.223 Recipe problems for AR 180B

[jollyroger]

I am wondering about good recipes for my AR. i have 68 grain and 77 grain tips im using and the reloading manuals are giving me some trouble...

The biggest problem im having is that i can only find the Varget pressures in CUPs and, according to my rifle's manual, its chamber is rated for only 50 000 PSI, and from what i have read the conversion for cups to PSI is unreliable especialy for this caliber.

Also on that note, im trying to decide between using varget or IMR 4895...?

So when it comes to amounts, for almost every recipe the loads go far hotter than what the rifle is rated for, thus im stuck starting loading them cool and progressing hotter bit by bit... but how do I tell when the chamber pressure starts getting maxed out???

any advice on the matter in general is apreciated. thanks

 

[johnnyreb65]

My first question is what are you loading for..Hunting,, long range or just plinking?
I load for my Stag AR15 16" barrel..To be honest I'm pretty new to reloading and have never considered chamber pressure ratings..Guess I should be looking into it..

I only load 55gr Hornady bulk FMJ and I use either 25gr of BLC(2) or 22gr of Alliant R10X

 

[smak_daddy]

My experience:

69 SMK's: 24.5 - 25.5 gr varget

77 SMK's: 23.5 - 24.5 gr varget


p.s. I assume you have the twist to handle 77's.

 

[dogzilla]

Go to 6mm br website, click on .223. They have loadings specifically for AR's. I have only started reloading for mine recently and am using H335 and so far am happy with it.

 

[damndirtyape]

So when it comes to amounts, for almost every recipe the loads go far hotter than what the rifle is rated for, thus im stuck starting loading them cool and progressing hotter bit by bit... but how do I tell when the chamber pressure starts getting maxed out???

How do you know the load data is hotter than your rifle can handle if the data uses CUP and your chamber is rated in PSI?

You need to work up loads like that anyway, regardless of what the pressure numbers are. Have you read a manual with a description of what high pressure signs look like? e.g. flattened primers, smears on case heads, etc.

 

[jollyroger]

How do you know the load data is hotter than your rifle can handle if the data uses CUP and your chamber is rated in PSI?

You need to work up loads like that anyway, regardless of what the pressure numbers are. Have you read a manual with a description of what high pressure signs look like? e.g. flattened primers, smears on case heads, etc.

well thats pretty much exactly what I'M trying to ask haha.

and yes i know how to tell when the the load is getting to hot by signs on the casing but what im wondering is what if the gun is over what its supposed to take before the casing is? or is that even possible (remembering we aren't talkin a bolt gun)

also, no i actually dont have quite enough twist rate for the 77s. i always thought the 180 had the 7" twist but found out after i bought them that it has a 9" I have been shooting 75 grn out of it and they have been working wonderfully.

Just loaded up an batch of 68 grn hornady BTHP with 24.4 grn of IMR 4895; we'll see how they do.