Minor clarification for reloading 223/556

[markheck1]

Sage Advice there....safety first

[sinful]

I just spent over an hour in chat talking to Lycanthrope about reloading.
He too said I could use the 4198 powder (I only lean towards this because my grandfather already has a lot of it). The website I was looking on said my tollerance for it was 18.8 starting up to a max of 20.4 with a 55gr bullet.

He also recommended the hodgdon vargent powder and gave me some of his loads for accuracy and another for plinking. So maybe I'll go ahead and get some varget powder when I order some bulk 55gr FMJ bullets for plinking next payday.

For dies, I've been asking around and doing a lot of reading. I think I'm going to oder a set of full size carbide RCBS dies.

Thanks everyone for your input so far. I really am listening to a lot of ideas and recommendations before making a purchase. And I really really appreciate all the help and your patience for my repeated noob Qs.

[Lycanthrope]

Um........ the .223 and 5.56 dies should be the same.....they have the same dimensions.

In an AR you need a full length sizing die...not a neck sizing die.

Some offer "small base" sizing dies for autos....these can mean stuck case hell when resizing anything hot shot out of a 5.56 chamber.

Loads...I find the 1:9 guns like 55gr to 69gr bullets best.

Accuracy load:
69gr SMK
24gr of Varget
CCI 400 small rifle primers
OAL 2.255 (mag length)
.5 moa for me out of a Clark/DPMS barrel... Wylde chamber

1:7 accuracy load:
77gr Nosler Custom Competition
23gr of Varget
CCI 400 small rifle primers
OAL 2.255
.25 out of a White Oak barrel... Wylde chamber

Both loads using Winchester brass. .223 case volume differes GREATLY. 5.56 cases....despite having the same outside dimensions can carry up to .5 grains difference from another type of brass. If you are already at the max of pressure, you can have problems here.

Lycanjustsomestartingpointsthrope

[Farbmeister]

You do not need carbide rifle dies. Since 5.56 is not a SAMMI (or SAAMI whatever they are called) round, they all use .223 as thats what the civy SAAMI spec is for.

Get Lee dies... you will get a stuck case and NOTHING beats their dies for removing a stuck case.

You need to know your barrels twist rate to know what bullet to use. 1 in 12 is only for 55gr or less, 1 in 7 or 9 is for heavy 60+gr projectiles.

Go to AR15.com and read up in the reloading section under GENERAL tab.

[sinful]

There's an ar15.com? where the hell have I been? lol
I guess it only stands to reason there would be.. DUH! (said to myself)

Thanks for the info. I'll go become a noob over there too. hehe

[K31]

I use RCBS dies for all my reloading. What twist is the bbl? As far as powders go I use a lot of H335 and BL-C2 just picked up a jug of WC844 witch is the military version of H335. All three are "ball powers" witch are very fine and meter like water through the powder dispenser this is a big plus when loading a lot of bullets at one time as soon as you get the dispenser set to the correct charge weight you can basically dump and run. 4198 will work but would not be my first choice.

If you want all the AR has to offer you will need match grade bullets. I shoot a lot of the 52gr SMK's and 52gr Nosler Competition bullets. If you just want blasting ammo buy bulk 55fmj you can get a 1000 of them for about 70$

If your using Military brass reduce your load by a full 2gr and work up mil spec cases are thicker and will boost higher pressures. Also do NOT try to resize military brass with out de-priming the brass first the primers are crimped in and you will break the decapping pin in you new die on the first case you try to size! You will also need to remove that crimp before installing the fresh primer.

Here is a load I use in 2 different AR's with 1-8 and 1-9 twist and it shoots good in both.

52gr SMK
26gr H335
CCI 400 small rifle primers
Winchester Case
OAL 2.255



Here is my two bitches...

[lexington86]

In an AR you need a full length sizing die...not a neck sizing die.

Okay, I managed to understand everything you said except the above part.

Can I use these dies (in .223/5.56, of course), or do I need to shell out the extra cash for something like these dies??

Thanks for all of the help, everyone!

Edit: Xringshooter has agreed to show me some .223 reloading basics when we meet to collect the PAFOA lowers!

[Lycanthrope]

Okay, I managed to understand everything you said except the above part.

Can I use these dies (in .223/5.56, of course), or do I need to shell out the extra cash for something like these dies??


Thanks for all of the help, everyone!

Either is fine. In the second set you are paying for the trick seating die. Of course....the first set is on backorder.......

[lexington86]

Either is fine. In the second set you are paying for the trick seating die. Of course....the first set is on backorder.......

Thanks for the clarification. And backorders with ammo-related products... imagine that!