AR15 223 Wylde tight chamber?

[kyotekiller25]

I'm about to start loading for an AR15 223 Wylde with a 20" krieger 7.7 twist. Taking some case measurements on fired brass and coming up with 1.457" on the Hornady comp gauge. Reason I believe it's on the tight side because my LR bolt R700 223 wylde has a tight chamber and the brass from that rifle comes out at 1.457"

Is this normal for an AR? Not super familiar with them. Also read where ARs need about 3-4 thou bump and 3-4 neck tension, which hopefully won't be an issue with my current die set up which is just an RCBS FL sizer. I also have a Redding FL bushing sizer with a .248" bushing for my bolt rifle with lapua brass at a .250" OD loaded neck. It won't work for the AR/federal brass which is like .247" Loaded neck. So I'd need like a 243"-.244" bushing for it. Seating is done with a Forster ultra micrometer for both rifles.

 

[RegionRat]

http://ar15barrels.com/data/223-556.pdf

Here is a nice chart with the numbers for Wylde and a few others.
The basic answer to your question is that the main differences in the Wylde chamber are in the neck and freebore area. Notice that the length tolerances are very generous and can range +0.015" so there can be variation on lengths, and the shoulder datum can run 1.4636" - 1.4736".

I would suggest owning your own GoGage and getting a reference to your chamber with that gage.



How much to bump for AR reloads is up to you, but keeping them in a range like 0.002 - 0.003" should give you reliable feeding and keep you out of trouble with over working the brass. High pressure Service Rifle Loads only go about 4 to 5 cycles anyway. You can get a lot more cycles if keep the pressure lower.

You may want to keep other bushings around depending on your brass supply. Bushings are not expensive and will keep your workflow running when life throws you a curve ball. I would also suggest a spread of mandrels, but I am good at spending your money...

An AR is a little harder on ammo than a bolt gun, but the same principals apply when bolt guns are run hard from the magazine. AR ammo needs to be sturdy.

You will have to experiment with your neck tension. Brass in a 223 neck will have some elastic behavior but also some yield. If you try for more neck tension than you really need, all you are doing is overworking the necks. Because there are so many variations on how folks prep and clean, the answer can vary, but in general you will want closer to 0.0030" - 0.0035" than to 0.002".

Crimping is worth a look, but many of us only taper crimp to avoid bullet jacket damage. This is another parameter you can experiment with as you go. Good Luck and have fun.

 

[243winxb]

https://sierrabullets.com/load-data/ Load data is different between bolt & autos.
A comparator is used to measure fired brass. Each gun may be different, head to datum.
Size for each gun & dont mix brass between the 2.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I use a Lyman ammo checker for my 223rem/223Wyde brass. I also use it for my 20P brass. I set my die to size the brass 0.0005-0.001 below the lowest(SAAMI min) step. Mainly because in the winter(below zero temps) I want to avoid use of foward assist loading off a mag or a round sticking when unloading back at the truck in the dark. Plus my side charger has no forward assist. Also allows me to have brass stored sized for long periods, I use once fired range brass also(no small base die). I haven't had any case separation sizing this way, so far.

 

[searcher]

I'm about to start loading for an AR15 223 Wylde with a 20" krieger 7.7 twist. Taking some case measurements on fired brass and coming up with 1.457" on the Hornady comp gauge. Reason I believe it's on the tight side because my LR bolt R700 223 wylde has a tight chamber and the brass from that rifle comes out at 1.457"

Is this normal for an AR? Not super familiar with them. Also read where ARs need about 3-4 thou bump and 3-4 neck tension, which hopefully won't be an issue with my current die set up which is just an RCBS FL sizer. I also have a Redding FL bushing sizer with a .248" bushing for my bolt rifle with lapua brass at a .250" OD loaded neck. It won't work for the AR/federal brass which is like .247" Loaded neck. So I'd need like a 243"-.244" bushing for it. Seating is done with a Forster ultra micrometer for both rifles.

I also have a few Wylde chambers that produce fired measurement of just under what you are getting (also using a Hornady gauge). Seems about right and I'd not necessarily think of that as a tight chamber. You are right about the .003"-.004" neck tension, though that number is very general. A very short bullet that doesn't get much neck contact might require a bit more tension than a longer bullet which extends to the neck/shoulder junction. The best results usually come from using as light of tension as one can use WITHOUT the bullet moving during the feeding and chambering process. That usually amounts to a bit of trial and error, but you can tell you will likely have problems if you feel almost no/very little resistance when seating the bullet. If you change bullets, you may need to change your bushing. for example, If I'm shooting a 40 grain .224" bullet, I need .001" more tension than when shooting a 52 grain - and sometimes just a change in lots and/or brands with the same weight bullet will call for a change. Factory, full-length (non-bushing) dies will always give you more than enough tension, regardless of bullet used. Sometimes, you can get fantastic (and the best) accuracy with a non-bushing factory die. Would be a good idea to ask others on this forum what bushing size they use with a particular (Non-neck-turned) brass for reliable seating without overdoing it. Bumping shoulder .003-.004" is pretty good advice. You can bump them a bit less (I do mine .002"), though I anneal before each loading and am constantly taking sample measurements every ten rounds or so throughout the sizing process. Makes for best accuracy and brass life. If your full-length die is not a bushing die, I'd give it a try and see how things go. You may need to add a few bushings to your arsenal for the bushing die. I use a .241" bushing the most, though I do turn my necks a bit, so you are in the ballpark with the .243 - .244 bushing.

 

[SKWERLZ]

I also have a few Wylde chambers that produce fired measurement of just under what you are getting (also using a Hornady gauge). Seems about right and I'd not necessarily think of that as a tight chamber. You are right about the .003"-.004" neck tension, though that number is very general. A very short bullet that doesn't get much neck contact might require a bit more tension than a longer bullet which extends to the neck/shoulder junction. The best results usually come from using as light of tension as one can use WITHOUT the bullet moving during the feeding and chambering process. That usually amounts to a bit of trial and error, but you can tell you will likely have problems if you feel almost no/very little resistance when seating the bullet. If you change bullets, you may need to change your bushing. for example, If I'm shooting a 40 grain .224" bullet, I need .001" more tension than when shooting a 52 grain - and sometimes just a change in lots and/or brands with the same weight bullet will call for a change. Factory, full-length (non-bushing) dies will always give you more than enough tension, regardless of bullet used. Sometimes, you can get fantastic (and the best) accuracy with a non-bushing factory die. Would be a good idea to ask others on this forum what bushing size they use with a particular (Non-neck-turned) brass for reliable seating without overdoing it. Bumping shoulder .003-.004" is pretty good advice. You can bump them a bit less (I do mine .002"), though I anneal before each loading and am constantly taking sample measurements every ten rounds or so throughout the sizing process. Makes for best accuracy and brass life. If your full-length die is not a bushing die, I'd give it a try and see how things go. You may need to add a few bushings to your arsenal for the bushing die. I use a .241" bushing the most, though I do turn my necks a bit, so you are in the ballpark with the .243 - .244 bushing.

Similar results with my 223 wylde
Slightly shorter chamber but within spec, that was a fairly expensive AR barrel and a fantastic shooter.