[kart racer]

Just ordered an ar15 and have decided I'm gonna reload for it.Will the partner press I have for pistols stuff work or do I need to buy something else?What all do I need And last what are some good loads for a 16 inch barrel with 1/9 twist.

[snuffy]

If that's what you're refereing to, then yes it will work just fine for .223. Nothing too hard about sizing a .223 shell.

As for loads for a 1-9 twist, you should be able to load up to 65-69 grain bullets with good sucess. Also down to 55 grainers. Anything lighter will be over stabilized and may self destruct by spinning off the jacket.

My bushy 1-9 20" bbl will stabilize the 69 grain Nozler BTHP match bullet just fine. My best loads are 60 grain Hornady v-max bullets, or their 60 grain HP bullets.

A set of dies,(of course), small rifle primers,(stay away from the rem 6.5 or 6 1/2), trimmer and pilot, different powders. I use a LOT of surplus powder, especially WC-844,( www.gibrass.com ). H-335 is nearly identical to the wc-844, there's abunch of others, including varget, h4895.

[mc223]

According to the Greenhill formula bullets that are .85 to 1.1 long should shoot best from a 1 in 9 twist. The velocities are not high enough even with 40g bullets to get them to come apart. Bullet technology has improved since the 1970s. As velocities approach 4000fps there are some soft point lead core type bullets that may come apart. 223 just can't hold enough powder to generate those velocities at least not safely. try 26g of varget under a 60g Hornady V-Max with a Rem 7-1/2. Of course reduce to start and work up.

[snuffy]

"The velocities are not high enough even with 40g bullets to get them to come apart. Bullet technology has improved since the 1970s. As velocities approach 4000fps there are some soft point lead core type bullets that may come apart. 223 just can't hold enough powder to generate those velocities at least not safely."

Then apparently the Hornady SX bullet is no longer made, nor the speer TNT. The SX HAD to be loaded UNDER 3300 fps OR it would self distruct. Spin it faster, then I bet it would come apart at 3000 fps.

I had some SX bullets do that when loaded in a Rem 22-250 I HAD. I knew about the velocity warning, I loaded them at what the book claimed SHOULD be 3100,(that was before I had a chronograph). They looked like someone had thrown a smoking rope at the target! All that hit the paper was shards of lead dust and copper flakes!:mad:

[HSMITH]

Joe, try some Sierra Gameking 55's. They shoot great out of ALL of my 223's from 1-12" to 1-7".

The best bullet I have tried in my 16" AR with a 1-9" barrel is the Hornady 69 BTHP match bullet, I have been a Sierra fan for YEARS but the Hornady match bullets flat shoot.

Varget is a good choice, but you will be at or near max to get most 16" AR's to function well. It will almost surely be a slightly compressed load, but they are consistent and accurate. 748 and BLC-22 are good powders for your new rifle too.

[mc223]

snuffy, you nearly answered your own question. sorry to hear that you experianced problems. but, since you loaded with the expectancy of a given book velocity, I must add the variables factor. You were not shooting a 20 in. pressure barrel were you? Maybe the powder lot was on the upside of the tolerance. Maybe it was a hot day. Perhaps you used a different primer because that is what you had. Your actual velocity may have exceeded the manufacturers velocity spec.
I avoid bullets that have specific velocity restrictions. Also if thought of in realistic way a bullet from a 1 in 12 twist only rotates on it's axis 300 times in 100 yds. 360 rotations from a 1 in 9.
Anyway back to topic.
Kart racer, I have been using Varget almost since it came out. In the 223 case you really cant get too much Varget in. 69g SMKs at the load listed below when seated to magizine length will give some powder crunch. Increasing the powder charge will not get you any more usable velocity, just wasting powder.
Vihta vouri powders work well in 223. Sorry I don't have my loads book near enough, and I won't post a load I have not tested and used myself.

Seirra 69g Match Kings over 25.3 g of varget will prove the inherent accuracy potential of most 1 in 9 twist barrels.

[snuffy]

"Seirra 69g Match Kings over 25.3 g of varget will prove the inherent accuracy potential of most 1 in 9 twist barrels."
MC223, that's a coincidence! Almost exactly what I came up with for a great load for my bushy 20", 25.0 varget, 69 grain Nosler bthp match!

I just shot that load at 600 yds, in a fun shoot, no restrictions on type of rest, (prone front and back rest). I shot a 69 out of a possible 75, I'm sure the variable wind had a lot to do with that!

As for that 22-250, I guessed the same thing, something had pushed that velocity higher than what the book claimed I SHOULD get. Those bullets were left over from some hornet loads I had made. The hornet didn't shoot worth a hoot with them, I was just using them up in informal plinking. I never have bought any more of them, I too dislike bullets so fragile, I have to worry about pushing them too fast.

You are of course correct in that a bullet from a 1 - 12 twist barrel will only do one revolution in every twelve inches. Unless it slows down in forward velocity, the rotational velocity does not slow as quickly, so it may actually rotate once in 11 inches and so forth. Hardly seems like enough to throw a jacket off, but it does happen.

[mc223]

Try a 75 A-Max over 25.5g Varget Rem 7-1/2.Seated long at 2.43 OAL and single load for the 600. The 75s buck the wind better than the 69s and perform just fine out of a 1 in 9. This load from a 20in should get you about 2800 fps. I tested these today at 200yds and 10 shot grouped just under an inch with a Bushy 24in. Winds were calm to maybe 3 mph from behind me.

I also messed with some 50g Barnes Varminators. They may need a faster powder to get the velocities up to something more useful. 3125 was about the best I got outa Varget. The groups were just starting to tighten up at that velocity. Might try some VV N-140 tomorrow.

[snuffy]

I tried the 75 grainers, IIRC they were flat based HPs. Shot slots for holes, didn't group worth sour beans. I was using surplus WC-844. Mine is only a 20" so maybe with another 4", it would get up to enough velocity to completly stabilize. The a-max is a longer bullet, so it wouldn't work at all in my bushy 1-9.

I'm gonna wait for a calm overcast day, sit at a bench at 600 with a couple of guns to really see what is what. I'm pretty sure I will be surprised at the groups, hopefully pleasantly!