Guide to loading .223/5.56 for an AR15?

[Eightball]

My loading manual is relatively old, before the AR15 craze. As such, the .223 loads don't have any specificity in regards to use in semi-automatic rifles such as the AR. Is there a guide for powder ranges/pressures/velocities/whatnot that are "guaranteed" to function? I'm just trying to make some practice rounds on line with something like the Remington UMC or XM193 or something, not some whizz-bang "match grade" special.

Also, for functioning in an AR rifle, what is the "right" OAL of the loaded round (other than "make sure it will feed in the magazine)?

Thanks!

 

[rcmodel]

Nothing much has changed in .223 loading since the "AR15 craze".

.223 is .223, until you get up into the heavy bullet match loads now being used.

SAAMI OAL standard is still 2.260" same as it always was.

Load to that length or slightly less and they will fit in the magazine & feed.

If you load 55 grain FMJ-BT or other bullets with a crimp cannulure, disregard the length measurement and load to the cannulure.
That is the proper length for that bullet.

Since you didn't mention what powder or bullets you have, I can make no recommendations on loads.

I'd just pick one for the components you have and use the recommended data for a starting load, then work up to what you want.

rc

 

[243winxb]

Good info here,http://www.6mmbr.com/223Rem.html click the Sierra icons for load data. Hodgdons website has load data also.

 

[NuJudge]

The usual disclaimers that this is just for entertainment:

http://www.shootingtimes.com/ammunition/st223_120606/index1.html

http://radomski.us/njhp/

 

[broham]

Hornady 7th manual has a section on service rifles. Check out AR15.com. They have a load data section, at least what other people use. It would give you an idea as to what other peole are loadin for AR's.

 

[JDGray]

Yet another link to AR reloading

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

 

[Eightball]

FWIW, my powder is 748, shooting 55gr FMJ projectiles. My reloading book shows 28.5gr powder to be the max, for a MV of 3126 (out of a Mini-14, unfortunately).

Thoughts, other than "follow the Sierra guide above" (which is extremely helpful anyway, btw)?

 

[rcmodel]

Winchester, and now Hodgdon show only one WW748 charge weight with any 55 grain bullet.

26.3 grains.

I have shot that load for about 40 years now, with FMJ-BT, V-Max, Win, Rem, and Hornady SP, and Nosler B-T bullets, and it works in anything you put it in perfectly.

Not a max load, but perfectly safe & sane that always works.

rc

 

[Eightball]

My book's an old (1979) Speer book, and shows the minimum charge as 26.5 gr 748. It also says that it was using a CCI #450 Magnum primer. But, if the 26.3 works well in everything, I'll try it. Did you run that through a bolt gun, or ARs as well, rc?

Would the No. 41 primers (which say "for 5.56 ammunition") work well with 26.3gr. 748/make my AR15 function well with it?

 

[rcmodel]

Yes to all of the above.

Mini-14's, AR-15's, CZ-527, and a couple of Remington 700's.

The CCI #41 is a harder mil-spec primer, closer to a magnum primer in power, and will work perfectly with WW-748 powder.

rc

 

[rogn]

.223 and 5.56 the same but different

Most of the newer manuals address this issue Sierra does very well, but newwer ones pay attention. 6mmbr.com will also shed lite on the differnces. Buncha paradoxes exist here so listen to the gurus and all should be well. Older 223 data may or may not do what you want. Ther is also data on heavier bullets , and a host of newer powders.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, unless he has some really old load manuals, the .223 data was probably shot in Mini-14's and AR-15's.

I just looked at Speer, Hornady, and Lyman manuals published in 1966, 1967, and 1970, and those were the test rifles they used.

It is importent to remember that when the .223 first hit the reloading scene, it was chambered mostly in those two rifles.

rc

 

[joedapro]

most ar 15 's do not have the gas piston system like the m1a or garand. therefore most gas gun cautions about powder burn rate do not apply. there is no op rod to bend. so most any published 223 or 5.56 load will do.

i sometimes run a reduced load that cycles my ar using 8 grains of unique and a 40 grain bullet.