new to .223

tried to hold of on buying anything really during the pandemic prices, but decide to finally go down the .223 path. looking at ammo prices, I realize I have primers and powder, so - was thinking I might just skip buying ammo and get some dies, bullets and brass to reload my own.

can anyone recommend the most common powder, brass and bullets - or ones that work well for you?

These would be fired out of a Mini-14

 

Check out 6mmbr dot com and select the 223 tab.

 

For loading a volume of .223 general purpose ammo while spending the least amount of effort, I like ball powder which meters very well out of even an inexpensive measure (Lee PPM for example) and really speeds things up vs hand weighing every charge. Win748, BL-C(2) and H335 are what I mostly use, along with whatever 50-55 gr bullets I have the most of or can get my hands on. Hornady 55gr FMJs are pretty good for the $, good enough that I can use them as practice loads when I don't want to use up match bullets.

 

I like AA# 2230 or Win 748 and 55grn FMJ bullets. You might not be able to find them right now but you might if you keep looking.

WB

 

this is a good overview

 

RCBS
11107 - narrow base
11101
any opinions about narrow base or not narrow base dies? does the narrow base actually make function in an autoloader better?

 

Hard to find any brand name bullets in .223 or 5.56, but you can get 55gr .223 FMJ-BT with cannelure from evergladesammo.com. $85 for 500 bullets, which comes to .17 each. They make these all the time, so if they are out when you go there, check back the next day. Brass, too, if you need it.

 

55gr bullet of any reputable maker and H335 or Ramshot Tac.

 

Being that a Mini 14 is not a sniper rifle most any 55 grain bullet will work well. I find 63 grain bullets don't work as well durto the rifiling in mine. Tac is my best propellent although I have used 335 or 3031 with good results as well.

 

Another vote for Win. 748 behind a 55 gr. FMJ. I do not use small base dies. My cheap AR eats them all day long.

 

I use H335 with a 55 grain FMJBT. I have Accurate 2230 if I run out of H335.

 

https://www.powdervalleyinc.com/product/hodgdon-h335/?attribute_pa_options=hodgdon-h335-8

Get it before it's gone,,,

 

Been running 62 gr FMJ bullets (Hornady purchased in bulk) over Hodgdons CFE 223 in once fired GI cases through my Mini-14 and two AR15's with excellent accuracy and function..

 

found some decent factory ammo at lax ammo, so - may hold off for now on loading for it. could not find any small rifle primers for the life of me

 

Join the crowd. SRP, heck any primers, are very hard to find right now.

 

I've been reloading for .223 for over 20 years and didn't think I'd need the "Small Base Dies" until my most recent trade. A new AR-15 A2 "Rifle", I love ringing steel at 100, 200 and 300 yards with open sights!

The thing just wouldn't extract my reloads or feed any ammo! (The owner couldn't get the thing to run due to extraction and feed issues)

My reloads were well below SAAMI specs. I've tried Hornady and RCBS dies same issues. If I cranked the die down onto the base plate or shell holder "uber" hard I could get "under sized" brass that would eject. I felt the pressure was way too much and causing excessive wear on the press mechanism. I tried a friends "Small Base" Size die, problem solved so I ordered a set today.

Many people recommend the S/B .223 die in semi-autos to help with feeding reloads!

The feed issue was the No. 60 "O" ring around the extractor spring. Rarely needed!

The extraction issue was due to a tight chamber! Even .001 reduction at the bottom of the case head makes a difference!

For bullets try RMR and ".223 Bullets" They are shipping but a little lag time!

There is a ton of load recommendations and recipes for each of the bullet profiles.

Smiles,

 

I had a lot of stuck cases with the RCBS small base die. Lubing with One Shot and Lyman spray. I changed over to the Dillon stuff with lanolin and that fixed it.

 

I like 25 grains of H335 under Hornady 2267 fmjbt w/c projectiles.

 

I use any 55 grain bullet I can fine, and W748 powder. For cases, I like to use Lake City, but any .223 range pickups will work just fine. ( as long as they are brass, and boxer primed)

 

I have only developed one pet load in 223. It took my gun from 1.5 to 2 inch groups at 100 yards to 0.5 to 0.9 inche groups. I don't know how it will work in a Mini-14. I have a 1/7 twist barrel.

Hornady 75 gr hollow point boat tail match #2279. Its the one without the polymer tip.
23.5 grains of IMR 4064, right in the middle of the load range in the Lyman 50th edition manual. Hornady doesn't list IMR 4064 in their data and Lyman doesn't list this Hornady bullet in their manual. I ended up using the charge data from the 77 grain Sierra Match King in the Lyman manual and the OAL measurement of 2.250" inches from the Hornady data. I go up to 2.255", but not less than 2.250", though if one drops a couple thousandths below that accidentally I won't pull it anymore. It's a Frankenstein load for sure, and I totally got lucky hitting that combination. That said, its turned that rifle into consistently the most accurate I have. I have a Marlin 60 that shows moments of brilliance, like 0.3" at 100 yards, but it's nowhere as consistent as the 223 now.