Hey .223 experts (ahem, Lycan), is this load going to work?

[BerksCountyDave]

I just loaded up my first 5 .223 rounds for use in my AR, and now I'm concerned about whether or not they'll work ok. I used the Nosler 50gr Spitzer bullets over Hodgdon BL(C)-2. My manual lists a minimum charge of 25.5 grains and a max charge of 27.5 grains. I decided to start with 26.0 grains. Here's the load:

Remington brass, trimmed to 1.755"
Nosler 50gr Spitzer
26.0 grains of Hodgon BL(C)-2
CCI 400 Small Rifle Primer
Overall Length - 2.250" (This is just short of max magazine length)

Now, here's the part I'm worried about. See how the primer I used is in bold? After I finished those 5 rounds and boxed them up, I noticed that my manual says a CCI magnum small rifle primer was used for this load. Am I going to see any major problems because I used a regular small rifle primer?

The other thing is, there was no load data for this exact bullet. I just used the data for some other 50 grain bullets.

Thanks for any help.
Dave

[Xringshooter]

You shouldn't have any problems with only having the standard primer in there. Magnum primers typically run a little hotter to better insure the powder is ignited.

If you're really concerned, pull the bullet, dump the powder and either deprime (pushing the primer out slowly) or pop it in the AR and pull the trigger (outside, mind you) and then reload the round. If you deprime slowly, you might even be able to reuse that primer in another load.

If you used load data for a 50 grain bullet you won't have any trouble. Hornady shows a load between 22.9 and 26.7 grains. Speer shows a load of 25.5 to 27.5. Both of these are for 50 grain spitzer bullets.

[Franchi20/28]

Some people say you MUST use a magnum primer with ball powders to insure good ignition (especially in cold weather). Others say it's just not necessary. (Some manuals do not specify mag primers for ball powders, others do.) Personally I subscribe to magnum primers being more necessary to large capacity cases that need the extra flash to get full ignition of a large charge of powder (maybe ball powders in med lg cases).

Magnum primers WILL increase your pressure.
When substituting a mag primer for a standard one, always back off your powder charge at least one grain of powder and work back up if desired.

You must be using the Speer manual.
here's what I researched.

Speer #14 25.5gr - 27.5gr sm rifle mag primer
Hodgdon #26 26.0gr - 28.0gr sm rifle
Hodgdon web same
Lee mod rel ed 2 26.0gr - 28.0gr sm rifle
Nosler #5 no load for BL-C2 sm rifle

I suggest, (others may disagree) take your 5 rounds up to the range. Load one round in the mag and see if it locks the bolt open. Then pop your rear takedown pin, remove the bcg and charging handle and look down the bore for unburnt powder.

If it passes both these tests, load up the other four and fire slowly (we want the barrel to stay relatively cold) and see if it cycles reliably.

Good luck bud.
Let us know how it works out.

Or trash em and start over. It's only 5 rounds.

[BerksCountyDave]

Thanks for the replies fellas. Very helpful.

[BerksCountyDave]

Some people say you MUST use a magnum primer with ball powders to insure good ignition (especially in cold weather). Others say it's just not necessary. (Some manuals do not specify mag primers for ball powders, others do.) Personally I subscribe to magnum primers being more necessary to large capacity cases that need the extra flash to get full ignition of a large charge of powder (maybe ball powders in med lg cases).

Magnum primers WILL increase your pressure.
When substituting a mag primer for a standard one, always back off your powder charge at least one grain of powder and work back up if desired.

You must be using the Speer manual.
here's what I researched.

Speer #14 25.5gr - 27.5gr sm rifle mag primer
Hodgdon #26 26.0gr - 28.0gr sm rifle
Hodgdon web same
Lee mod rel ed 2 26.0gr - 28.0gr sm rifle
Nosler #5 no load for BL-C2 sm rifle

I suggest, (others may disagree) take your 5 rounds up to the range. Load one round in the mag and see if it locks the bolt open. Then pop your rear takedown pin, remove the bcg and charging handle and look down the bore for unburnt powder.

If it passes both these tests, load up the other four and fire slowly (we want the barrel to stay relatively cold) and see if it cycles reliably.

Good luck bud.
Let us know how it works out.

Or trash em and start over. It's only 5 rounds.

Based on that data you posted, if I wanted to load 4 different loads with this bullet/primer/powder combo, what other three charges would you throw, in what increment?

Maybe 25.8, 26.0, 26.5, and 27.0 grains?

[andrewjs18]

Earlier I recorded some .223 loads the g/fs Dad shot out of his mini-14 a few years ago with good accuracy...now, I'm not sure if the this matters much because its a different gun.

Caliber-223
Bullet-(he didn't list a weight) Hornady JHP B.T.
Powder-26gr Winchester 748
Primer-CCI 450
OAL-2.235

grouping-1in

[Franchi20/28]

Based on that data you posted, if I wanted to load 4 different loads with this bullet/primer/powder combo, what other three charges would you throw, in what increment?

Maybe 25.8, 26.0, 26.5, and 27.0 grains?

Unless you're going to go to the magnum primer I would not go 25.8. All the manuals say 26.0 min load with a standard primer.

I have always worked up with 1/2 grain increments, but that has always been with '06 sized brass. Due to the smaller capacity of the .223/5.56 I would work up in .3 gr increments if looking for a load based on accuracy.

So 26.0 (already done.), 26.3, 26.6, 26.9, 27.2, 27.5

But that's just me.

Sometimes you will start to see a pattern develop. Case in point, my uncles .270Win. As I increased the powder charge in .5 gr increments, every 3rd load would give a tighter group. Each load was better than the one 3 groups before it, but one third was definitely much better than the other two. Based on this pattern, watching for signs of overpressure, chronograph readings, I ended up .5gr over max charge listed in the speer manual. (No I will not give up the recipe.) this load will repeatedly shoot the first 3 rds into .5 inch with the SAME zero and 5 shots at .9 inch. (If you shoot 3 3rd groups letting the barrel cool for 30 mins between groups it is simply astounding). Pretty damn good for a used Savage 110 package gun in .270Win!

If you want to get together sometime I'm just down the road in NE lanc county. Send me a PM.

edit: saw your same post on AR15.com btw
I'm hurt....don't you trust us here?