Loading for the AR

[00Scot]

ok here is the back story. I have been out of shooting and reloading for about ten years or so. So I have not been up on all the reloading manuals and goings on. I used to load for my bolt rifles and had great success for the most part. But I never reloaded seriously for my AR before. I dabbled a little bit. But not very much. So I guess you can basically consider me a virgin when it comes to reloading for my AR. I know that there are things that are different when loading for an autoloader as opposed to loading for a bolt gun. But I do not know or I should say remember what they are.

So what do I need to know to start loading for my AR? What is different when loading for an AR over a bolt gun?



Thank you in advance for any assistance and help you can offer me

 

[DogPatch06]

The 223 info page of this site is a great refresher on the main basic diffs between bolt and AR loading. Your max oal will be the length of your magazine instead of the distance to the lands - generally. Also your loads nearing max for your bolt gun will be too hot for an AR - generally. Alex

 

[RJBain]

Get yourself a copy of Sierra's latest reloading manual. They have a chapter in there on reloading for gas guns. They also have reloading data for the .223 in the AR-15. With this data, always start low and work your way up looking for pressure signs.

 

[00Scot]

Thanks guys, I do really need to get new reloading manuals from all the major manufacturers. My manuals are around 10 years old. Plus I really need to read up on reloading in general just to get myself back up to speed. The last thing I want to do is just jump in and miss something and OP a load and blow a brl or something like that.

I also saw that the Sierra manual can now be had on disk for the Computer. Anyone try that out? That seems like it would be a pretty good way to go. You could print and compare calibers/loads and so on.

Can anyone out there that has the Sierra manual for the computer chime in and let me know what your thoughts are on it? Would it be good to get js it the computer version or would it still be a good idea to have the old book type manual?

 

[DukeDuke]

You just have to play with it, it's the only way! No way around it. The info is right here!!!

 

[NCFrank]

As DogPatch indicated, on the home page look to far left column, scroll down until you see 223 Rem and click on it. As you scroll down that page you will see the Sierra emblems, one for bolt, one for AR loads. This is the data from the most current Sierra manual. Opens up in PDF.

 

[KevinThomas]

OOScot,

Welcome back! Reloading for the AR, or any gas gun, is different. It's an advanced from of handloading and has its own set of rules which are quite different from those of a bolt gun. To begin, full length resizing is mandatory, no two ways about it. OAL has already been mentioned, and the magazine length is the determining factor if you'll be magazine feeding (not always the case, as in 600 yard slow fire stages). Make sure you use proper powders, in terms of burn rate, that are compatible with the port pressures required for reliable operation. One other thing I very strongly advise is to use gages, and know how much you're sizing your brass. Set the shoulders back .002" minimum, but don't run it much further back than that. For most, something around .006" is absolute max, so somewhere in between those two extremes. A gage is the only way to do this with any assurance. Make sure your primers are properly seated, at least a few thou below the case head to avoid slam fires.

If you really want to get a better feel for this, I'd recommend Glen Zediker's book, "Handloading for Competition". It's available thru Sinclair, Midway and several other sources. In it, Glen gives a ton of information specific to loading for the Service Rifle, and how to do it properly. Money well spent there.

 

[Catfish]

When laoding for an AR I always load the ammo with the longest aol that will reliablely feed through the mag. In all of the barrels I have shot the long round were more accurate.

 

[00Scot]

OOScot,

Welcome back! Reloading for the AR, or any gas gun, is different. It's an advanced from of handloading and has its own set of rules which are quite different from those of a bolt gun. To begin, full length resizing is mandatory, no two ways about it. OAL has already been mentioned, and the magazine length is the determining factor if you'll be magazine feeding (not always the case, as in 600 yard slow fire stages). Make sure you use proper powders, in terms of burn rate, that are compatible with the port pressures required for reliable operation. One other thing I very strongly advise is to use gages, and know how much you're sizing your brass. Set the shoulders back .002" minimum, but don't run it much further back than that. For most, something around .006" is absolute max, so somewhere in between those two extremes. A gage is the only way to do this with any assurance. Make sure your primers are properly seated, at least a few thou below the case head to avoid slam fires.

If you really want to get a better feel for this, I'd recommend Glen Zediker's book, "Handloading for Competition". It's available thru Sinclair, Midway and several other sources. In it, Glen gives a ton of information specific to loading for the Service Rifle, and how to do it properly. Money well spent there.

Thanks KevinThomas,

I have that book. Started reading it a while ago and never completed it. So I suppose it is time to pick it up again.

I also need to find a good book on building AR's now. I just bought two stripped lowers. One to build for my registered Pre Ban Colt so I can actually shoot the upper somewhere else besides just the range. And I will be building another one to be used with a a 6.5 project that I am currently in the planning stages of. Any ideas on a good book to get me thru these builds?