rifle 20 inch 1/9 twist barrel. IMR 8208XBR 25.0gr 2.250 COAL 1.750 trim CCI 450 Primers 3088 AVG FPS AR15 type rifle 20 inch 1/9 twist barrel. |
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Flashbang1 you are absolutely correct the CCI-34 is a large rifle primer. :)
I still say put Varget at the bottom of the list. I trust Hornady. They list at least a dozen choices if Varget was a good choice I think they would have tested it. From my own experience with Varget I think the reason they didn't use it is simply case capacity. You need a foot long drop tube to get maximum charges into the case with heavier bullets. I just don't see getting much velocity with Varget compared to the other better choices with the 50gr bullet. Motor |
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I've had really good results with Benchmark for 50's specifically the Hornady zmax/vmax 50 grains. A couple of samples, one at 100 yards, one at 200 yards. Casper is my Cheap Ass Semi-auto Precision Rifle. Not counting the Specwar on it, there was less than $650 in the rifle when these groups were done. I have since put on a free float barrel and Geissle trigger which helped my personal consistency by reducing fliers.
I redacted the load weight but I will offer start about 10% below book max, look for pressure signs and if you reach max and everything still looks good, no flattened primers, no ejector marks etc you may be able to sneak over it for another 100FPS. Usual obligatory warning, start low and work up and be aware of what to look for in terms of pressure. The rest is amax 50gr, Remington 7.5 primers, lake city once fired brass with a 2.20 OAL. Charges were weighed individually not thrown and consistent to within .04 grains. The below are to show what the amax/zmax 50 grains are capable of with the right load for the right barrel. I love this little bullet for its accuracy; it's a consistent performer for me. 100 yards - warm barrel / warm shooter 
200 yards - cold barrel / cold shooter. The high shot indicated was the cold shot. If we disregard that one the MOA was .67 at 200 yards which falls in line with what I've come to expect from this rilfe and load. 
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