Hard times 223

[blarby]

You want power, or accuracy?

You can get 3300 fps, but usually itll be all over the place (4")

My experince on autoloaders on that bullet has been thst if you pull it under 2600, fails to cycle.

The rest is up to you.



They have different responses in reloaded cases.
High volume projectiles lean towards power, precison loads lead to accuracy: and the accuracy is indeed rifle dependent.

If you want bulk reloaded ammo vs "sniper"( 1/4" @ 300) you get different answers.

A 3" group over 150yds is a fantastic load for full auto, half for semi: but those are "standards" not rifle specific reloading which we prefer.


Thats a great bullet, btw

In this cartridge, for defense applications... just lime the .30-06 and the .308, a wotking understanding of MOA and what that means for combat effectiveness is pretty crucial.

 

[docbrown]

Dan,

I don't think anyone is trying to flame you. We are all in this together and all of us started somewhere. Find a published load for the powder/primer/bullet you have and work it up. Changing even one component can make a difference that can cause an issue - especially in a 55k PSI cartridge. It's not wasting components to find the right load for your rifle - heck, that's half the fun! Take your time, do a ladder of 5 at each rung, check accuracy and look for pressure signs. My experience has been that I seldom go past 80% of the published load max before I get one that is accurate (i.e. start load is 25 grains and max load is 30 grains - usually around 28.5 to 29 grains is the sweet spot). That is not ALWAYS the case, but is my experience. I have seen times where in my gun that was even a little hot and had to back it down, so I was glad I started low. We want you to succeed - safely!

 

[Zahn]

Dan, I would love to zero my new rifle without having to waste a bunch of ammo. But nobody's got the settings for my scope. They aren't being difficult - there are just too many variables. What they do have is the method for me to zero my scope.

It's the same for loads. The powder load that works for one person with their selected bullet, brass, primer, powder and rifle isn't going to translate well into a load your components.

 

[rdnktrkr]

I worked a load up using Hornaday 62gr sp and found my 16"ers likes a different load than each of my 22"ers and they all like a different load than my bolt action rifle so basically I have 6 different 223s and 4 loads with the same bullet

 

[WestKentucky]

I worked a load up using Hornaday 62gr sp and found my 16"ers likes a different load than each of my 22"ers and they all like a different load than my bolt action rifle so basically I have 6 different 223s and 4 loads with the same bullet

How do you know which one is which load?

 

[blarby]

How do you know which one is which load?

Grab a handful and pray?

This is why i standardized on the .223

Reliable dependable ammo across all platforms is the standard. Thats what i want.

Specialized loads per rifle are good, but i only have one rifle good enough to make a difference past 3"... and i know how to shoot.

 

[AJC1]

How do you know which one is which load?

Labeling and notes. I have many loads for the same rifle, and only one for my target 223. I put a label in the bag with a color dot. Green for my target loads all other colors for the mini14

 

[NMexJim]

Hornady's load data for 223 uses Winchester cases, and Winchester WSR primers. A note, none of the load data I have seen uses CCI 400. Most either list WSR, Rem 7 1/2 or CCI No. 41. Other primers may be too thin and you could get pierced primers.

With that, Hornady list H335 start load at 20.8 gr. and max at 23.2 gr. C. O. L. 2.200". Max listed velocity is 3100 fps.

I don't know all case headstamps, but mixing different headstamps may cause a spike in pressure.

OP, to add to this thread, Hornady does not list H335 for 55 FMJ under 5.56 NATO (1:7 twist BTY) which should have slightly higher pressure/velocity. The fastest listed there is 3200 fps, but you'd have to change over to CFE223 or AR-Comp, etc. (yes, yes, I know ya'll - no difference between .223 and 5.56. I'm just saying .....)

Getting 3100 fps with H335 in a .223 (1:12) gets you pretty dang close to NATO speed.

Tested barrel length for .223 was 26" and 20" for NATO. If you're running something like a 16", all bets are off.

Just for giggles, here are Hornady's specs for their Critical Duty FTX .223 55 grain. Note 24" barrel. No twist specified. Hot little bugger. Just don't do what Johnny said (being from up there in Memphis with AJ, he'd do something like that )

 

[blarby]

Labeling and notes. I have many loads for the same rifle, and only one for my target 223. I put a label in the bag with a color dot. Green for my target loads all other colors for the mini14

Until its dark?

I mean, thats the thing about standardization... how many specialized .223's do you need... and how much better are they mated with say, hornady precison ammo?

Answer to both is likely not many.

If you have a buncho .233/5.56 rifles, id advise you just find a good cross platform load... and go train.


You cant take 16 rifles into the field.

You might get one and a bag o' rounds.

Op: if its really "hard times":

Find a middling load that works and call it good. No reason to remake the wheel, there is tons of published data for your components.

 

[AJC1]

Until its dark?

I mean, thats the thing about standardization... how many specialized .223's do you need... and how much better are they mated with say, hornady precison ammo?

Answer to both is likely not many.

If you have a buncho .233/5.56 rifles, id advise you just find a good cross platform load... and go train.


You cant take 16 rifles into the field.

You might get one and a bag o' rounds.

That may be true in combat but I shoot for recreational reasons not end of world. In a tacticool situation where that's the plan sure. All goes to purpose. And I definitely dont load just in case someone puts my rounds in their gun.

 

[blarby]

That may be true in combat but I shoot for recreational reasons not end of world. In a tacticool situation where that's the plan sure. All goes to purpose. And I definitely dont load just in case someone puts my rounds in their gun.

Fair.

All my rounds work pretty good in all rifles.

I long ago gave up making heatseekers, and spent my time and dough on training.

I think thats what is being looked for here advice wise, or did i miss sumtin?

Op seems to indicate multiple carbines: this is not a one off reloading project for accuracy it would appear.

( i mean, these are bulk 55g FMJBTs, lets be realistic here)

 

[Dudedog]

With that, Hornady list H335 start load at 20.8 gr. and max at 23.2 gr. C. O. L. 2.200". Max listed velocity is 3100 fps.

Hodgdon with a different 55 shows more
55 GR. SPR SP Hodgdon H335 .224" 2.200" 23 3018 40,800 CUP 25.3 3203 49,300 CUP
So call it 200fps between min and max.

200fps is not going to make a big difference IMO so using mixed brass and no workup I would stay around start charges.
I would make sure the start charges functioned ok before loading very many.

Lyman shows quite a bit more with a different 55 24.3 to 27.
Hornady seems quite a bit lower. (not saying there is anything wrong with their data)

When I was using H335 with various 55FMJs/mixed brass I did some testing and decided 23.5 was a good place and had no issues but that was my rifles with the lot of powder/primers I had.
YMMV

if it's in the between the data max and min it is safe.

Maybe maybe not, that is why all the powder companies say work up to MAX loads.
The MAX they show is the MAX with the specific batch of brass/primers/bullets/powder in their test barrel with their test conditions.
Change any of the above (which is a given due to you not having the exact same thing as they did) and what is a MAX load could be over MAX.

As a side note 5.56 runs higher pressure than .223 and most companies show .223 data so there is some wiggle room but I don't see any reason to press close to MAX with mixed brass, no way to know what is MAX unless you tested in each flavor brass. I suppose you could check H2O cap of all the cases and find the one with the lowest cap but then you still have the issue of possible different neck tension, flash hole size etc that could make differences. For me mixed brass and MAX loads is a NO.
All most all the time for me in .223/5.56 the most accurate load was less than the MAX load listed.