5.56 Data

[74shooter]

Looking for suggestions for 55gr FMJBT with Varget, most data is for .223 not 556, will be loading mixed range brass all swaged , cleaned and trimmed, do not plan to separate 223 and 556 or headstamps, loading for plinking only.

 

[Telum Pisces]

Load data for .223 is the same as 5.56. And there is no difference between what a .223 round can hold presser wise and what a 5.56 round can hold pressure wise. It's all in the chamber and what the specific gun is designed for in respect to .223 and 5.56.

5.56 chambers accept a much wider variance in bullet dimensions vs. a .223 chamber. That is why you can use .223 in 5.56 and not the other way around. It has nothing to do with the cartridge itself.

If you load a .223 round, you are loading a 5.56 round as well.

A 5.56 chamber is able to accept such rounds as the 62 grain tracers which on long and have a different ogive in order to make them work in the 5.56 chamber.

So that's a long way to say that if you have true 5.56 brass that is military in nature, you have some case prep work to do in order to load your .223/5.56 round. But you are going to use the published .223 data to create your .223/5.56 round. There is no difference in what you are going to load when it comes to the completed round or data to use.

 

[Chuck R.]

.223 load data isn't the same as 5.56, some powder manufactures list both data, as does Nosler for the heaveir bullets:

https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/556x45-nato/

Western Powder, PG 50 for 5.56 data:

https://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB.pdf

IMHO, Varget is not the best powder for the lighter bullets. Sierra lists 27.2 as their max with a 55grn in .223, you're probably going to have to use a drop tube to get it in there and it will be a compressed charge. I don't know IF you can get enough Varget in a .223/5.56 case to replicate 5.56 loads.

https://accurateshooter.net/Downloads/sierra223ar.pdf

I load 5.56 (vs .223), but I use TAC that has produced 5.56 data.

 

[mrawesome22-250]

Plinking ammo I'd definitely go with a ball powder. BL-C2, CFE223, W748, H335, TAC etc.

Varget is a pain with 223/5.56. Too much case fill and spills out of the top of the neck unless you dump it in very slowly.

Also, Varget is always out of stock even during times of plenty because everybody and their brother uses it for everything.

Benchmark is a great powder for 223 if you want the temp stability of a single base, extruded. Same burn rate as H335 but temp stable and very short sticks.

 

[edwardware]

. . . do not plan to separate 223 and 556 or headstamps, loading for plinking only.

So use mid-level .223 Rem data, and go plink.

It's exactly the same as 5.56NATO, except for a slight modification to the leade, and a skinny boost in peak pressure to go with. If you aren't wrenching to squeeze the last whisker of velocity out of it (usually at the expense of accuracy), you won't notice.

 

[rdnktrkr]

I've noticed in my ARs that none liked maxed loads, with 62gr sp it was .7gr below Lees max, my grandsons mini14 likes loads less than that. If there is a higher load for 556 it wouldn't help me.

 

[jebova2301]

For basic plinking, just find something in the 223 load data that works well. Ideally, something in the middle of the range. Loading to the limit for plinking really does nothing more than simply cause your brass to stretch more and wear out faster.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I load 25.0gr H335 under a 55gr bullet. It's accurate for me in my AR15.

 

[irishlad]

Plinking ammo I'd definitely go with a ball powder. BL-C2, CFE223, W748, H335, TAC etc.

Varget is a pain with 223/5.56. Too much case fill and spills out of the top of the neck unless you dump it in very slowly.

Also, Varget is always out of stock even during times of plenty because everybody and their brother uses it for everything.

Benchmark is a great powder for 223 if you want the temp stability of a single base, extruded. Same burn rate as H335 but temp stable and very short sticks.

+1 on Benchmark