question on south africa .223 brass

5mmgunguy

Hi I just bought several thousand brass .223 cases for 2 cents each. They have had the bullets pulled...are berdan primed...so they are one shot cases but that is ok as I fire them in a mini 14 ranch that throws them about 25 feet. My question is since they are berdan primed my standand load of 27.5 grains of 748 behind a 55 grain bullet will not even fit. Powder goes everywhere. Any ideas on a good load with a berdan case and a 55 grain bullet?

sandwarrior

5mmgunguy,

Start with 22 gr. of AA XMR-2015 and work up to max of 24 gr. that is my most accurate load with 55 and 60 gr. Sierra's and Hornady's.

5mmgunguy

Thanks sandwarrior

Wulfmann

These SA cases are thicker brass (military)so the chamber is smaller. .
If these were mine here is what I would do:

Note how far down the bullet seats. (Place a bullet next to the case and eye ball it)
Fill the case to that visual point.
Measure the weight of that charge and round it off to a nearest number.
Load 5 rounds, test fire and note point of aim and check primers for any signs of over pressure (bulging primer)
You may also want to load 5 more at 1/4gr intervals, I would to speed up testing)
The smaller capacity of these military cases simply means you need less powder to reach the same velocity but it also means you may have difficulties with not so commonly used for 223 powders.
I used AA2520 in military cases and forgot they were military so loaded them to commercial case (larger volume case capacity, thinner brass) I put 5 in the mag and poof they all fired one after another with one trigger pull. I adjusted the load 2 gr down (realizing what I had done) and they were fine. AA2520 is one of those can be used but really not the better powder for 223 (A friend gave me 3/4 a pound can so I was just using it up)

SA is good brass and they are worth at least one cent each as scrap!!!

Wulfmann

5mmgunguy

The slower powders just won't do it, I am only getting 2950 fps out of my 18 1/2 inch barrel on my Mini 14...I get 3150 to 3200 fps with factory out of the same 18 1/2 inch barrel. Someone in this post suggested AA2015. Some else suggested the same, because with the slower powders I run out of case room...so the volume is definitively less on the SA brass. And yes it seems to be good brass...shoots inside 2 inches at 100 yards in my Mini 14...not quite as good as my 87LC or my 97WCC 223 brass which shoots 5 inside 1 1/2 inches at 100 yards with my Mini 14. But I haven't been able to find any more of the 87LC or 97WCC brass and the SA was cheap.

5mmgunguy

My 2015 is on the way...can't wait to try it.