5.56×45 Nato reloading dies

[Rookie]

Santa left me a Rockriver AR upper under the tree last night. It's 16"M4 clone with 1/7 5.56 NATO chamber. The 223 ammo I've been loading is a little tite in the chamber but new LC M855 fits great. I'm thinking 5.56 dies would work better.
Anyone use RCBS 5.56 dies? Others?

 

[areaone]

I have 2 RR and no issues using Lee dies in 223. I have used winchester and once fired LC with no issues at all. Never shot factory ammo in anything in the last 35 years so I can not comment on factory. you need to fl resize any brass that was first used in a different chamber and bump the shoulder.

 

[MGYSGT]

Don't believe you need special dies for a RR. Don't they use a Wylde chamber. I used a Lee .223 die for mine.

Tom

 

[Rookie]

Barrel is stamped 5.56 NATO. Chamber is not 223, factory Win. 223 is just as tite as my hand loads.
Ordered RCBS 5.56 die set.
Thanks

 

[xdshooter]

What model is it

 

[TiGuy]

Haven't tried the RCBS but I've had great success with Redding 223 dies and LC brass in my 5.56 NATO chambered AR's

 

[Rookie]

What model is it

It's CAR A4 with 14.5" barrel-long bird cage flash hider (pined for 16" over all)
1/7 twist NATO chamber, quaid/rail handguard. Just as I ask for, gona use it for yotes.

 

[Rookie]

Trimed my 223 brass (Winchester & Federal) .003" under spec. And it fits fine FL sized with RCBS dies!
Problem solved.

 

[Nightvisionary]

Santa left me a Rockriver AR upper under the tree last night. It's 16"M4 clone with 1/7 5.56 NATO chamber. The 223 ammo I've been loading is a little tite in the chamber but new LC M855 fits great. I'm thinking 5.56 dies would work better.
Anyone use RCBS 5.56 dies? Others?

There is no difference in chamber dimensions between 5.56 and .223. The difference is in the throat not the chamber. The .556 has a looser freebore and a longer and shallower lead. This permits the 5.56 to be loaded to higher pressure/velocities than .223 but the chamber and cartridge dimensions are identical. (See link below for further clarification)

I have use a standard RCBS .223 dies for all my 5.56 for many years.

I don't mean to bad mouth your new toy. Im sure it will serve it's intended purpose as a coyote gun just fine. However Rock River Arms like Bushmaster and many other AR manufacturers do not follow minimum military specifications in regards to their materials, production, and testing methods. So when when you purchase one of their products and have issues with a tight chamber it's anyones guess as to what the true nature of the problem may be.

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=55149

 

[Rtheurer]

There is no difference in chamber dimensions between 5.56 and .223. The difference is in the throat not the chamber. The .556 has a looser freebore and a longer and shallower lead. This permits the 5.56 to be loaded to higher pressure/velocities than .223 but the chamber and cartridge dimensions are identical.

Mr. Nightvisionary is correct. ( your first name?)
I have done alot of research on this with industry leaders that deal with this exact cartridge. Black Hills Ammo, The Department of Defence, Pacific tool and Gage... Ect ect. The Cartridges are one in the same, The difference being in the Freebore like mentioned above and the Mil Spec 5.56mm running at a Higher pressure vs the SAMMI spec 223 Rem. Case dimensions are to be the same, or at least within a min and Max case dimensions that is. The reason I started digging is that I kept seeing so called gun rag writers claim that Milspec cases are THICKER ( Lake City, IMI, )and have less case capacity than commercial cases ( Winchester, Lapua, Remington) This is simply NOT TRUE, yet i keep seeing this in print by authors that don't know because they may have knowledge of the 308 win vs 7.62 cartridges and automatically think the same is true for the little 223..... It is not. The factory CASE DIMENSIONS are the same.

Rookie ( Name?)
glad you got every thing worked out. You should enjoy your Rock River, I usually point folks in that direction when ever some one asks my thoughts on what to get.

Russ T
( my real name)

 

[KevinThomas]

RussT,

The military cases are indeed thicker, if we're talking about USGI 30/06 or 7.62x51 cases, but NOT as you mentioned in the case of the LC 5.56mm brass. This stuff can (and should be) loaded exactly the same as W-W, Federal, Remington or Lapua. Sorry, just one of my pet peeves that it seems every gunwriter feels compelled to mention everytime they do a piece on the 223/5.56mm. Just wish some of them would have taken the time to actually measure the capacity or weigh the cases before automatically repeating this little bit of misinformation ad nauseum.

 

[Rtheurer]

Hi Kevin

Seems we share the same pet peeve, hence my research and a note to an Author with all my data. Never heard back from him..

Been thinking about putting it all together and posting what I have. Just havnt done that yet.

Good Seeing you at SOA this year.

RussT

 

[KevinThomas]

My pleasure, Russ, and look forward to doing it again in 2012! Never miss a trip to Raton if I can help it. Just sitting here right now planning my travel itinerary for the year.