Wrong bullet?

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electronrider

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I am getting ready to reload my first batch of ammunition. I am loading for an AR-15, 24" barrel, with a 1 in 9 twist.

I was reading in my Hornaday reloading manual that they are using a 68 grain BTHP, with Colt AR, 1 in 9 twist barrel in their load data. I figured what the heck, and decided to try the bullet. I got a box of them home, and noticed that there is no cannelure on the bullet. From what I understand, I have to crimp the bullet for my AR. Am I suppose to crimp these without a cannelure, or do I have to choose a bullet that has a cannelure?

Thanks everyone.
 
Buy a Lee factory crimp die they will form the cannelure in the bullet while crimping!

After reading stubbicatts response you may not want to crimp.

I don't own an AR type but I have a Mini and I do crimp for it , but If I were shooting for score I do not think I would crimp with the Lee factory crimp, the die forces the cannelure, into the jacket of the bullet and may change the flight characteristics of the bullet.
 
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Ahhhh ok. I have a Lee FCD, it just hasn't been taken out of the box yet, not yet to that stage.
 
Well, the whole point of my getting into reloading, was for accuracy. It is my understanding that I had to crimp for my AR, as it was a safety issue with the cartridge. Now I see that some people are not crimping at all. What is the consensus on this? If I crimp a match bullet with a factory crimp, am I completely ruining the bullet? How much accuracy degradation do you think is caused by this? I am relatively new to AR's ( almost a year), and brand new to reloading, so I am wanting to make sure I do this as safely as I can, but still want to provide the best projectile I can for shooting.

Thanks
 
You don't have to crimp match ammo as long as your rifle and mags are feeding correctly.

Take your dial calipers to the range with you and check a bunch of rounds for set-back after they have been chambered by the rifle in firing.

If everything works as planned, and the bullets are not hitting the feed ramps hard, you should find no set-back at all.

I have crimped bullets without a cannelure with the Lee FCD and got slightly better 100 yard accuracy in three different rifles.
Your mileage may vary at really long range, but I doubt it.

Bottom line is shoot some un-crimped, and check for set-back as well as accuray.
Then crimp some, and see if they shoot better or worse in your rifle.

rcmodel
 
Make up a couple dummy cartridges without a crimp and run them through the action a couple times each and see if the bullets move. If the bullet stays in place you`re good to go, if not crimp them.
I doubt very much the recoil will move them in the mag but, you do want them to feed properly from it.
 
Ahh I see now. Thanks for the information, I appreciate it. I will get some dummy rounds loaded up, and make sure everything works out ok. I never had feeding problems in the past, but will do it, just to make sure.
 
back when the Lee FCD hit the market,there was a big fight over "good or bad" Lee saying good,lots of folks,mostly Hornady,saying bad.after the dust settled,FCD had little or no affect on bullet performance.think all bullet makers now say,as long as the bullet base is undamaged,condition of the rest of the bullet,within limits, has no effect on performance. jwr
 
I see. well, that is certainly reassuring then. I will give the dummy rounds a shot, and then start with the mildest crimp I can do, and slowly increase till I get no movement from loading the bullet, IF I have to do it at all.

Thanks for the help!
 
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