Probably going to go dust off the presses and load up some 5.56 for a 10.5 AR upper.

Before I had just been loading for a 1-9 SS 16" and mainly was just using whatever powder I could find and going a hair over published .223 loads for 55gr FMJ.

Ive used IMR 4064, IMR4198, CFE223, and BL-C(2)

From my lee and hodgdon recipes cfe223 has the best velocity in a 50gr and is right behind varget for 55gr. This is a rifle recipe for a 24" barrel.

I also have a pistol recipe from hodgdon that is for a 15" barrel
this has varget at 2972 and bl-c(2) at 2816
also has H4198 (not IMR4198 which I still have a pound of) at 2719

the IMR4198 is the fastest rifle powder that I have and its nice as it calls for 20.4grs compared to the 27.5 for cfe or varget. Since this is for a 10.5 inch Im thinking that the 4198 would probably be getting about the same velocity in the short barrel as its burning quicker than the other slower powders.

I basically just want to load something that is optimizes for the shorter barrel that I can push a little on the hot side. Yeah I know 300blk works great for short barrels but thats what the vz58 and the AK are for. Oh yeah Im not worried about these being sub MOA just want to hold minute of beer can at 50 yards. I saw where the bbti guys chronoed remington UMC .223 55gr at 2616 in a 10" so I feel like with the right powder and loading it a little hotter I can get up to 27-2800 fps any thoughts?