Is this enough to get started with 300 BLK?

[CMV]

Since I can't find commercial ammo, guess I'm going to have to start with reloads. I just built the rifle & would rather put it through it's paces with factory loads just in case something doesn't work I can eliminate one cause.

Anyway, I have lots of 1x LC brass & several other headstamps in decent qty. Do I need anything other than the list below to cut down .223 cases & start loading?

RCBS AR Series Small Base 2-Die Set with Taper Crimp 300 AAC Blackout (7.62x35mm) http://www.midwayusa.com/product/26...vice_Emails-_-OrderConfirmation-_-ProductLink

World's Finest Trimmer 300 AAC Blackout http://www.midwayusa.com/product/251243/little-crow-gunworks-worlds-finest-trimmer-300-aac-blackout

Sierra Matchking Bullets 300 AAC Blackout (308 Diameter) 125 Grain Hollow Point Match http://www.midwayusa.com/product/89...vice_Emails-_-OrderConfirmation-_-ProductLink

H110 powder
CCI #41 primers

I also have some Hornady .308 150 gr FMJBT if those would work.

I use Lee dies for everything else so I don't know what "small base" means on the RCBS dies - will those work in my Lee Classic 4-hole turret or Lee Challenger Breechlock?

Does the RCBS sizing die fully form the brass or do I need something else to get the cut down case into the right shape first?

Have all the other misc stuff you'd expect to find on an average reloading bench.

Forgot to add: I will be starting with supersonic & then moving to subsonic loads after my form-1 comes back to make a suppressor for this one. Is H110 a good choice for both or should I consider a different powder?

 

[oldpapps]

Got weapon.
Got brass.
Got bullets.
Got primers.
Got powder.

Yep, you've got it all. Not to put it together.

Start with the brass. Punch the old primers and take care of the crimp ring. I've reamed and pressed to do it. Both work. Cut the brass off, I use a 'chop saw' I got from that freight place. Size, I used extra lube. Trim to length. Prime.

Pick you bullet. You have two listed, the choice is yours. Fine a starting powder charge, H110/296 works very well.

Charge and seat your bullets. Seating depth is picky on two counts. One is to follow the flow of the bullet for smooth feeding. Second is pressures vary greatly, must keep them the same.

Test and adjust as needed.

Never expect others loading data to be safe in your weapon with your loading materials and methods. That said:
The following data is for information only. This data may or may not be safe in your weapon with your component, put together with your methods. This data is not within listed standards or is not listed. Always defer to known and trusted sources.

The official disclaimer:
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.


I have used these loadings in a 16 in DSA upper with carbine gas system and carbine buffer, fed from GI metal 20 round magazines. These are/were safe in my weapon.

B-weight Powder P-weight M-Velocity OAL
OTM/125 H110 17 2031 2.182in
M2 GI/147 H110 16.6 1945 2.065in

Note, the 125 grain velocities are not statistically valid, the 147 grain pulls velocities are. (Minimum of 15 tests rounds fired to be valid.)

Go for it, it is a fun round to load and shoot.

 

[Cemetery21]

I'm not familiar with the trimmer, but you need something to lob off the neck and shoulder of the 223s. Take a look at the $35 2" chop saw at Harbor Freight. My process, learned from other threads, is to set a stop on the chop saw to get a rough cut to about 1.375". Then use the trimmer to go to 1.365". Debur, then run thru the sizer. Remove the primer crimp, if needed, and load.
Most bullets need to seat shorter than the mag length to feed correctly.
I read an article that said to mark a circle around the bullet at the point where it is .250 diameter. Seat until that mark lines up with the front ridge in a metal 223 magazine. Write that down as your seating depth. I've done that will all loads I've tried and everything feeds great.

H110 and Lil' Gun have been the best for me and I have stayed with 125 gr. and lighter bullets

Edit - beat me to it Paps

 

[oldpapps]

Cemetery21,
I agree with LtGun. It run 75FPS slower, 147 grain GI pulls, but run as smooth as butter and I'm getting 25 plus reloads with retread 5.56 brass. I also use some very old/no longer make Olin 630. It beats H110/296 with 110 grain VMax and 147 grain GI pulls.

Original post list H110 as the powder to be used.

Also, I forgot to touch on 'Small Base' Dies. They size just a little tighter in and around the base. The idea is they would chamber better. I have used them in .223/5.56 flavor and didn't see a great amount of difference. If you've got'em, use'em. They will work.

 

[cfullgraf]

To add on shortening the cases. Some kind if cut off saw is needed to speed the forming of the cases. The WFT will take forever to take off 3/8" or so.

Search U-tube and there are videos showing the hobby cut off saw we are talking about. The steel blade will work well but let it do the cutting. Avoid the desire to do a plunge cut. The blade will last longer.

The cut off saw is available at Harbor Freight, MicroMark and others. Price is the main difference.

The squarer the cut the easier to trim. If using a WFT to trim, feed the case slowly and it will trim well. If you feed to fast or hard trying to speed the process, the cutter will dig into the case and you just waste time. A little experimentation will show how fast you can feed the case into the trimmer.

You might consider getting a 300 BLK case gauge to help you set you dies correctly.

The small base dies will work fine. All "standard" dies from any manufacturer made these days will work in your Lee press. They are 7/8" diameter by 14 threads per inch (7/8-14).

Hope this helps.

 

[Walkalong]

I made some 300 BLK brass from LC 5.56 cases not long ago.

Perhaps this will help. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=710664

I have used the 110 Gr V Max, the 125 Gr TNT, the 125 Gr SST, the 123 Gr Z Max (.311), various 147 Gr pulled bullets, and the 155 Gr A Max in 300 BLK.

I have used N-110, AA #9, and 2400 for plinking rounds. I like 2400 best, but AA #9 works very well too, and N-110 is to expensive to waste on plinking rounds for blasting cans etc. I am working with Enforcer right now and it will beat those powders for velocity.

The RCBS die set will work great in your press.

 

[CMV]

Thanks guys.

I'm not set on H110 - just saw that a lot of people like it. All I have on hand is H335, Win231, & HS-6. If I could use H335 I would because I like to keep things as simple & streamlined as possible. But since I will most likely have to buy powder (or trade for it as the case may be around here), I want to find one that will work well in both standard & sub loads. Hodgdon site lists both with H110/Win296. None of my books have data for it, so I'm relying on what I can find on manufacturer websites. The Hodgdon site doesn't say what the test barrel is (that I can see) so hopefully their sub loads are good from a 16" barrel. But I have at least 5 more months to wait + machining time until i need to worry about loading subs.

I swaged, cut, chamfered, & de-burred 55 pieces of LC tonight. I don't have the little saw with the toothed blade but I have a 12" & 4" chop saw - the kind with the abrasive blade. I made a little jig on the mill that held the cases in position & could just pop them in & out of the saw. Really fast & fairly accurate - ±.005. Only problem was that type saw leaves a nasty cut. Chucked the deburr tool in the lathe & just spent some time using both ends.

Dies are on the way & should be here tomorrow or Tues so I can get to sizing.

 

[oldpapps]

"on hand is H335, Win231, & HS-6. If I could use H335 I would because I like to keep things as simple"

Sorry, I fully believe that H335 is too slow. Also, 231/HP38 is too fast. HS-6 is also fast.

The super sonic 300's seem to like the same powders as big magnum pistols. I don't do sub sonic.... OK, I did a few but I used 296 with them.
I also haven't moved into lead, yet.
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=187417&stc=1&d=1375674015

This is at 100 yards, shot in groups of threes. Not bad for pulled bullets with pull marks.

 

[Speedster00]

No one mentioned 4198. While I haven't loaded my blackout with it yet, it is fantastic in my 223 AR at 19.1 gr.

 

[CMV]

So stopped by the LGS on way home from work today. No H110 but they did have some Win296 so i got that. Also had a box of 300 Whisper. Any issues using that box to 'break in' the newly built AR & then switching to my loads if all is good?

 

[Walkalong]

You can shoot 300 Whisper in your 300 BLK, so yes.

W-296 and H-110 are the same powder. You scored.