Working up my .223 loads

/ hsoi

Now that I’ve some time, I’m working up my .223 Remington loads, with the goal being finding a good hunting load.

This will be shot out of a Bushmaster Super Light Carbine. 5.56 chambering, 16″ chrome-lined slim-profile barrel with 1:9 twist.

The basic ingredients:

Bullet: Barnes TSX .224″ 62 grain

Case: new Remington brass, .223 Remington

Primer: CCI #41

C.O.L.: 2.250″

The powders are where I’m varying things up. I want to experiment and see what sorts of results I’ll get. I have three powders: Varget, H4895, TAC. Using Barnes Reloading Manual #4 data, I’m starting at the minimum load then working my way up in 0.5 grain increments. For example, according to the Barnes data I’d start with 22.5 grains of TAC. So I’d load 3 with 22.5 grains, then 3 with 23.0 grains, then 3 with 23.5 grains, then 3 with 24.0 grains. The max charge is 24.5 grains and for now I’m going to stay away from max. Each powder has a 2.0 grain range, so 4 steps is enough for now. Granted I could probably go to max and be fine (it is a 5.56 chambered rifle and I am loading .223), but 1. I think this is enough curious data collection for now, 2. things are kinda tedious and I want to get things done so I can go to the range and chrono tomorrow so if I can keep the number of rounds to reload down, that’ll work. And yes, just loading 3 of each. I figure 3 should be enough for me to get a basic idea if it will work or not and what sort of performance I’ll get, yet not cost me a ton in components (mostly bullets).

These are the first rifle rounds I’ve ever reloaded. I learned a few things:

  • You need a lot less case lube than you think. I had no idea how much I really needed and apparently less than I thought. I dented the shoulders of my first few cases due to too much lube. Oh well, live and learn.
  • I tried priming using the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme press, but it just didn’t feel right — I couldn’t seat the primers down far enough. I used the hand-primer tool instead and was able to get things seated all the way down. Not sure exactly what the deal is, but it was a tight primer fit. Given the way rifle reloading’s process flows vs. handgun reloading, I’ll probably use the press for handgun priming and the hand-tool for rifle priming. Of course, my Hornady Lock-n-Load press is coming so I doubt I’ll do much more handgun on the single-stage press.
  • Lee shell holders don’t fit the RCBS hand-primer tool.
  • I’m glad I bought a powder trickler. I set up the powder drop to drop the min charge. Then I’d use the trickler to add the 0.5 increments. Should have some well-measured charges.
  • TAC does meter very well, but because it just flows so nicely it bounces out of the brass scale pan and makes a mess. Meanwhile, the Varget and H4895 often cause the powder drop to not throw, but they don’t bounce around and makes such a mess. As well, it’s easier to clean up the Varget and H4895, whereas the TAC takes forever to clean out of the powder drop and the powder trickler.

Foo.c and I will head to the range in the morning. He’s going to let me use his chronograph to see how things perform. I’m going to take some other .223 ammo with me as well to get some “factory” readings for comparison.

Stay tuned.

5 thoughts on “Working up my .223 loads”

  1. Pingback: Chronograph results – .38 Special and .223 Remington hunting load « Stuff From Hsoi

  2. Run, do not walk, to midwayusa.com and get thee some Imperial Case Sizing Wax. One tin of this stuff will probably lube multiple thousands of rounds. Its so efficient that all one has to do to lube cases is to swipe your fingers across the top of the wax and then your fingers alone rolled quickly across the case as you put it in the press is enough to sufficiently lube the case. You can get maybe 3-4 cases lubed off of your fingers alone before needing to “reload” the lube on your fingers. Great stuff.

  3. Pingback: My .223 Remington hunting loads – the ladder test « Stuff From Hsoi

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