Handloading .223
- Thread starter ragu123
- Start date
I have always used either Winchester small rifle primers (as they are designed for ball powder) and CCI 450 small rifle mag primers. I shoot a lot of .223 in the dead of winter when the temp is very cold and like the hotter spark. I also use gobs of WC735, BLC2 and W748 (which I believe to be the best .223 powder out there) and the hotter primers work better for the ball powders. I have never had a slam fire in my mini 14's, AR 15's, etc. and have never used anything but these primers. WC735 is the best deal going right now and it pays to order it in big bulk.
I reload my AR with Lee FL size die and use Lee factory crimp.
I also have a RCBS Small die that I used about 50 times until I noticed it makes no difference in my Gun.
So FL die and my brass last longer
As for Powder
BL - C (2)
Imr 3031
Varget
Regular CCI primer small rifle
no way I can find fancy Mill spec primer in Quebec
I havent try magnum primer yet but I know a guy at the range who does in his Mini. Told me he got a huge consistency improvement ... Who knows ?
I also have a RCBS Small die that I used about 50 times until I noticed it makes no difference in my Gun.
So FL die and my brass last longer
As for Powder
BL - C (2)
Imr 3031
Varget
Regular CCI primer small rifle
no way I can find fancy Mill spec primer in Quebec
I havent try magnum primer yet but I know a guy at the range who does in his Mini. Told me he got a huge consistency improvement ... Who knows ?
- Location
- big sky country
For my 55 gr FMJ and 52 gr SMK I use Win748 or H335.
For my 69 gr SMK and 77 gr SMK I use Varget.
For my 69 gr SMK and 77 gr SMK I use Varget.
Started out a couple of months ago loading for .223.
Have been using a lot of military crimped brass. Use a spray lube on the brass then proceed to size (Lee die). Next, reamed them out using a Hornady Primer Pocket Cleaner/Reamer attached to my trusty drill. Can do volumes of brass in one sitting.
Got a Possum Hollow (PH) Quick Case trimmer (also attached to the drill using a Possum Hollow drill attachment) which likewise does volumes in short time.
Attach an RCBS deburring tool to the PH drill attachment to finish the case prep process.
Started using Prvi Partizan and Armscor heads but now use Lake City .55 gr FMJBT as I find them to be much more accurate. Although, the best (.55 gr.) heads I used are still the Hornady V-Max. These orange tipped buggers are just so consistently accurate - although pricier.
Although there are different opinions on using the Lee Collete die, all my fired brass goes through a gage and only if it passes do they go straight to the Collete die (thereby only doing the neck, bypassing the trimming stage and reducing case stress)
Used Varget in the beginning, but at the suggestion of another CGN'r did a bulk purchase of WC735. Except for the lower price ($119/ 7 lbs.), I can't find a difference. Its pretty clean too! For range use, I load 24.5 gr. which give excellent accuracy.
The first 1,000 rounds cost a total of $495 which included all additional dies, tools (case prep, trimmming etc....), heads, powder, primers. It would have cost as much to get 1,000 factory rounds. For us who enjoy the peacefulness of the reloading cycle it certainly is worth this exercise!!! Happy shooting!!!!
BTW, am using a Lee Deluxe 3 Die set plus a Lee Crimp Die. Sizer die is installed on my single stage RCBS Rock Chucker and the remaining are on a Dillon 550B.
Have been using a lot of military crimped brass. Use a spray lube on the brass then proceed to size (Lee die). Next, reamed them out using a Hornady Primer Pocket Cleaner/Reamer attached to my trusty drill. Can do volumes of brass in one sitting.
Got a Possum Hollow (PH) Quick Case trimmer (also attached to the drill using a Possum Hollow drill attachment) which likewise does volumes in short time.
Attach an RCBS deburring tool to the PH drill attachment to finish the case prep process.
Started using Prvi Partizan and Armscor heads but now use Lake City .55 gr FMJBT as I find them to be much more accurate. Although, the best (.55 gr.) heads I used are still the Hornady V-Max. These orange tipped buggers are just so consistently accurate - although pricier.
Although there are different opinions on using the Lee Collete die, all my fired brass goes through a gage and only if it passes do they go straight to the Collete die (thereby only doing the neck, bypassing the trimming stage and reducing case stress)
Used Varget in the beginning, but at the suggestion of another CGN'r did a bulk purchase of WC735. Except for the lower price ($119/ 7 lbs.), I can't find a difference. Its pretty clean too! For range use, I load 24.5 gr. which give excellent accuracy.
The first 1,000 rounds cost a total of $495 which included all additional dies, tools (case prep, trimmming etc....), heads, powder, primers. It would have cost as much to get 1,000 factory rounds. For us who enjoy the peacefulness of the reloading cycle it certainly is worth this exercise!!! Happy shooting!!!!
BTW, am using a Lee Deluxe 3 Die set plus a Lee Crimp Die. Sizer die is installed on my single stage RCBS Rock Chucker and the remaining are on a Dillon 550B.
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