Reloading 5.56

[rich]

I could not find a previous post on this I was wondering if you can reload 5.56 with 223 dies and if there is some way of obtaining load data foe 5.56 military ammo I have looked but found nothing

[Steve in PA]

Yes you can reload the 5.56 with .223 dies.

The Hornady reloading manual shows data for the 5.56mm. There is no real big difference in reloading the two, other than finding out what your rifle is chambered for.

[SteveWag]

You can turn 5.56 cases into .233 by using a standard FL sizing die. If trying to produce true 5.56 cases, try to find as many worn out .223 dies as you can, selectively use sand paper, grinding compound and maybe a drill bit to enlarge the inside of the die, and you will be able to duplicate the wide tolerances found in NATO ammo. If you are trying to duplicate 5.56 NATO loads, you need to use a chronograph and work up to the specified velocity. The standard loads can be found in most editions of “Cartridges of the World” by Barnes. Because LC is not using canister powder, the powder charge can not be used. The powders used, WC844, WC845, WC844T and so on cannot be purchased in anything less that train car lots from Winchester, smaller quantities must be obtained from surplus dealers. Pat McDonald still has some. Accurate Powders reloading manual has some “High Power” competition loads that are quite close to US NATO loads. The only Mil Spec. primers are from CCI, their number is 41-5.56. Why would anyone want to make such poor ammo as 5.56 when quality stuff can be made?
Steve Wagner

[Poonie]

Am I missing something here. Last time I checked the dimensions of a 5.56 round and a .223 round were the same, and both can be shot in either military or civilian rifles. its the components that are different. I shoot .223 in my AR15 and mini-14 all the time.

[40twist]

It is recommended to NOT shoot 5.56 in a .223 chamber but the opposite is OK. I.E. shooting .223 in a 5.56 chamber is ok

there are tons and tons of articles on this subject.

I reload tons of 5.56 and .223 all with fl rcbs .223 dies. My AR is chambered for 5.56

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.223_Remington

http://www.thegunzone.com/556v223.html

http://www.fulton-armory.com/556-vs-223-Chambers.htm


And heres a good link with drawings showing differences between the two


http://www.ar15barrels.com/tech.shtml

[SteveWag]

There is a lot of info on the web, and a lot of comments by people who have nothing better to do than add mis-info to the mess. NATO ammo is to be made in many countries around the world, by many second world nations and supplied to many countries. The dimensions of the NATO ammo allow a fairly wide tolerance, fat, long, 3-5 gr. of powder +/-, etc. It is possible that US rifles may fire Nigerian made ammo and vice-a-versa. The intent is that ANY NATO ammo work in ANY NATO rifle. So, the 5.56 NATO chamber is a little larger in some dimensions, and the leade, or throat, is longer. The generous chamber allows chambering oversize and/or out-of-round cases while the long leade allows easy transition of the bullet from the case mouth into the rifling, lowering internal pressure. The downside of the picture is that the oversized chamber gives short case life to reloads due to overworking of the brass while the long leade gives poor accuracy. Unless you think that your only source of ammo is some second rate technologically deprived country, buy a .223 chambered AR and fire either 5.56 NATO or SAAMI .223. And don’t worry about high pressure, some rifles may be stressed, but not an AR.
Steve Wagner

[Lycanthrope]

Very few AR rifles are chambered in .223 Remington these days. They are not recommended to fire 5.56 NATO.

http://www.thegunzone.com/556v223.html

http://www.ammo-oracle.com/body.htm

Most AR15 guns have a 5.56 NATO chamber...or at times a .223 Wylde....both handle .223 and 5.56 ammo easily.....but be warned that pressure varies a lot. And...brass wall thickness can vary up to 2 grains of powder volume difference....pushing a hot load into the critical area in a heartbeat. So.....you need to pay attention to pressure signs and brass type when reloading.

Lycandon'tgethurtthrope

[lethal93ta]

Very few AR rifles are chambered in .223 Remington these days. They are not recommended to fire 5.56 NATO.

http://www.thegunzone.com/556v223.html

http://www.ammo-oracle.com/body.htm

Most AR15 guns have a 5.56 NATO chamber...or at times a .223 Wylde....both handle .223 and 5.56 ammo easily.....but be warned that pressure varies a lot. And...brass wall thickness can vary up to 2 grains of powder volume difference....pushing a hot load into the critical area in a heartbeat. So.....you need to pay attention to ressure signs and brass type when reloading.

Lycandon'tgethurtthrope

my load with varget I have to back off 1 grain from winchester brass to LC, I load mostly LC brass and I can only load to a max of 24.5 after that it starts to pop the primers I normally load my LC to 24 grains. with winchester I load to 25. theres a big diffrance just with case wall thickness.

[40twist]

My AR loves 26.8 grains of BL-C(2)

[RJH245]

I have a DPMS AR-15....It loves 26.5 grains of BL-C(2) moving a 55 FMJ.
However, I do reduce the load to 26 grains when using NATO brass.

I use lee .223 dies and I have never had any problems with resizing brass that was first loaded wit 5.56 brass.