Loading for M14 shorty

[ahlsy]

So I have a new M-14 shorty on the way. I also have a Hornady LNL AP on the way. I'm planning on using:

IVI brass (lots on hand)
WC735 surplus powder (already have it)
CCI M34 primers
Hornady 150gr FMJs, and maybe some pulled 147gr tracer rounds

Any advice, or preffered loads, from the experts around here. I've been loading for years, but never for semi's.

Brass is already SB sized, trimmed, primer pocket swaged etc. Planning on using a Lee Factory crimp die.

 

[zuke]

Yep,put a crimp on it.
Go down about 10% because your using military brass and work your way up.
I use a 0-1"mic to measure several different factory ammo load's to give me a baseline for my reload's.
I measure about 1/8th above the extractor groove.

 

[Ganderite]

There are various ways to get rid of that pesky IVI primer crimp. I size/deprome and put the brass in a pail. Then I put a 3/8" countersink ($6.00 at Home Hardware) in my electric drill and clamp the drill on a vice. Then I touch the primer hole to the drill, reaming off the crimp. I move the brass from one pail to the other. Only has to be done once.

I use garden variaty CCI or Winchester primers, not military. But military are good if you have them.

Start with the Start load in the book and test 5 of each, in 0.3 gr increments to find out what cycles well and shoots best. If you are lucky the rifle will have a clear best load before you get to Max.