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New to reloading with some AR15 223 questions

Ok, Im shooting an AR-15 .223/5.56 i put together myself from Model One Sales with a DPMS lower. ER shaw 24" bull chrome molly 1-9" barrel with a Leupold Mark AR 6-18. I spent less than $800 on it(not including scope) and am amazingly satisfied, 3/4" MOA at 100 and getting 4" groups at 400 with Fedral Premium loaded with 55gr Sierra BTHP. Ok and getting to brass tacks here, i just bought a Lee annaversary reloading kit with Lee PaceSetter dies. I also have a good collection of Fiocchi, Remingtion and Hornady brass. I was having a hard time finding what is a good set of dies for an automatic but also for utmost accuracy, and what bullets to look into. I got the PaceSetter dies and 55gr V-max for coyote hunting but being in MN im not going to be shooting over 200 yards hunting. The rest of my questions are for target shooting out to around 600 yards and am not worried about soft point, hollow point, etc... same goes with the dies, being that what i have read is you shouldnt use dies that only size the necks for automatics (if i have to load each round individually for 1/2" MOA, bring it on.) I am just looking for some expertice with reloading for accuracy in an AR. Thanks for any help guys and look forward to learning from you.
 
Hey Rock, ;)
someone 'll come along an help ya with this one too. Be sure to check out all the back pages for tons of archived info
 
Rock, I started out with Lee dies years ago myself. They work well but in my experience with handloading I think you will fair better with Redding dies. I load for several AR s and I use Redding bushing dies. I suggest reading all info you can find and keep asking questions.
 
IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE WITH THE GUN JAMMING AND NOT GOING INTO BATTERY(FULL LOCKUP),then you will have to buy a full length small base rcbs or redding die to bring the case back to factory specs.The problem area is the web just ahead of the head and extractor groove.If the rounds are too hot,and the chamber is milspec it could cause a slight bulge.I doubt you will encounter this. The sierra 69 grain bullet over a charge of blc-2,h335 etc.The one in 9 twist stabilizes it well. This is for target use.I shoot chucks with them anyways and does an outstanding job.The 40-55 grain hollow points work well.Use good quality bullets for optimum performance.I hope this helps.
 
Cool thanks for the quick replies. A pawn shop near me had some new redding dies, but i hadnt heard anything of them and the owner couldnt tell me diddle about them except they where "what he uses." I will keep an eye on them and see how this Lee set works out.

Great thats an awsome start jonbear, Thanks.
 
If you have the cash to burn on it...get a redding type-s FL resizer, like Bill said, and either a redding competition or wilson seater/arbor press, and Lapua brass. And some 69-75gr match bullets.

If not...prep the heck out of the hornady brass you have (especially flash holes), get a few different 69-75gr match bullets (some may not magazine feed like 75gr a-max) and tinker with powder and seating depths. Probably will surprise you.

Don't buy just any old Redding die set. Plain jane resizers are ok but get a better "inline" or "chamber type" seater.
 
You're very welcome Bill.

Rock, pick out the one bullet that you hope will shoot and work with it before giving up on it, especially seating depth. I know you don't have a lot of wiggle room in a AR but you would be surprised what experimenting from 2.270ish to 2.220ish in .010" increments on overall length can do.
 
Thanks a lot for all the help. I was wondering if anyone has ever removed some of the front of the magazine to feed longer shells. Looking at my 30rd right now, you would only have to remove about a 1/4" wide by however many bullets you want to put in it, say getting a 20rd magazine are cutting about 1/4"x1" to fit 5 rounds. Just a thought, I dont think it would be too dangerous to try but is the magazine size the only limiting factor on an AR or even if they then fit in the magazine would it not be able to cycle them? just a thought. Thanks a lot guys, im off to Mille Lacs to shoot some grouse and hopefully catch monster musky, cya on sunday.
 
You really don't have a fast enough twist barrel to take advantage of removing the front of the mag. Even if you did, I seriously question the advantage. I only know one guy who did it (for NRA Highpower) and he doesn't use the increased length. It's not much.

You may get away with 75/77gr bullets, you may not. I'd go with 69s and RE15 or Varget. I guarantee that will shoot in your barrel. There's a reason nobody who shoots Full-course (out to 600) Highpower uses a 1/9.

I think your Lee dies will do just fine. I compared cases sized with a Lee, an RCBS, an RCBS small base, a Lyman and a Redding and there wasn't a dimes worth of difference between any of them, even down by the pressure ring, where small base is supposed to be smaller. Just make sure you size your brass to ~.003" shorter average headspace than what it comes out of the gun.

The only thing you may want is a competition seater, but then only if you are seating bullets for single load only. They don't seem to improve runout on mag-length bullets unless your standard seater is bum.

The bullets you are going to be using vary in length by as much as .015" anyway. Controlling seating precision to a tolerance finer than .01" is a waste of time. This is a gasgun, not a bolt action BR rifle.
 
I have an AR similar to yours.. I use RCBS dies and even though I have a SB die I have not felt the need to use it.. My AR likes 52 gr Sierra HPBT's, and has a 1:9 twist.. I have found that TAC seems to give me the best groups with a BR primer...
 
billmo said:
Rock, I started out with Lee dies years ago myself. They work well but in my experience with handloading I think you will fair better with Redding dies. I load for several AR s and I use Redding bushing dies. I suggest reading all info you can find and keep asking questions.

Bill, do you use SB dies or just std. FL dies?

I haven't loaded for an AR in YEARS, in fact, I don't think I've loaded for an AR since the early '80's. At that time I used SB dies, just because that is what I was told I needed, however, I understand that the SB dies may not be necessary. I switched to using Redding dies almost exclusively in the early-mid 1990's and would much prefer to use a FL Redding die. If it matters, the AR I'll be loading for is a RRA with the .223 Wylde chamber.

I'm sure I'll just have to see how using the FL dies work, but thought I ask what you're using.

Thanks!
 
Thanks for all the input guys it will be a couple more weeks untill the closest 500 yard range opens, and untill then i dont have anywhere else to go. I dont really even waist my money on all the local 100 yard ranges, but once again thanks i will give my results once i get back from the range.
 
I use Lee FL dies in my AR-10 (sold it) as well as my Rem 740 30-06, and both feed and function great, with good accuracy as well.

I don't think extreme precision is of benefit with most standard AR's, the tolerances just are not tight enough to really take advantage of precision ammo.

I think the accuracy you are getting from a "run of the mill" AR is pretty good, especially considering it's from Model 1. I really don't think you will see all that much benefit from bushing dies and competition seaters. Just use care in loading ammo with what you have and do the best you can.
 
Yeah, the run-of-the-mill thing is what i expected, expecially from a M1S $750 homemade cheapo. What i didnt expect was 3/4" MOA with 50-55gr V-Max getting tossed from cheap Fiocchi rounds, but its what i got and im damn happy with it. Ive never shot over 55gr just because i was woowed by the Mark AR and its set up for 55gr. and it works very well compansating for distances ive never shot at before. Performance was very good at 100-200yards w/ V-max, performance at 300yards was matched between V-max and Sierra BTHP and the BTHPs surpassed the V-max at 400yards. But i know i can get better with heavier rounds being meticulously hand loaded, its just time to find out how much better... ;)
 

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