Looking for powder suggestion for reloading 5.56 and 7.62 x 51

[Valcas1]

Unsure of potential new laws and control measures, I am looking to stock up, for lack of better terms on some reloading supplies. I am asking for suggestions on gun powder that I could use to load both 5.56 and 7.62 I was looking to purchase 8 lbs so that I had a decent supply along with primers and bullets and just put them in the safe until a later date. Please let me know what your favorite powder is and maybe even your current loading recipe. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[HabsFan]

Varget. All you need.

[Li02liberty]

I like ar-comp for 5.56. Don't reload 7.62 so can't help you there.

[RumRunner]

Like HabsFan said, Varget is what you are looking for. It is a very versatile powder and will cover both calibers quite nicely. A very common .308 load is 45 grains of varget and a 168 grain Sierra HPBT. I use that in an AR10 and can easily keep all rounds in a golf ball at 200 yards.

If I remember correctly, one of my most accurate .223 loads was somewhere around 25 grains of varget with a 50something grain plastic tip bullet. Do NOT try random handload recipes from internet forums, always reference legitimate loading data.

[METALHEAD]

+ 3 for varget. It fills a 5.56 case a little more that I'd like but it works awsome and is a very good powder for many rifle cartridges with plenty of data available. I use it in .308 and 30-06 too. There may be better powders if your trying to tune in a certiain load 600+ yards but for safe reliable and versatile 200 yard shooting it works excellent.

[Valcas1]

Thanks very much for the information. That is exactly what I was looking for. Do any of you have a preferred vendor for purchasing your reloading supplies?

[Shotgun]

H335 is a great powder for both.

Varget has only recently become available again

[Pat M]

For years I've had trouble finding Varget, so I've been using H335 and Reloader 15. 4895 is also used for both, but I'm not familiar with it.

[angelonm]

All powders listed are good. Another is Winchester 748.

[Sig]

I don't load for 5.56 but I like IMR 3031 for 308.

[SlowTime]

I don't reload 308 but 4895 can be used for both. I've used Varget for 223 match loads, I liked the results but didn't care for how my powder drop metered it and some of my better loads were compressed. AA223, TAC, and 8208 XBR didn't have those issues.

Are you stocking away for bench rest shooting? Because 8lbs is nothing if you are concerned about a long term shortage. Eight pounds is 56,000 grains of powder. With the Varget 308 load mentioned above it's about 1,160 rounds. My all around AA223 5.56 load was 24 grains so eight pounds nets about 2,300 rounds.

[Mad Russian]

Another vote for Varget. Excellent results in 223 and 30 caliber loads.

[Jarheadsergeant]

Good luck finding a reasonably priced 8 pound keg of VARGET. That's unobtanium.

[cpl_eyeball]

Hodgdon CFE 223 for 5.56 is another good choice.