Problem - 223 in M & P 15

[Quickdraw McGraw]

My brother-in-law got a M & P in 5.56/223. I normally only reload handgun but I decided to get some stuff to reload 223 (so I can shoot it)!

Anyhow I picked up the following:
- RCBS FL dies in 223
- Winchester brass
- Hornday 55 gr FMJ BT w/C (.224)
- Federal 205 primers
- H335 powder

Using my Hornady 7th which has a minimum load of 20.8 gr and maximum load of 23.2. I put together ten shells each of 21 grains and 22 grains. I also had a light crimp on the cannalure. We had a couple failure to feed's with the 21 grains. We had only only one failure to feed with the 22 grains. I am confused because there appeared to be no extraction problems. All the failures were partially stripped from the magazine and starting into the chamber but the bolt was hitting the casing in the middle. It even dented a few of the casings. We also had some Wolf ammo that he had bought and i hey fed and fired with no problems.

ANY IDEAS ON WHAT MY PROBLEM MIGHT BE?

By the way other than the failures with my ammo the M &P is a sweet little gun. Trigger feels real nice. Of course I am going to have to get an AR now. So I better figure out how to relaod for them now! Thanks in advance!!

CM

 

[wworker]

It doesn't sound like you're getting enough gas to operate the bolt on the lower powder amounts, so increase slowly with the powder until the reliability is good, then add 1/10 of a grain.

You can go up to 23.2 grains max, so start at 22 and go in 1/10 or 2/10 increments, say up to 22.6 and see what happens.


I've been using Win 748, H4895 and IMR4198 and have never had an issue with using the minimum suggested powder loads, but then, I have a RRA M4.

 

[kelbro]

Nosler 55gr H335 23gr min to 25 gr max
Sierra 55gr H335 23.7 min to 25.7 max
Speer 55gr H335 24 min to 26 max

Looks like Hornady is quite a bit more conservative than everybody else. I shoot 25 - 25.5 H335 with 55s and do not have cycling problems nor any signs of pressure.

 

[Quickdraw McGraw]

Nosler 55gr H335 23gr min to 25 gr max
Sierra 55gr H335 23.7 min to 25.7 max
Speer 55gr H335 24 min to 26 max

Looks like Hornady is quite a bit more conservative than everybody else. I shoot 25 - 25.5 H335 with 55s and do not have cycling problems nor any signs of pressure.

kelbro, I never thought of looking at my other books. I just figured that I'm loading Horndady so I'd use the Hornady book. Your right Honrdnay does look a little conserviative. My Lee book had min of 23 and max of 25.3 for H335 with 55 gr jacketed bullet. Think I'll be crosschecking more from now on. I noticed in my Speer 14 that the above load calls for magnum primer. What primers are you using? Thanks for the info guys it's much appreciated! Playing aroung is what make this fun!

 

[RustyFN]

I have the Speer 13 manual and it calls for 24 to 26 grains of H335. It also calls for magnum primers but I have always used regular primers without any problems. Sounds like your load is a little lite.
Rusty

 

[RustyFN]

Sorry double.
Rusty

 

[Quickdraw McGraw]

Thanks Rusty Kelbro, & Wworker. Thats why I came here first. It beats doing this :banghead:!