Reloading 223 Rem
Going to start reloading 223 Rem. It has been quite few years since I have reloaded rifle ammo....and never did reload any semi-auto rifle ammo. Would appreciate a few pointers for reloading this round: like what powders seem to work best and any things to be especially aware of that could cause a problem.... Thanks
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I have loaded thousands of rounds of .223/ 5.56. Most of what I reload is once fired military 5.56 brass from military ranges. For competition 3-gun ammo I use 55gr FMJ bullets and H335 or WCC 846 powder.
If you use military brass you need to remove (swage) the crimp from the primer pocket. It then needs to be full length resized, trimmed to length and cleaned. After its sized,trimmed, swaged and cleaned its ready for reloading.
I reload on a Dillon 650 progressive machine. It has a case feeder, primer feeder, and powder dispenser that also has a probe that confirms the powder level.0 -
For 55 gr or heavier bullets I prefer to run Varget,
but for 55 gr or lighter Benchmark has always given
the best results, although Remington 7 1/2's have
given me good results I have found the best primer
to be CCI BR-4's for both powders.0 -
WW 748 is my powder of choice. 0 -
I would recommend SB dies. 0 -
What you do and how you do it depends on what you're shooting it out of and what type of shooting you're doing... Let's assume you're loading for an AR type since you mentioned semi auto...
For starters, you want to make sure your overall length isn't too long to fit into the magazines.
Type of shooting... If you're plinking, I wouldn't pay too much attention to bullet make, Midway bulk pack seem to be a pretty good blaster bullet and they're cheap, but they won't shoot groups even on their best day... Just get some 55 grainers or whatever your twist is designed to shoot if you have a fast twist barrel, and you should be good to go.
If you're gonna shoot for groups, get GOOD BULLETS! Whatever grain your barrel likes. I'd recommend Hornady A-Max, Hornady V-Max, Speers, and of course BERGERS! So far I LOOOOOVE the Win 748! I picked up some IMR 3031 (I believe that's correct but not sure) But I haven't gotten around to trying it out yet.
If you tell us you're going to be shooting out of a bolt rifle, I'll have some more tips for you. But for semi-auto, I only load blaster ammo and I'm not really concerned with accuracy tighter than simply hitting a man-sized target at whatever distance I feel like shooting that particular day. Not that my AR can't be accurate, I just have MORE accurate rifles to play that game with...0 -
Arby,
First, I have edited the powder designation to reflect the correct number. I have deleted the other two posts which called out the error so you can get the maximum number of suggestions from the members.
Second, there really isn't enough information to give you a precise answer so generic information will have to suffice until you post more information. Your individual rifle/barrel combination has a lot to do with the component selection and performance.
One of the basic keys to successfully loading for a semi-auto rifle is consistency. You want the performance to be the best possible while operating safely and efficiently through your rifle. This is accomplished by brass prep and proper choice of components.
If this is an AR-type rifle than I suggest the Small Base dies. The AR chambers are usually a little more generous than say those found in bolt rifles but the SB dies assure you of 100% function.
Unless you weigh each and every powder charge, I suggest using a powder that meters through a powder measure easily, accurately and repeatably. In too many cases, this usually conjures up the selection of a ball powder like 748. However, these days there are better selections which will work through a measure just fine.
I like Accurate 2015 and Hodgdon 10X the best for AR work. But IMR-4198 is superb if you can get over the length of the kernels. I use a bunch of IMR-4198 for several cartridges but I hand weigh and load the cases.
Bullet selection will be contingent on the twist rate of your barrel. Shorter (lighter) bullets will usually work through most barrels unless it's a really slow twist custom made specifically for varmint shooting. Longer (sometimes confused with heavier) bullets require a faster twist and different loading techniques. VLD bullets are a topic unto themselves.
Always keep the loaded length (OAL) under the magazine length to assure best function. Sometimes bullets come with a crimp groove which can aid in the location of the proper OAL. Make a couple of dummy cartridges to check before loading in volume.
Other than that, ENJOY!
Best.0
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