Time to reload .223 Remington

[WhoKnowsWho]

Well, it is time to dive into some .223 Remington reloading. So I just want to make sure I am not forgetting anything. I am planning on continuing my Lee dies purchases and getting the Pacesetter dies, need lube, and a trimmer.

Anything I should know about this before I order since I haven't done rifle ammo yet? Someone always has something interesting to say!

If I was loading for a bolt gun... would be so much easier with just neck sizing, but alas, the AR-15 is the one that is getting fed.

I figure I have a lot of brass and can save about 50 cents to a dollar per 20 rounds, and anyways, reloading is fun, most of the time! And anyways, once it hits the main part of summer, I can't shoot the rifle, so I might as well roll some ammo. Or just buy more from Miwall ammo.

 

[tc300mag1]

I had bum experance with the lee dies in 223 and would recommend rcbs for it instead rest of my dies are lee.

 

[Tommy.Gun]

How many rounds are you going to do? What trimmer are you going to get?

 

[Valkman]

I bought Lee Deluxe dies and started loading .223 on a single stage press. Had massive problems with stuck cases, and finally tried it on my Dillon with more lube and it worked better. The problem on the Dillon is the cases flop around and it's not unusual to be holding the handle partway down with my arm, and using both hands to hold brass straight so it won't bang on the edge of the dies. At this point I wish I'd of gotten Dillon dies to begin with!

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

How many rounds are you going to do? What trimmer are you going to get?

How ever much brass I have during the summer, I think only about 400. Trimmer, the cheapo Lee case holder and trim gauge, I can just put it on my drill and trim.

 

[mparris71]

I highly recommend a case gauge, Dillon, Lyman, or Wilson will do. The gauge will help you set the seizer die to the right depth for correct head spacing. Die wise I have had no trouble what so ever with Lee. The .223 set I have work like a dream. Have heard from friends and people on the board The RCBS small base dies worth the money

 

[g56]

Valkman, I had the same problem at first with 223, the cure was to tighten the shell plate some more, totally took care of the floppy case problem.

 

[Valkman]

Thanks, g56 - that was driving me nuts! I really don't want floppy cases.

 

[Quantrill]

After having problems feeding an M1 and having to switch to small base 30-06 dies, I just went out and started off with RCBS small base dies to feed the AR-15. Have not had a problem with fit, I load the 223 on Lyman All American Turret or Lyman T-Mag Turret. Quantrill

 

[dleong]

If I was loading for a bolt gun... would be so much easier with just neck sizing, but alas, the AR-15 is the one that is getting fed.

I realize that full-length resizing is recommended for autoloaders like the AR-15, but my experience reloading for my ARs has been that, if you restrict the brass to just one particular rifle, you can just neck-size them and they will feed and function perfectly in that individual rifle. Of course, the assumption here is that brass that is being reloaded for the first time is full-length-sized.

I use the Lee dies on a single-stage Challenger press to reload my .223s. No problems (yet).

DL

 

[Miossi Gun Works]

223 reloading

I have a Custom match Olympic Arms barrel cut for the Rem .223, not the 5.56. The chamber is so tight that I had to g to RCBS small base dies. These size the brass ti a tighter spec and I have not had any problems since the switch.
Jim

 

[Dave R]

I would also recommend small-base dies.

Nobody's going to talk loads? I've tried IMR 4198 and H335 powders. The 4198 makes less muzzle flash, if you care about that. But I have had better accuracy with H335.

OTOH, I have experimented more with the 335. Could probably do as well with 4198 if I put as much time into it.

 

[Clark]

It has been my experince that .223 is the easiest cartridge to load for accuracy.

 

[P0832177]

If I was buying dies today I would buy Redding dies and then get the carbide expander ball to help with case stretching. Does not matter the caliber. I used Lee dies for the 3006 without any problems in a M1 Garand.


I have been reloading the 223, 308, and 3006 for service rifle competition at various stages of my shooting career. I have never used SB dies! They work the brass excessively! And, that shortens the brass life exponentionally. What a person needs is to use a precision mic to set the head space for the various chambers of you guns. This will give you the ability to set back the headspace about 2 thousandths to ensure reliable chambering and minimize the working of the brass.

I have followed this sequence with the 308 and 3006. I would take once fired brass of known history, ie came from bolt guns or match grade chambered guns. I would resize and trim. Then use it for two match loadings. Then use it for two or three rounds of practice loadings. Then recycle it. The 223 has a bit more life in it. The problem with useing 308 Match brass is that it has a cannalure right in the area of the weakening caused by repeated firing. Using Federal 223 brass is a sad situation, in that it seems excessively soft and the primer pockets seem to enlarge with even mild loads.

The tried and true powders for the 223 are for light bullets Benchmark VVN133, and Varget, RL15, and VV N540 are great with heavy bullets. I would suggest you look at the accuracy loads in the current Sierra manual and work up to the load levels in your gun!

The 308 in semi auto loves IMR or H 4895 or IMR 4064. The 3006 likes IMR 4064.

 

[Quantrill]

.223 powder: I have always (15years) used 4198 powder for the .223. 20gr for 55gr and 19gr for 63gr with good results in both a Rem. #788 bolt action and the AR15. Recently I purchased some AA2230 and some 4895 which I will try when I have exhausted the 4198. It would be nice if the 4895 worked out so that I could use the same powder fot the 30-06 and the .223. I have heard good things about both purposed powders. Quantrill

 

[dleong]

My initial .223 test loads using IMR4198 would not cycle my ARs. Switched to H335 and the rounds cycled the rifle fine.

However, a pound of H335 did not last long, given the amount of shooting I do with my ARs. Around here, a pound of H335 goes for around $17, and it got rather expensive after a while.

I now reload my .223 cartridges with milsurp WC844, which seems to exactly replicate the performance of H335. Best of all, at $64 per 8 lb. container, it isn't going to put me in the poorhouse. My current recipe:

55 gr. FMJ-BT
23 gr. of WC844
Winchester Small Rifle Primer
Mixed brass (though I prefer Winchester)
OAL 2.25"
Light taper crimp
Approximate velocities: 2650 fps (16" barrel), 2800 fps (20" barrel), 2850 fps (24" barrel)


DL

 

[Khornet]

I've used

748 and 4895, and both work fine. 25.0 gr 4895 fills the case nicely so powder position isn't an issue, and shoots quite accurately in my 20" DPMS CMP rifle, so that's what I've stayed with.

 

[SodaPop]

WC844 with IMI 55gr and 62gr SCBT and 62gr Match with great results.

AA2230 with Sierra 69gr HPBT does MOA with a Mini 14.

Two of my Minis eat everything, but my AR is pretty picky.