New rifle load .223

[Soonerpesek]

None of us learned all this overnight.

I’ve easily learned more from this forum and its members than I have contributed, that’s for certain…..LOL….

 

[MarshallDodge]

If you have primers protruding, that brass has been oversized, by a lot. I had that happen years a go when lube started building up in my sizing die and I didn't notice.

Get one of those Hornady comparators that @kmw1954 suggested.

Measure a factory loaded round to get an idea of approximately where you should be. Then fire it in your rifle and take another measurement. From there you'll want to size it, and limit pushing back the shoulder to .001-.002" under the last measurement.

Also, the 52/53 grain match bullets should give the best accuracy. 69RMR will be decent but the 55 FMJ are going to be random from one group to the next.

 

[N555]

If you neck size only, you will likely get a stuck case or rounds that won't go onto battery.
If you use a small base die when you don't need one it will over work the brass and get backed out primers.

 

[Palladan44]

If you neck size only, you will likely get a stuck case or rounds that won't go onto battery.
If you use a small base die when you don't need one it will over work the brass and get backed out primers.

I'm using full length resized brass for breaking this gun in and trying out different powders/bullets. I plan on keeping all the brass that are fire formed to refine the loads for it.

Stuck case in neck sizer only, really?
The first several I did (some partial, some full length of the neck down to the top of shoulder) went very smoothly.

 

[kmw1954]

Suggestions I have had success within my 223;
Powders: TAC, A2460, Benchmark, BL-C(2). TAC works well over a wide range though it may not always be the optimum. Have great luck with 2460 and medium weight bullets. Benchmark also with 60gr to 70gr bullets.
Bullets: Sierra Match King 69gr, Barnes Match Burners 69gr, RMR 69gr, currently Hornady VMAX 60gr. The 68gr Hornady hasn't impressed in either of my rifles.

My rifles are both 1:9 twist so I find I am limited to the 70gr and lower weight bullets. Also have not played with many 55gr or lighter bullets either. As for powders, many swear by Varget but I spent a whole pound and a number of different bullets and never found a load that impressed. After our winter rifle league I will be working with VV135 and the Hodgdon H335 and maybe some Shooter World Match or Precision.

 

[Palladan44]

Suggestions I have had success within my 223;
Powders: TAC, A2460, Benchmark, BL-C(2). TAC works well over a wide range though it may not always be the optimum. Have great luck with 2460 and medium weight bullets. Benchmark also with 60gr to 70gr bullets.
Bullets: Sierra Match King 69gr, Barnes Match Burners 69gr, RMR 69gr, currently Hornady VMAX 60gr. The 68gr Hornady hasn't impressed in either of my rifles.

My rifles are both 1:9 twist so I find I am limited to the 70gr and lower weight bullets. Also have not played with many 55gr or lighter bullets either. As for powders, many swear by Varget but I spent a whole pound and a number of different bullets and never found a load that impressed. After our winter rifle league I will be working with VV135 and the Hodgdon H335 and maybe some Shooter World Match or Precision.

The only reason I avoided Varget was metering through my 550B into those tiny little throats of 223. I'm of the assumption that Benchmark (although like Varget, also an Xtreme extruded stick) is a little finer and meters just as accurately as a finer ball powder as far as I've seen.
I've never tried Varget, though.

 

[kmw1954]

Benchmark is not quite as smooth as ball but it isn't terrible. I use it thru my Auto drum and then trickle to target weight. Seems to work well enough for the speed I need.

 

[Blue68f100]

Suggestions I have had success within my 223;
Powders: TAC, A2460, Benchmark, BL-C(2). TAC works well over a wide range though it may not always be the optimum. Have great luck with 2460 and medium weight bullets. Benchmark also with 60gr to 70gr bullets.
Bullets: Sierra Match King 69gr, Barnes Match Burners 69gr, RMR 69gr, currently Hornady VMAX 60gr. The 68gr Hornady hasn't impressed in either of my rifles.

My rifles are both 1:9 twist so I find I am limited to the 70gr and lower weight bullets. Also have not played with many 55gr or lighter bullets either. As for powders, many swear by Varget but I spent a whole pound and a number of different bullets and never found a load that impressed. After our winter rifle league I will be working with VV135 and the Hodgdon H335 and maybe some Shooter World Match or Precision.

My 1:9 twist barrels prefer bullets 60gr or less. Anything heavier the group opens up.

As far as light bullets I have found the 52 SMK to be the best in my rifles (1:9, 1:10) . I've tried, Hornady, Nosler, and 1 other which I can not recall at the moment. All powered by TAC.

The 1:8 twist liked the 69gr SMK with a charge of Varget.

 

[JSneezy]

Liability gets into everything, but shortening a die is a big leap to any type of catastrophic failure. The shell holder can be ground exactly the same way if that is the preferred method. Annealing may be a way to bypass the extraordinary efforts.

I can see where he's coming from on the liability thing. He just doesn't want to take any chances. We live in a litigious society now, and it seems like someone can take someone else to court for just about anything.

Had to google that.
Wow, fine piece of machinery right there.

Both the press and the scale are ridiculously impressive. The scale's resolution was able to show the difference in 1 granule of N135 to 3 decimal places. If I remember right, he said that the FX120i doesn't have quite the same precision or resolution as the Sartorius. The press is so buttery smooth, that you can feel everything.

I just don't have the budget for that kind of equipment, and honestly, I don't think I would be able to shoot the difference anyway.