[SSN Vet]

I know the chamber geometry is slightly different for these two....

I'm assuming the brass is sized the same. Correct?

I've been scrounging brass for some time.....

Most of what I have is Fiochi and Rem. Any issues with these?

Win 748 or H335? (55 grain plinkers / 200 yd range loads.....16" AR)

(I already stock 748 for .30-30)

now the biggy.....tumbling....

I've already learned the hard way to NOT use coarse corn cob from pet store on .223 brass. What's preferred?

[K3]

I can answer one question for sure. I use crushed walnut media on .223.

[xsquidgator]

I use a mix (all from the local Gander Mountain) of 2/3 Lyman's corn cob and 1/3 walnut, plus a few tbsp of brass polish for tumbling. They come out like little mirrors and I cull out the really badly tarnished ones that don't.

Your 223 brass ought to be fine. I'm kind of the same way, I'd been picking up 556 and 223 brass for 6 months before I got something to shoot it in. The LC 556 works well for me too, but I try and go through my 223 brass first so I don't have to ream out the primer pocket.

What are you shooting it in? I got the best groups out of my 16" 1/9 Bushmaster with 27.0 grains of BL-C(2) and a 55 FMJBT. I haven't gotten around to buying anything other than the 55FMJs yet.

[Galil5.56]

Same sizing spec, but as you mention different chamber specs (most notably the leade), and .223 spec ammo is OK in a 5.56 chamber, but 5.56 spec ammo is not considered OK in a .223 chamber.

I really like both of the propellants you mention using 55 grain bullets in an op rod equipped Galil ARM, and also like AA2460 in the same application if you should ever want to try something else. I pretty much use nothing but LC GI brass, but the brass you mention should work just fine as long as its condition is good. Crushed Walnut is all I have ever used.

Although I do not like std Lee factory crimp dies for pistol/revolvers, I do like it for this application.

Good luck.

[RustyFN]

Win 748 or H335? (55 grain plinkers / 200 yd range loads.....16" AR)
I use both of those powder and like them both. I shoot with a 16" RRA AR out to 300 yards.
I've already learned the hard way to NOT use coarse corn cob from pet store on .223 brass. What's preferred?
I prefer walnut with a little Nu Finish car polish. The walnut will come completely out with my media separator. You can use 5.56 and 223 brass but look at the 5.56 brass to see if there is a primer crimp that will have to be removed.
Rusty

[SSN Vet]

What are you shooting it in?

I'm building a Del-Ton 16" A2 middie on an Anvil Arms lower.....

just a fun gun.....not a "service duty" thing....

all my brass so far is commercial....I don't want to get into reaming primer pockets just yet.

I guess if I go with the 748, I can justify an 8 lb. jug :D

I'm planning on using WSRP or CCI SRP.....

?? am I correct to think that slam fire won't be an issue in a modern AR of decent quality?

?? What about magnum primers? I've read some folks use mag. primers for .223?


I've been doing the Nu-Finnish thing for about a year now.....works well.

I've always used cheap corn cob....but don't want to pick it out of .22 necks

I'll try the Walnut.....can it be had cheap at pet places?

Ordering Pace Setter Die set today...

and bullets...

??are the Win 55g FMJBTs the same as the M193 mil. surp bullets?

[rcmodel]

Standard primers are fine with WW748. That's all I've used for going on 40 years.

Slam-fires can happen with commercial primers, although it is pretty rare.

The nature of the AR bolt & free-floating firing pin is that the FP dings the primer every time it chambers a round.

As long as you don't really crush the primers & flatten them when you seat them, you should be fine.
But on the otherhand, always keep the rifle pointed in a safe direction when you load it from a locked-open bolt.

Check the pet shop for "Lizard Litter" ground walnut.

For all practical purposes, the "bulk" 55 grain FMJBT's from various manufactures are the same as the M193 bullet.

There may be minor variations in profile between manufactures, but they all shoot the same for blasten ammo! They are not nearly as accurate as commercial varmint & target bullets though, so don't get upset if you can't get them to shoot 1-MOA groups.

rcmodel

[IDriveB5]

SSN- Im also setting up for 223 in a 16" AR. I have read the CCI primers are the hardest and Ive had good results with them in other calibers, so I will use them here as well; especially because of the floating FP.

where are you buying your 55gn bullets? Im looking for a pretty cheap bulk bullet for plinking stuff.

The crushed walnut of the lizard bedding type works great. Girl at the counter asked what kind of lizard I had, I said a Rock River :P

[RustyFN]

Check http://www14.inetba.com/tandtreloading/productCat4435.ctlg?orderId=&custId=. I bought some 55 grain FMJBT for $58 per thousand but I think they are up to around $70 now.
Rusty

[SSN Vet]

I just ordered Remington 55gr FMJBT from MidwayUSA, along with a set of Lee Pace Setter dies.

$37 for 500 bullets

$18 for the dies

Widener's had mil. spec. 55 gr FMJBT for $34/500ct and their shipping would likely be cheaper...but they were out of stock on the dies....

Midway has the the plastic Franklin cartridge boxes on sale, though.....couldn't pass up on a few of those :rolleyes:

[amlevin]

I have found Fiocchi brass has a very sharp lip on the primer pocket and primers can hang up on it in a progressive press. I chuck a Lyman Primer pocket reamer in a small drill press and chamfer the pocket slightly. Other than that Fiocchi has been OK brass.

As to powder, I use Accurate 2230. A little quicker burning than 748 and H-335 which I need for my CAR-15. It has a pre-ban 11.5" barrel with a 4.5" flash supressor to make it a legal 16". This leaves me with only 11.5" of rifled barrel and the quicker powder burns cleaner in MY rifle. Also, I found a source of AA 2230 for only $13/lb (local, no shipping or hazmat fee). H-335 is over $18/lb.

[stubbicatt]

One of the best kept secrets on powder for this chambering is the Ramshot TAC, which goes on sale from time to time, but right now is selling for $95 per 8# jug at Powdervalleyinc.com Last summer it was on sale for $75. Accurate powder, not too dirty, but it smells like unwashed sweatsox when you shoot it. It is a ball powder so it meters fantastically. Why spend 50% more for your powder?

It also works well in 308, if you shoot one of those.

In my Vector 93 rifle, I get 10 shots in an inch using 24.5 grains of TAC, CCI military primers, and 55 grain Hornady FMJ bullets.

YMMV.

[TooTaxed]

Suggest you test the primer holes in your Fiocchi brass. I've had trouble with occasional undersize holes in 9-mm Luger brass that grabbed my decapping pin. Even if everything else is perfect, that has to have some effect on pressure and velocity...

[Bacchus]

Another vote for 748. Great powder for 223.

[Bacchus]

Another vote for 748. Excellent powder for 223.

[taliv]

hey Bacchus, vote early, vote often :)

?? am I correct to think that slam fire won't be an issue in a modern AR of decent quality?

?? What about magnum primers? I've read some folks use mag. primers for .223?

slam fires are a fact of life. pay attention to the four rules mostly, but I avoid unnecessarily chambering rounds in my home. if yours is truly a plinker and not a serious gun, I'd avoid loading it in the home.

no need for magnum primers. however, if you get a deal on them, no real reason not to use them either.

as stubbi metioned, TAC and accurate are both good. You've already been to wideners, so note that they also have good deals on accurate 2230.

For all practical purposes, the "bulk" 55 grain FMJBT's from various manufactures are the same as the M193 bullet.

There may be minor variations in profile between manufactures, but they all shoot the same for blasten ammo! They are not nearly as accurate as commercial varmint & target bullets though, so don't get upset if you can't get them to shoot 1-MOA groups.

I have to non-concur on the "all practical purposes" part, although the rest is true enough. Terminal ballistics are not the same. jacket thickness is radically different between M193 and standard Rem/Win bulk 55g FMJBT.

[Jacka L Ope]

Decently priced bullets:

223 .224 (55 grain) Bullets, 500/$33.00, 1000/$62.00, 2000/$124.00
http://www.goldenwestbrass.com/GoldenWest/GoldenWestWEB/bullets.htm

500 MIL-SPEC 22CAL 55GR FMJBT M193 PROJECTILES $37.00
http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7234&dir=278|281|727

5000 22CAL 55GR FMJBT M193 PROJECTILES $345.00 Pre-Paid USPS
http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7235&dir=278|281|727

My favorite load:

Caliber: 5.56MM BALL, M193 (duplicate)
Bullet: 55 gr.
Powder: H322, 24.5 gr.
Case: LC
Primer: CCI #41 Arsenal Primer
OAL: 2.26 in.
Velocity: 3158 fps.
Firearm: AR-15

I full length resize utilizing RCBS small base die set.

Have fun! :)

[rino451]

One of the best kept secrets on powder for this chambering is the Ramshot TAC, which goes on sale from time to time, but right now is selling for $95 per 8# jug at Powdervalleyinc.com Last summer it was on sale for $75. Accurate powder, not too dirty, but it smells like unwashed sweatsox when you shoot it. It is a ball powder so it meters fantastically. Why spend 50% more for your powder?

SHHHHHHH!!!! It's supposed to be a secret, already...

[NavyLCDR]

I would go ahead and get the RCBS swaging tool for the primer pockets. It's pretty cheap, I bought a used one for $15. It's quick and easy to check primer pockets with the swager by hand and set aside the tight ones for swaging on the press later.