reloading .223 with cfe .223 questions

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Adamlxlx

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Hey guys,

Very new to reloading rifle rounds. I loaded up 20 last night and i have a few questions. Hopefully they make sense.
I am using data from the hodgdon website. I am using cfe 223 power and campro 55gr projectiles.
Stupid question but do bullets with a cannelure have to be seated at the cannelure? The C.O.L. in the data i am using is 2.180. This seats them deeper than the cannelure. The bullet in the data is a bar tsx fb 55gr. I seated 10 at the 2.180 then another 10 at around 2.195. Does anyone have a good recipe for campro 55gr with cfe 223?
The cartridge on the left ia 2.180 and the one on the right is 2.195.
Any help would be great, very new over here.
 
1.90 ogive. Dont know about oal probably longest i could get to fit in the mag) Fed fine for me. Powder. Around 27gr. (Use this data at your own risk). Always start low and work your way up.
 
Barnes TSX data is for a slightly different bullet. Powder charges are typically lighter as pressures are higher due to the design of the bullet. You can use any 55gr jacketed bullet data for those pills. As for use in an AR, some crimp some don't. Its a good idea though. In order for a roll crimp to be effective it needs the cannelure to be at the case mouth. A Lee factory crimp die swages the neck down into a lock ring that bites the bullet in a taper that is formed. No cannelure is required with that crimping die. As for seating depth, most AR mags are limited to 2.200" for .223/5.56. Theres no harm in seating these rounds to 2.200".
 
I've tried CFE223 with 55 gn projectiles but my gun doesn't seem to like it much. Load tests (26 grains and up) were all "meh" in terms of group size. CFE 223 is at the very slow end of the burn spectrum for 223 powders and this in combination with a light projectile seems not the best combination.

I have a pound of CFE 223 that I was testing but I think I'm going to stick to Varget and 4895.

Don't worry about the cannelure. Load to what the recipe requires at least at first (usually max OAL is 2.24". 2.23" is fine for my mags) and remember that shorter seating will increase chamber pressures.

Not to be create undue concern but read the link below. CFE 223 and a 55 grain projectile explosion in an AR. Can't see what went wrong except for maybe mixing up CFE pistol with CFE 223.
http://m14forum.com/ammunition/188273-neck-tension.html
 
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When Im using projectiles with Cann, 2/3 of the cann is under the case, so 1/3 of the cann is expose. from there you can check the overall lenght either by the Ogive or tip, whichever you prefer, try them if they fit on your mag, but usually 55gr.will not have this problem. with a dummy round try loading if it chambers and feel if it extract smoothly one way also to check your sizing. you can also check after extraction if there is a setback on your OAL. You have to use the same components from your loading manual if you want to duplicate their recommended specs. different porjectiles have differrent profiles. About crimping, the general rule- to apply the right crimp if the projectiles have a cann.
 
supernova said:
Barnes TSX data is for a slightly different bullet. Powder charges are typically lighter as pressures are higher due to the design of the bullet. You can use any 55gr jacketed bullet data for those pills. As for use in an AR, some crimp some don't. Its a good idea though. In order for a roll crimp to be effective it needs the cannelure to be at the case mouth. A Lee factory crimp die swages the neck down into a lock ring that bites the bullet in a taper that is formed. No cannelure is required with that crimping die. As for seating depth, most AR mags are limited to 2.200" for .223/5.56. Theres no harm in seating these rounds to 2.200".
Click to expand...

I would disagree as my Sierra 77gr MK will feed out of all my mags at an OAL of 2.26 which is the max in most manuals I have.
I have never crimped these or any other .223 for my AR, and never had problems.
 
trigger'06 said:
I would disagree as my Sierra 77gr MK will feed out of all my mags at an OAL of 2.26 which is the max in most manuals I have.
I have never crimped these or any other .223 for my AR, and never had problems.
Click to expand...

same here, my Hornady 75gr. is seated at 2.260 and it will still fit with my mags, there was a time when the 75gr was seated 2.265, still good to my my mags but very close to the max.
with regards to crimp, nothing for the 75 gr, . used to crimp my 55gr with cann, but my new loads are crimpless. more accurate on my gun. its not a field ammo that needs that good crimp.
 
I've loaded and shot a few thousand rnds, using CFE . I just seat them to the cannelure and use a slight taper crimp. No problems yet. And I fount the 53 g Vmax way more accurate than the 55 g Vmax.
 
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