Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

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Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby FJ540 on Sun Sep 22, 2013 1:58 pm

Certain lots of wolf and surplus 55gr ammo have proven more than the 5.56 STD's can manage in short barrels, so I'm trying to make a load that's the mother of all flash to use in further testing.

H335 has been mentioned by Ron.

What else is out there? How could I get some bulk surplus that's not flash inhibited?
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby farmerj on Sun Sep 22, 2013 7:33 pm

I'd consider researching some of the 7.62X39 or comm block ammo and see what they use. 54R seems to me to have had the best muzzle flash but not sure you'd be wanting to use that in a 223 or like round. If it's even compatible.

So much of the domestic stuff seems to have good flash retarding capabilities.
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby bensdad on Sun Sep 22, 2013 8:53 pm

Would a powder designed for a bigger rifle work? Seems to me it would still be burning as the bullet left. Would such a powder (Reloader 19, for example) cause a pressure issue?

I am not an expert. Just a guy guessing in the internets. :oops:
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby Rip Van Winkle on Sun Sep 22, 2013 8:57 pm

I can't say I've ever reloaded for muzzle flash, but I would think you'd want the slowest powder you could safely use. I would think something in the RL17 - 4350 range would be about right but I doubt you'd be able to get enough powder in a 5.56 case to achieve a realistic velocity.

I don't know what powder the Ruskie's use, but one of our CMP members showed up one night with some Wolf 30-06 for his M1. I advised him to stop after hearing report and seeing the muzzle flash. I really didn't want to see him break his 60 year old M1.
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby BigDog58 on Sun Sep 22, 2013 9:10 pm

Have you contacted any of the powder company's tech people. I know it might seem a strange request for them, but they have always been eager to help whenever I have had a question. It might be worth a try.
I've got some H-4350 and/or H4895 if you'd like to take some and try it as a test? I might even have some RL-19 to try as well. You can even load a few rounds here if you like.
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby FJ540 on Sun Sep 22, 2013 11:18 pm

I got a couple boxes of varmageddon 55gr (all I could find in that weight) and now I'm looking for something like m855 powder to finish them off. H335 looks like the hot ticket, or Tac (which I have some), or BLC2.

Varget with 77gr SMK's is giving vastly different flash signatures, which is part of the problem. Not enough people shoot my loads. :lol:
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby farmerj on Mon Sep 23, 2013 3:37 am

I reload the H4895. You won't have much luck there.
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby OldmanFCSA on Mon Sep 23, 2013 4:26 am

I have H5010, H50BMG, Reloder50, and VV20N29, four of the slowest burning powders available.
I get a lot of muzzle flash even with 29-34" 50cal barrels.
Let me know.
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby FJ540 on Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:56 am

I guess I should clarify that I don't just want the flash - I want the right performance too. I'm looking to replicate loads which are known to cause problems with the flash reduction. I've encountered a change in performance from the R&D versions to the production versions but only in shorter barrels. So rather than spending insane amounts of money I don't have on over priced commercial ammo, I'm trying to replicate the loads on my own.
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby dleong on Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:08 am

FJ540 wrote:I got a couple boxes of varmageddon 55gr (all I could find in that weight) and now I'm looking for something like m855 powder to finish them off. H335 looks like the hot ticket, or Tac (which I have some), or BLC2.

Varget with 77gr SMK's is giving vastly different flash signatures, which is part of the problem. Not enough people shoot my loads. :lol:


I load near max using BL-C(2) for my 50 gr. .223 p-dog rounds. Out of a 24" barrel, there's hardly any flash.

Likewise with H335, except that it's a very dirty powder.
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby FJ540 on Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:37 am

How about out of a 10.3"? ;)

H335 has been noted for flash on 16" as well.
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby Rodentman on Thu Sep 26, 2013 1:55 pm

I nominate Sam as the flashiest 223 SHOOTER around!
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby FJ540 on Thu Sep 26, 2013 4:16 pm

Yeah, but you'd need a can to shut him up and I don't have an SOT yet. :lol:
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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby ScatterGun4015 on Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:10 pm

FJ540 wrote:How about out of a 10.3"? ;)

H335 has been noted for flash on 16" as well.


This is a video shot by my cousin. It is my build with an 18" barrel with mid-length gas and a corvette compensator. These loads are pretty hot with h335. I can look up the exact recipe if you want it. This was shot high noon so it was pretty bright. Rugersol had a video of his .300 blackout pistol on either varget or h335 and that had a fireball.
http://youtu.be/PeaYGFcrktA

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Re: Flashiest rifle powder for 5.56/.223?

Postby FJ540 on Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:48 pm

I've got some H335, I just haven't made up any loads for it yet. I'll be making a test string, and then loading up a batch of the hottest I can get away with for R&D.

Thanks for the video. That confirms that it's a fire ball maker.
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