Reloading the .223

Jimmy Boss · January 2005

Been working up a load for my 223, I'm using Hornady 50 gr SPSX, I'm up to 24.6 gr of IMR 3031 powder and the case is full, max is 25.7
I've checked 2 differant manuals, weighed the powder charge on 2 differant scales. Is this normal, how do you get a near max load, or am I just overlooking something.

Jimmy Boss · January 2005

At this point and time I do not reload my .223 brass but I do save it. Does the cost of buying a reloading set-up with all the needed goodies out weigh the cost of buying ammo buy the case? I am buying PMC 55gr for 99.00 per 1000.

Please DO NOT turn this into a Wolf VS XXX brand bashing thread.
Thanks for the info

JBoss......Fear No Fish/peace through superior firepower/The gun manufacturers are not making a dangerous product.
Bad parents are.

Jimmy Boss · January 2005

I am loading the 223 with 55 gr FMJBT with crimpfor my other AR's with 1/9 twist. I have had some real good results but does anyone else load for .223 and what powder (grains) and primers are you using. I have a Colt Match 1 and 7 and I load 62 grain for best results and it is more expensive. I also was wondering about shooting out to 500 yards what is the best loads for both 1/7 and 1/9 twist. One barrel is 20 inches, other is 16 and the other is a 1/9 twist bull barrel 20 inches. Any help is appreciated.

plains scout · January 2005

Depends on what your are using the ammo for. If you are using it for multi rapid fire NO. Just find some source that sells it cheap. If it is a mini 14 go ahead and shoot that "dog" ammo, it works fine there.

If you want accuracy then reload. Cost? Cheaper than bought for ACCURACY, but not volume. IMHO.

There is a Zen of reloading though and if you start you will find it. "Be the bullet"[;)]

You might want to ask this qustion on the Paint Ball Forum which has suffered a bloodless revolution and is now the Reloading Forum.[}:)]

"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for." -- Will Rogers

My friend is one... who takes me for what I am.
Henry David Thoreau

buddyb · January 2005

223 are cheap and easy to load.

FrancF · January 2005

"Be the bullet"

I like that! [:D]

NRA Life Endowment Member

Aspen79se · January 2005

I liked, "Bloodless revolution." [:D]

Snellstrom · January 2005

For my own personal use I do not on a regular basis reload shotgun, pistol and .223. But wait I have exceptions here, I am set up to load for .38 and .45 Colt and .223 and I load a little for them but for the bulk of the ammo I shoot in those calibers I just look for the good deal and buy a bunch. Now for my Varmint rifle 22/250 and my Deer/Elk rifles .243, .257 Roberts, 30/30, .284 Win, 30/06, .338, and .375 H&H I handload every round that's put through them. From the hunting rifles I demand pinpoint accuracy so I am able to taylor the loads to the gun by developing loads for each. The shotgun, pistols and .223 I mostly just bang away with and don't expect exacting accuracy if I did I would load for them too.
Does this clear up any confusion or am I the only one able to follow this?

The Tinman · January 2005

If you do decide to reload, group your brass and find out which ones are Berdan-primed (They will have two small primer flash-holes instead of one) and discard that brass. Lord knows how many de-capping pins I've snapped off allowing a Berdan-primed case get into my reloading lot.

Warbirds · January 2005

It depends on how much you shoot/plan to reload. If your curious about reloading, find a single stage press like an RCBS rockchucker over in the GB auctions, buy some books to go with it, and that will get you started. I have found even reloads that I made that I didn't particularly like or feel worked out for whatever reason are still better, (more accurate and nearly as cost effective) as the cheap stuff. And if you shoot for any level of precision you can litterally find that magic load for your particular rifle, and you'll never turn back. Once you feel that rockchucker slowing you down you can go look for a Dillon 550 or a RCBS pro 2000, or any of a number of nice progressive presses. I have a Rockchucker, an RCBS Grand, a MEC 9000, and a dillon 550B. And the more you reload the more "accessories" you'll find you need. Like digital scales, brass tumblers', on and on and on. It really is alot of fun, and I do it more for that than to save money. Let us know what you end up doing!

R/

Dave

People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news.

-- A. J. Liebling

GPWEAPON · February 2005

Does it shoot acurate enough for your application? then buy it shoot it and don't reload there are enough mfg's of specilty ammo for most any need you have in .223 to keep you happy IF it shoots well enough from your weapon to satisfy you.

kimberkid · February 2005

"plains scout" hit it on the head!

I can reload 100 rounds for what it cost to buy 20 rounds of premimum ammo ... That allows me to practice with good ammo. If you are just blasting, go ahead and buy surplus ...

If you have the time, space and most of all if you enjoy it then reload ... but its likely you won't know if you enjoy it or not until you try it so don't go out and buy a thousand dollars worth of reloading equipment to start with!

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If you really want to do something, you'll find a way ...
... If you don't, you'll find any excuse.

ruger270man · February 2005

I'm gonna go ahead and refer you to the reloading forum: http://forums.gunbroker.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=9

[:)]

"I will no longer debate a liberal because I feel they are beneath contempt. Just communicating with one contaminates a person." - whiteclouder

richbug · February 2005

The only way to load 223 ammo for $.10 is with surplus components, and that would break you even. If you want to save further, sell your brass on auction. Yes if you want premium ammo there is money to be saved, but for $2.00 a box ammo it is a losing battle.

My border collie is smarter than your honor student.

kimberkid · February 2005

I drive up to Sierra Bullets around Memorial day because thats close to where my grandpa is burried ... then I swing over to the plant and buy 69 grain HPBT Match bullets in bulk, usually a couple thousand at a time ... last time I bought they were $4.55 per pound (101 projectiles per pound) ... then penny or 2 per primer and maybe 2 cents per round for powder ...

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If you really want to do something, you'll find a way ...
... If you don't, you'll find any excuse.

richbug · February 2005

Even buying 8# at a time powder for a 223 is going to cost you .05-.07 per round for name brand first quality powder. You could use WC846, or 2230c and do it for .025-.03/ round.

My border collie is smarter than your honor student.

CHGOTHNDER · February 2005

I personally think this belongs in the RELOADING FORUM, make it so #1

PJ

If nobody seen you do it, how could you have done it. NRA Endowment Member, AF&AM, Shriner Life Member, A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois "Chicago Chapter" Founding Member & Board Member

hughbetcha · February 2005

JUst to keep this off the reloading forum, lets talk about guns. I think the real question with reloading .223 is what weapon you will shoot it in. The AR-15 just does not like reloads. I tried it a couple years ago and got the cost down to about Wolf ammo-level, with about the same level of reliability. Out of a 100 rds, I'd get about a half dozen jams, which stinks when its one or two jams in every magazine and you spend more times clearing the jams than concentrating on shooting. My Mini 14 performed a little bit better, but still jammed once or twice out of a hundred rounds. The last time I reloaded .223 it was a batch of tracer rounds. I picked up the tracer slugs at Knob Creek practically for free so I figured it would be worth giving it another try to save some money. I hand picked and measured the brass, measured them again after re-sizing, discarded any that were not perfect and carefully loaded up 100 rounds. So far I've only fired about 20 rds from that batch, but they have all banged and burned like they were supposed to. It may just be a matter of taking extra time, but I have never had the best luck when reloading high volumes of rounds for autos. I also find this to be true with reloading 9mm ammo, but not with .45ACP so I think the type of weapon does matter a lot when deciding whether to reload or not.

kimberkid · February 2005

quote:Originally posted by richbug
Even buying 8# at a time powder for a 223 is going to cost you .05-.07 per round for name brand first quality powder. You could use WC846, or 2230c and do it for .025-.03/ round.

My border collie is smarter than your honor student.
For years I used to use BL-C2 but it is so dirty because it gave me such consistant groups ... A year to two ago I bought 2 kegs of 2230 and worked up a load ... but my shooting has slowed down since we moved and I haven't used much of it ... plus I still have 3-4 pounds of BL-C2 to use up ...

I need to get back into the swing ... planning to build up another service rifle and actually make use of my gun club membership again [}:)]

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If you really want to do something, you'll find a way ...
... If you don't, you'll find any excuse.

Bittersweat · February 2005

Hey Hughbetcha,
What are you talking about? My AR 15 shoots Only Reloads. Thousands of them. No jams of any kind yet. In my experience feed jams are more often caused by poor quality, aftermarket magazines than anything else. Perhaps the fact that all of my mags are stamped 'Colt' on the bottom has something to do with my sucess.
My current load is a Sierrs 60gr over 23.1gr H335 with a WSP for a
1 3/8 ave group at 100 yds with mil. iron sights.
And yes, I love the smell of burned 'Varget' in the morning. It smells like victory.

Warbirds · February 2005

hughbetcha, perhaps you do not have the bullet seated all the way in the casing, if it sticks out too far, it is likely to hang up, and jam in AR's. Just a stab in the dark.

R/

Dave

People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news.

-- A. J. Liebling

Reloading the .223

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