Help a newb pick a 223 load

[jwhit]

Yes Amrscor bullet will work. I have not used the Armscor bullets since Hornady makes a FMJ or Soft Point jacketed 55 grain bullet for the same price or less. The Hornady's are well known to shoot accurately.

Try Slick Guns reloading section to locate any current deals, older deals will help with a price point. 1000K Hornady 55 grain boat tail or soft points for $76.95 posted 4 days ago: http://www.slickguns.com/category/reloading?caliber=249

Powder Valley consistently has the lowest prices for powder and primer but check around too. I'd buy a pound of powder local or at the gun show to try it out and test it or if your pretty sure it's a good-un then save the coin to by in bulk 8lbs. or so to save Hazmat fees.

Primer's should be bought in 5k amounts to obtain a decent price. I don't remember being able to combine powder/primer for shipping so you will pay a separate hazmat fee. As far as type, stick with standard and only use magnum primers if the load dictates it. The standard will normally give you better accuracy. Some are softer, some are harder and you can even buy (proud pricing) AR/M4/M16 specific primers that are a tad harder that the standard primer. Wolf is known for being harder, at least that's the jabbering on the web? Some primers seem to feed a tad better in my progressive primer feeds (Dillon). That's my perception but hand priming never an issue. Wolf packs their primers open end up, so no need to use the primer flip tray.

SELLIER & BELLOT SMALL RIFLE PRIMERS (1000) $22: http://powdervalleyinc.com/

Varget is a very popular powder and versatile. My go to powder used to be AA 2230 (.223) and I think I hear that some favor it for suppressor use. Best to ask a suppressor forum on their experience. I just recently last October obtained a rifle suppressor and don't have a lot of load data/experience with it. The .224 caliber bullet will break the speed of sound and a suppressor won't get rid of that loud report, just make it difficult to locate the source.

IMR 4895? If it's like IMR 4064 then it's a stick powder and will "meter like logs"-Chuckdawg. I don't have time for that. AA 2230 meters like water as do most spherical powders.

I'd suggest loading stacks of 10 rounds or so, slowly increasing the charge. On a calm day, good rest and doing your part on the trigger that rifle, that bullet will tend to prefer a specific amount of powder. I do three round groups as I'm testing ammo not barrels and will find that sweet spot in one setting normally.

If the ammo is to be used in more than one rifle or semi-auto, then I full length re-size and just seat/crimp (lee factory crimp) on the center of the cannelure. For precision (not semi-auto) for one rifle you can neck resize and try to seat the bullet just off the lands if it's not a free bore type of barrel to squeak a bit more accuracy. Beyond that you're splitting really fine hairs that most will never be able to realize.

Thanks so much RR. Lots of great info there. I'll take a look at the Hornady projectiles.

I'd thought about buying a lb of powder locally b4 ordering a bulk shipment. Thx for the advice on the 4895. I do know that I'd like to stick with spherical powder. Seems like the stick powders might not be the best place to start. I'll look into the AA230.

I've heard the Lee crimping die is an awesome tool and value. Also plan on a full length resizing die. Press is a Dillon RL550 so I think it has stations for both.

 

[doublebarrelkungfu]

if you google "sierra 223" one of the first search results is a PDF from sierra with AR specific loads, it has several loads for 55 grain fmj. I used it recently for my first handloads and worked just fine. The main difference between data for 55 FMJ vs. that SPT is recommended overall length, for the SPT that is 2.260, for the FMJ it is 2.250". The spt data would probably work, but being new to the hobby I personally try to go by the book

 

[jwhit]

if you google "sierra 223" one of the first search results is a PDF from sierra with AR specific loads, it has several loads for 55 grain fmj. I used it recently for my first handloads and worked just fine. The main difference between data for 55 FMJ vs. that SPT is recommended overall length, for the SPT that is 2.260, for the FMJ it is 2.250". The spt data would probably work, but being new to the hobby I personally try to go by the book

Thanks! The Sierras have been highly recommended and yea, wanna go by the book especially as a beginner.

 

[1006]

Someone may have said it already: I do not think you will be as accurate as possible with a 55 grain bullet and a 1:7 twist barrel. I would look at the 65 grain or heavier bullet.

Or: you could try loading the 55 grain bullet on the light side of the envelope.

Also, I do not have any suppressor experience. So, I may be all wrong, but I think a heavy bullet and its lower powder requirement would keep the suppressor cleaner and would also be quieter.

Also, your load's performance and point of impact will change with and without the suppressor attached.

I would look for a ball type powder, just to make the loading and metering as easy as possible.

 

[jwhit]

Someone may have said it already: I do not think you will be as accurate as possible with a 55 grain bullet and a 1:7 twist barrel. I would look at the 65 grain or heavier bullet.

Or: you could try loading the 55 grain bullet on the light side of the envelope.

Also, I do not have any suppressor experience. So, I may be all wrong, but I think a heavy bullet and its lower powder requirement would keep the suppressor cleaner and would also be quieter.

Also, your load's performance and point of impact will change with and without the suppressor attached.

I would look for a ball type powder, just to make the loading and metering as easy as possible.

I know that the 1:7 is designed to handle the heavier bullets, so I might try the 55 gr and something heavier in the mid 60s.

You raise a good point about stepping down the powder for suppressed fire. I've thought about this and am kinda eyeballing the lower end of the charts. 223 is gonna crack no matter what but maybe it could be quieter down in the 2400 fps range compared to 3k plus? Anyone have experience, please chime in.

Thx for your help!

 

[1006]

The heavier bullet will loose less velocity in a shorter barrel.

I loose almost 200 fps with the same load when going from an 18 inch to a 16 inch with a 55.

The Hodgdon site has some short barrel data in there pistol section.