AR 223 Reloading
- Thread starter Belton45
- Start date
With a 1:9 twist, you could go up to a 69 grain bullet. Varget, H4895, Win 748 and similar burn rate powders will work. Check reloading manuals and data from powder manuf. for info.
Belton45,
push them back a minimum of .003"-.004"; it's an autoloader, not a bolt gun. If you haven't reloaded for gas guns before, they're a but different and need to be treated as such. Check out some of the stuff written for the Service Rifles and follow that advice. Sierra has had a chapter in their manual that pertains specifically to how this type of ammunition needs to be reloaded, and that's a good starting point. Glen Zediker, John Feamster, Derrick Martin and several others have all written books that covered a good bit of reloading for gas guns, and all of them are very experienced in the field.
push them back a minimum of .003"-.004"; it's an autoloader, not a bolt gun. If you haven't reloaded for gas guns before, they're a but different and need to be treated as such. Check out some of the stuff written for the Service Rifles and follow that advice. Sierra has had a chapter in their manual that pertains specifically to how this type of ammunition needs to be reloaded, and that's a good starting point. Glen Zediker, John Feamster, Derrick Martin and several others have all written books that covered a good bit of reloading for gas guns, and all of them are very experienced in the field.
Win 748 has always been my go to powder for 223, it burns fairly clean and the pressures aren't high. I generally load 26.0grs with a 55gr bullet which is near the max recommended load. Always full length size them though or you may have trouble getting them to chamber.
Make sure whatever you load is short enough to cycle through your magazine too, I think max oal is 2.260"
Make sure whatever you load is short enough to cycle through your magazine too, I think max oal is 2.260"
Belton45
Silver $$ Contributor
Thanks for info. I will definitely start off with lighter charges and fl resize. I did some more reading and it looks like I nay need to get some different primers. All my primers are match. Read a few things on slam fires that got my attention. Any primer recommendations?
Uniform your primer pockets, you will greatly reduce the chances for slamfires. Just feel your primers with the pad of your finger and make sure that none are above the rim of the primer pocket and then you should not have any problems wth slamfires.
Belton45,
The CCI #43 is the military 5.56mm primer, and should prevent any slamfire issues. As Tom mentioned, the Tula/Wolf primers have gained a tremendous following among Service Rifle shooters, and are very good. Use them myself, and have found them to be a bit more uniform that the #43s.
Actually, I'd have to say the biggest risk from slam fires in an AR comes from improperly seated primers, not a brand choice or inherent primer sensitivity. Just make sure that you swage (preferable) or ream the crimp out of military brass, and seat them so tht they are several thousandths below the case head. If you run a fingertip across the seated primer, you want to feel a noticeable "dip" as you pass over the primer. The risks of slam fires are a good deal less that those with M1s and M14s, but it does have a floating firing pin, so it's worth paying attention to.
The CCI #43 is the military 5.56mm primer, and should prevent any slamfire issues. As Tom mentioned, the Tula/Wolf primers have gained a tremendous following among Service Rifle shooters, and are very good. Use them myself, and have found them to be a bit more uniform that the #43s.
Actually, I'd have to say the biggest risk from slam fires in an AR comes from improperly seated primers, not a brand choice or inherent primer sensitivity. Just make sure that you swage (preferable) or ream the crimp out of military brass, and seat them so tht they are several thousandths below the case head. If you run a fingertip across the seated primer, you want to feel a noticeable "dip" as you pass over the primer. The risks of slam fires are a good deal less that those with M1s and M14s, but it does have a floating firing pin, so it's worth paying attention to.
[quote author=KevinThomas]
Actually, I'd have to say the biggest risk from slam fires in an AR comes from improperly seated primers, not a brand choice or inherent primer sensitivity. [/quote]
Agreed... An inspec AR will simply NOT slam fire ever. Think about all the commercial ammo in .223 that's fired through every kind of AR possible in this country every year... I get a chuckle when guys give advice to new AR loaders that they need the mil spec primer.
I've never heard of a slam fire in an AR. Perhaps if you used small pistol primers, you could get it to happen.
Actually, I'd have to say the biggest risk from slam fires in an AR comes from improperly seated primers, not a brand choice or inherent primer sensitivity. [/quote]
Agreed... An inspec AR will simply NOT slam fire ever. Think about all the commercial ammo in .223 that's fired through every kind of AR possible in this country every year... I get a chuckle when guys give advice to new AR loaders that they need the mil spec primer.
I've never heard of a slam fire in an AR. Perhaps if you used small pistol primers, you could get it to happen.
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