New rifle (AR15) for Old Timer

[montana2griz]

I just joined this site....glad I found it....hope to learn what I don't know about handloading for The AR 15..... being in my 80th year and handloading for other calibers (all in bolt action rifles) for about 40+ years....I still most likely will need to learn some procedures and "tips" about loading for a gas (direct impendigment) sp?.....operated rifle.

Here is what I have put together:

A LMT UPPER: 20" Stainless Med/Hvy Match Grade 1/8 twist barrel, with a 12" Midwest Industries Quad Rail Free Floating Hand Guard. Caliber, Chamber and Throat are: 5.56x45 NATO.

A CMMG LOWER: with a Rock River 2-stage Trigger and a Magpul "ACS" Stock & Hogue Finger Groove Grip.

I've mounted a 4.5 x 14 x 40 medium quality scope on the flat top receiver in good quality Rings.

For reloading I have:

A Lee "Pacesetter" 3-Die Set with the 3rd die being a Taper crimp Die.

A .223 Case Length Guage & Trimmer.

A RCBS Rockchucker Press and all the other misc and sundry items you end up buying over many years of handloading for other calibers.

Bullets: 52gr HPBT; 55gr FBHP; 55gr FMJ; 63gr SPFB; & 75 gr BT A-MAX............and CCI 400 Std Small Rifle Primers.

Powders suitable for the 5.56:..... Varget; H4895; IMR4895; IMR 4320,3031,&4064; H414, H380, & W-760.

I've down-loaded recommended loads off the internet & I am also aware of the very slight demensional differences between the: .223 Rem and the 5.56x45 NATO.

With the above background info, please respond with any "tips", suggestions or comments that might be of help to me.

Thanks in advance...............Griz

[Deleted]

Hi there,
What could I tell you that you probably don't already know?

Anyway I will try...

.223 is extremely forgiving case to reload so it is ideal for beginners (not your case). Even many progressive presses can produce consistent .223 loads w/o major hiccups.

Some folks recommend Full size re-sizing when shooting from autoloaders due to the higher tolerances normally found in autoloaders vs. bolts. I do neck size of FL size depending on my AR and purpose. Only if I hunt I run all my best hunting loads to make sure they cycle and chamber ok.

Trim to length and make sure you keep the COAL to fit the mags that should be in the 2.260 neighbor. Some mag makers like canmegas, Cmags allow a tad longer cartrige length but always make sure you know the max in your chamber and backout a tad.

With the 5.56 nato chamber you can find dies that allow a little more tighter fit after resizing although it is not a considerable concern unless you are going to compete for the olympics. Again this is not necessary just fyi.

The NATO Lake City cases, Federal, Priv (PPU), are great cases to reload from once fired brass many times discarded at the range bin. PMC reloads ok too.
Remington and hornadys are also great but harder to find at the bins.
FC brass from American eagle from values packs is ok but it is soft and it loose primer pocket pressure fast. Ok for 3-4 good reloads.
All kinds of brass is out there on sale inexpensive and decent quantity.

Don't need to get into fancy primers and try to avoid the extra soft BR ones due to concerns about potential slam fire, something really rare specially in a good to go AR but you know... murphy's law is always at work. CCIs, Federal (not the gold color ones) and Fioccis are hard enough and will do just find. Don't need to go to the extra hard military ones. It is overkill. If needed ask in the gun shop, they will guide you on this. Never had an issue in 25 years shooting M16s, ARs and .308win.

With that twist you should try hornady's 75gr Amax bullets and the 75gr BTHP match that also come in 600 count value packs and are a great value. These along with Sierra 69gr are favorites using hodgdon varget and shoot like the house is on fire. See what case- bullet- powder combination your barrel likes best.

As you might already know, Hodgdon, AA, Hornady, Sierra all have nice loading data including hunting and accuracy loads for the AR that you can find both online and their books. Lyman's reloading guide is also a good one.

You will enjoy this link....
www.6mmbr.com/223Rem.html

You might enjoy these books too...
The M16/AR15 Rifle, 3rd Ed.
Read Glen D. Zediker's book the competitive AR15.
The AR-15/M16: A Practical Guide

Hope this helps.

[montana2griz]

...........Hey "one shot zero"............

Thanks for the information and tips. I learned a long time ago:......"I am never to old to learn something new from somebody else".

Yes I am anxious to work up a load for the 75gr and or the 69 gr. Where I live, it is very possible to have a wolf cross my place with-in sight of the house. Now that we have a legal "open-season" on them this fall. I will be keeping the AR loaded and "ready-to-go" right behind the porch door. Living alone (lets you do things like that) ;D

I already have a box of the Hornaday 75gr A-Max.......but judging by the looks of that bullet, It may present a problem when its seated to the max OAL for the magazine as related to the angle of the ogive being such that the mouth of the case won't be in contact with the bullet.........We'll see ......I should get a few loaded up in a few days to see if that's a problem.................if so, I'll find a 69 gr Flat Base Semi Point or Spire Point that will work.

I really like this rifle in that the demensions with the stock fully extended (15 1/8" LOP) and the mounting of the scope just happen to "fit me perfectly"......the 3 1/2" eye relief required to get a full-field of view (at 4.5x) just happened to work of for the way I shoulder the rifle......dumb luck.

I did buy a 500 count box of Federal American Eagle 55gr FMJ (akaM193)....got them locally for $150 & no tax. Figured it was a good way to get ammo to break-in the barrel, get used to the rifle; sight in the scope to be dead-on at 200 and just have some fun with it. Then as a result of that shooting I'll have some once fired brass (from my chamber) to start reloding. I did not know that the FC Brass is a little softer that other Brands. But if I get 4 to 5 loads out of each case, that'll be fine with me. And In the mean time I;ll keep my eyes open for some Nato Brass for the extra hot hunting loads.....but still with-in the proper safety limitations of the cartridge. (I'm cheap enough that I don;t want to screw-up the rifle just to get an extra 100fps)........The animal on the receiving end nevers knows the dufference@@.

Thanks again for you help.

I did fire 4 of the m193 just to get the scope on target at 50 yrds. The gun performed perfectly, the recoil was virtually not noticable AT ALL. and the 4th round (after using the knob sdjustments) put that bullet exactly 2 " high at 50 yards and perfectly on the verticle C/L. For my intended uses here on the place, I think I'll have it dead centered to be 2 " high at 200...... I am luck to have a 100 yard range here on the place and a 15 yr old Chrono that still works good. I'll keep you informed of my progress

[Deleted]

That is my pleasure.
Yes the Hornady's and the Sierras look a little stretch and will seat a bit deep but they will be just fine. Maximize the use in your mag with any little extra bit and they should seat w/o any issues ruffing over the o-give or anything like that. If you go to 77, 80gr including VLDs then you might have to single feed otherwise 75gr hornady is a good as it gets. Anyway your chamber will give you a limitation too as you want some room for the bullet to jump from the case.
Also the AR at max COAL should seat fine a Barnes TSX 70gr bullet that is brutal on the recipient just like any TSX.
Depending on the size of the hunt Nosler also makes an excellent 60gr partition and a Ballistic tip. Speer SP 70gr are also very good.
If you do not want to go crazy the Hornady v-Max 60gr will deliver the mail too and if you feel you need a solid you can also try their GMX 70gr. I have not tried this last one though but they say it works well at reasonable ranges.

Definitely there are many more good bullets out there that one can go crazy testing them all.

Send that wolf one of those with my regards, would you?