Reloading .223

[xstickfightx]

Anybody reloading .223? What's your go-to load?

I just reloaded my first using what I could get locally. Using 24.6 gr. of win748 with Win small rifle primers, once fired Remington brass, and 63 gr. Sierra SP varmint bullet.

I'll be shooting them monday through my AR.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Been using 26.1gr WC844 pulled down surplus powder, 62gr SS109 pulled resized bullets, once fired Lake City brass and Winchester primers.

This is the standard load for M855 military ammo and it works well in a 1:7 twist barrel.

 

[Cledus J. Crabb]

For my B'master AR15A2 (1X9):
69SMK, 24 Varget, LC case, 7 1/2 Rem, 2.260OAL
55SGK, 25.5 Varget, LC case, 7 1/2 Rem, 2.250OAL
53SMK, 21 Reloader 7, LC case 7 1/2 Rem, 2.250OAL
For my AR match rifle (1X7):
69SMK, 23.5 Reloader 15, LC, Rem 7 1/2, 2.260 OAL (200 yd.)
77SMK, 23.5 Reloader 15, LC, Rem 7 1/2, 2.260 OAL (300 yd.)
80SMK, 24.5 Reloader 15, LC, Rem 7 1/2, 2.475 OAL (600 yd.)
For my Remington 700P (1X9):
53SMK, 20.5 H4198, Win or R-P case, M205, 2.255 OAL

Just as a little side note, as decent target load that will work out fine to 200 yds in all my rifles, The 52 or 53 grain SMK along with the 55 grain SGK and 20.5 or 21 of H4198, any case, any primer. A 69SMK with 23.5-24 of 2460 worls real well too.

It really doesn't take much effort to find a good bullet/powder combination. As long as you stay away from heavy bullets w/ slow twists, you can generally make any decent .223 rifle shoot reasonably well.

This is what I've found from my experience.

CJC

 

[PatMcD]

Anybody reloading .223? What's your go-to load?

Two questions:
What is your barrel twist?
What is your intended use? (Blast tin cans? Make small groups in paper? Varmints?)

There are a few of us here that can rattle off match load recipes in our sleep, but they probably won't be the best if you've got a 1-9 barrel or just want to hose down tin cans.

 

[xstickfightx]

I have a 1-9 barrel. Just looking to shoot some paper at 125 yards max. Thats the farthest I can shoot at my local range.

I guess I should've clarified that I am just looking for the cheapest way to reload .223 for short distance fun. Any local sources (southeastern, MA) for surplus powders?

Thanks for the replies

 

[Cledus J. Crabb]

Just as a little side note, as decent target load that will work out fine to 200 yds in all my rifles, The 52 or 53 grain SMK along with the 55 grain SGK and 20.5 or 21 of H4198, any case, any primer. A 69SMK with 23.5-24 of 2460 worls real well too.

I figured it was about 20 cents a round for 20.5 4198 and a 53 SMK. any/any.
try it, you'll like it.

 

[coastie]

If you are looking for an inexpensive load look at using any of the 55gr FMJs like the Hornady and Winchester and a good powder like AA2230. It is a ball powder that meters well through a measure. The FMJs are cheap and are plenty accurate out to a couple of hundred yards. My personal plinking load is 25.5 gr of AA2230C with a WSR or CCI primer and a 55 gr Win 55 FMJ and mixed brass. This gives me 2" at 100 yards and runs me less than $85/K with components that I had purchased a couple of years ago. Now that load would probably cost me $150-160/K now. The key is to buy in bulk if you can.

 

[bpm990d]

Get some Winchester or Remington 55gr flat base PSP and load them with W748. They will shoot very well.

Also you can get surplus powder and load them with surplus projectiles even less expensively.

B

 

[Scrivener]

Another vote for Accurate 2230, which, as the designation suggests, was designed for the .223.

For the 69+ grain bullets, I prefer 2520. For reasons I don't understand, the intermediate propellant, 2460, does not perform as well.

Reloder 7 is also good for the same applications as 2230. My guns have a 1/9 twist (not "1X9" as it's a fraction, not a multiplication), so I use 55 and 69 grain bullets. I used to get the bulk Winchester 55 grain bullets and the 69 grain IMI bullets from Midway. The former are M 193 bullets; the latter ARE M 855 bullets - the ones from Speer used to be, but changed years ago without telling the customers or the part number.

I found another source for them that still ships here (well, it did the last time I ordered, 6 months ago), so I buy nothing from Midway any more.

 

[Cuda444]

This is some great info. I'm just about to start loading .223 so this thread couldn't have been more perfectly timed. Would anyone mind PMing me their fav source for bullets that still ships to MA? I'm probably looking at buying a few thousand win 55gr. Thanks in advance!

 

[noidlight]

+1 on the PM!

 

[Gammon]

You gotta love that WCC844; $49.95 for eight pounds! I use 24 grains behind a Sierra 69 gr hpbt bullet for about 2700 fps out of my 1/8 18 in bull barreled AR. Groups just about two inches for five shots at 300 yds.

 

[coastie]

Where are you getting that for $50 for 8 lbs?

 

[xstickfightx]

Shot my first .223 reloads yesterday. 24.6 gr W748 with sierra 63gr SP. Good stuff! Those first 100 rounds cost me $30 so I just gotta do mailorder for bulk components to bring the cost waaayyy down.

 

[rscalzo]

You gotta love that WCC844; $49.95 for eight pounds!

Are you in for a shock when you reorder. It's not $100 for a eight pound jug. I'm glad I bought a few jugs at $75 per jug a while back. I use 25 grains over 62 grain bullets, surplus or Northwestern commercial. Cases for plinking are usually various commercial and CCI SR primers.

 

[Gammon]

You gotta love that WCC844; $49.95 for eight pounds! I use 24 grains behind a Sierra 69 gr hpbt bullet for about 2700 fps out of my 1/8 18 in bull barreled AR. Groups just about two inches for five shots at 300 yds.

Wideners runs a special every once in a while. Also 2230C is available on special from Wideners and Natchez for $69.95/8lbs. I think they are the same powder as they are visually identical and produce virtually the same results on the chrono. I bought 32 lbs.

 

[coastie]

When was the last time you bought powder? There has been no AA2230C around for a couple of years and WCC844 cant be had for less than $100/ 8 lbs.

 

[rscalzo]

I've looked into Wideners as the prices listed always seemed good but according to their website they have very little in stock.

The only way to get decent pricing on powder and bullets is to buy in bulk. It isn't hard getting an order together with other club members if you post a notice.

 

[Gammon]

When was the last time you bought powder? There has been no AA2230C around for a couple of years and WCC844 cant be had for less than $100/ 8 lbs.

I guess its been two years since I bought rifle powder, 32 pounds does last a while.