Reloading 5.56

[BradlyJW]

So I just picked up a .223/5.56 (Ruger American Ranch). The receiver is actually stamped with 5.56 so it can handle the NATO pressure, a fact I wish to take advantage of. Since I have a 16" barrel I want to work towards developing a load that (safely) achieves the highest velocity possible for my barrel. I plan to be shooting 300-500 yards with this setup.

Anybody have any experience with these loads or know of good resources for that? Most the information I find online seems to be rated for standard .223 chambers.

*To clarify my experience level I've been reloading for about a year now*

 

[Innercity]

The Nosler manual lists 5.56 loads.

 

[KeltecFan]

I've been looking into the same thing. One important thing I have read is to keep in mind that 5.56 x 45 brass is thicker and therefore has a lower internal volume than .223. So, lower volume means that the same mass of powder will generate higher pressure in the 5.56 x 45 casing as compared to the .223.

To make a long story short, if you are using .223 load data, start low and slowly work your way up. Max .223 loads could be a problem with 5.56 brass.

Others with more direct experience and actual load data should chime in.

 

[BradlyJW]

I've been looking into the same thing. One important thing I have read is to keep in mind that 5.56 x 45 brass is thicker and therefore has a lower internal volume than .223. So, lower volume means that the same mass of powder will generate higher pressure in the 5.56 x 45 casing as compared to the .223.

To make a long story short, if you are using .223 load data, start low and slowly work your way up. Max .223 loads could be a problem with 5.56 brass.

Others with more direct experience and actual load data should chime in.

Using max 5.56 load in a .223 casing should work than right? So far I've only bought a box of Hornady .223 to work up a collection of brass.

 

[beltfed]

I've chopped up lots of different manufacturers brass in search of the common thought that military brass is different than commercial .223.
If there is a measurable difference it is minuscule, and/or located in the web of the casing. Some commercially sold .223 uses the same 5.56 brass in its construction as does military issued ammunition (Lake City NATO stamped stuff being a good example).

If it is for small groups, I'll load with quality components and stick with one type, manufacturer and lot of brass.
If I'm loading plinking ammo or the like, I'll mix manufacturers with zero issues.

 

[dirtybarry]

I load .223 brass with mid-level 5.56 powder charges without issue for the scary black baby-killer other than I use them all up and have to do it again.
No pressure signs, no operation issues, they all go bang. Could probably load them lighter but that's not my style.

 

[bigedp51]

I've been looking into the same thing. One important thing I have read is to keep in mind that 5.56 x 45 brass is thicker and therefore has a lower internal volume than .223. So, lower volume means that the same mass of powder will generate higher pressure in the 5.56 x 45 casing as compared to the .223.

To make a long story short, if you are using .223 load data, start low and slowly work your way up. Max .223 loads could be a problem with 5.56 brass.

Others with more direct experience and actual load data should chime in.

Lake City and commercial contract 5.56 ammunition made for the military is actually thinner "BUT" is made harder than commercial .223 brass.

Below our American Lake City brass has the "MOST" case capacity and no reduction like you have with "thicker" 7,62 brass is required.

This dates back to the Congressional hearings on the early jamming problem with the M16 rifle and one of the cures was to make military 5.56 brass harder. The reason being you could not make the case thicker and have enough case capacity for the required velocity.

How Hard is Your Brass? 5.56 and .223 Rem Base Hardness Tests
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2014/05/how-hard-is-your-brass-5-56-and-223-rem-base-hardness-tests/

TEST RESULTS
Using Rockwell hardness standards (.062″x100kg, Rockwell “B”), the brass measured as follows:

LC 2008 = 96

Lapua 223 Match = 86

Winchester 223 = 69

Remington “R-P” = 49

Summary of Test Results
Catshooter writes: “For all you guys that have believed that Winchester cases were tougher than Remington — you are vindicated, they are a lot tougher! However, Lake City and Lapua are ‘the pick of the litter'”. Catshooter notes that both Lake City and Lapua are significantly harder than either Winchester and Remington .223 brass. That’s something that we’ve observed empirically (Lapua and LC stand up better to stout loads), but now we have some hard numbers to back that up. Hats off to Catshooter for settling the hardness debate with his Ames Hardness Gauge.

For practical purposes the only difference in "some" .223 and 5.56 rifles is throat length.

I have two AR15 rifles and a Savage .223 bolt action with a 1 in 9 twist and the throat is longer in my Savage bolt action (.566 vs .500)

Also forget the NATO pressure of 62,000 psi it is measured by European CIP standards and the transducer is mounted at the case mouth. American transducers are mounted at the mid point of the case and both the .223 and 5.56 have a maximum chamber pressure of 52,000 cup or 55,000 psi.

Bottom line I buy a lot of once fired Lake City 5.56 brass for the cost savings and quality of this brass. I can buy 500 cases for fraction of what you would pay for 100 Lapua cases. So forget the myth that military 5.56 cases are thicker and have less case capacity.

 

[bigedp51]

So I just picked up a .223/5.56 (Ruger American Ranch). The receiver is actually stamped with 5.56 so it can handle the NATO pressure, a fact I wish to take advantage of. Since I have a 16" barrel I want to work towards developing a load that (safely) achieves the highest velocity possible for my barrel. I plan to be shooting 300-500 yards with this setup.

Anybody have any experience with these loads or know of good resources for that? Most the information I find online seems to be rated for standard .223 chambers.

*To clarify my experience level I've been reloading for about a year now*

You can use any loading data for the 5.56 and your Ruger Ranch rifle has a 1 in 8 twist and a longer throat. Meaning you can shoot up to the 77 grain Sierra MK bullet without problems.

Below Sierra AR15 load data. (just remember the optimum barrel length is 20 inches "BUT" far more 16 inch carbines are being sold.

http://accurateshooter.net/Downloads/sierra223ar.pdf

The big difference with military 5.56 brass is it is harder in the base and it has a thicker flash hole web that adds strength to the base of the case. (it made Ford Truck Tough)

The thicker flash hole web makes the cases last longer before the primer pockets stretch and become oversize.

 

[Kryogen]

when reloading 223 for semi auto (mixed headstamp 1f brass), for some reason, some of my cases have VERY flattened primers, and some barely.

I shot 80 rounds or so last week, I'll have to see if the issue is with a headstamp.

I shoot max load of TAC for 223.

Velocity seems lower than max pressure loads.

I'll see once I get quickload. I bought last week and never got a reply or tracking #.
Asked for tracking #, no reply.

 

[Boomhauer440]

Hornady's reloading manual (Mine is revision 9) has a section for .223 Rem, .223 Rem Service Rifle, and 5.56 NATO. There isn't much difference, max loads are like half a grain apart. So just go with any .223 data, the most accurate load usually isn't the hottest anyways. Bullet selection will be far more important than an extra 50 fps. For what its worth, I used to shoot 300-400m with 68gr Hornady BTHP Match bullets, 25.0gr CFE-223/24.5gr 4895, and a 16" barrel and they work great. With a 1/8 barrel you could probably even go 77gr.

 

[KeltecFan]

bigedp51, I appreciate your presentation of the facts and documentation. The detail you provide in your posts makes it hard to be embarrassed when proven wrong.
I've learned two things here. 1) Some good facts about 5.56 x 45 vs. .223 Rem. 2) Relative newbies in reloading should not post $hit they don`t know enough about.

Thanks for the lesson!

 

[bigedp51]

bigedp51, I appreciate your presentation of the facts and documentation. The detail you provide in your posts makes it hard to be embarrassed when proven wrong.
I've learned two things here. 1) Some good facts about 5.56 x 45 vs. .223 Rem. 2) Relative newbies in reloading should not post $hit they don`t know enough about.

Thanks for the lesson!

There is much misinformation spread on the Internet, and people read it and think its true. Lake City and commercial contract 5.56 ammunition made for the military meet the same specifications. Meaning most .223/5.56 cases are very close in case volume, "BUT" the military grade cases are much harder.

How Hard is Your Brass? 5.56 and .223 Rem Base Hardness Tests
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2014/05/how-hard-is-your-brass-5-56-and-223-rem-base-hardness-tests/

The .223 and 5.56 NATO are both loaded to the same pressure of 52,000 cup or 55,000 psi (SAAMI). The higher 62,000 psi is the European CIP method which is the NATO standard. The problem is the SAAMI takes its pressure reading at mid case and the European measures pressure at the case mouth.

7.62 military cases are thicker but you can not make the 5.56 thicker without loosing too much case volume so the cases are made harder.

I'm retired so I have all day to do research subjects that I'm interested in, so it pays to look into the subject and verify the information.

So don't worry about it, since you booted sunray out of this forum he is now spreading very large piles of fecal debris in our American forums.

 

[KeltecFan]

I was hoping sunray wouldn't come up. Now I am embarrassed. Oh well, you're welcome! Enjoy chasing him.

Back on topic, I am reloading IVI brass. I have to remove the crimp. I have a primer pocket reamer that came with the Lyman Case Prep Xpress. It seems to do a nice job.
I was surprised to note that it took off a lot more material from the IVI brass than the LC brass. The LC marked brass that I am using is from American Eagle commercial M855 ammunition I shot.
Do others have this experience with IVI brass vs. LC (via AE) brass?

 

[Ar180shooter]

Lake City and commercial contract 5.56 ammunition made for the military is actually thinner "BUT" is made harder than commercial .223 brass.

Below our American Lake City brass has the "MOST" case capacity and no reduction like you have with "thicker" 7,62 brass is required.

This dates back to the Congressional hearings on the early jamming problem with the M16 rifle and one of the cures was to make military 5.56 brass harder. The reason being you could not make the case thicker and have enough case capacity for the required velocity.

How Hard is Your Brass? 5.56 and .223 Rem Base Hardness Tests
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2014/05/how-hard-is-your-brass-5-56-and-223-rem-base-hardness-tests/

TEST RESULTS
Using Rockwell hardness standards (.062″x100kg, Rockwell “B”), the brass measured as follows:

LC 2008 = 96

Lapua 223 Match = 86

Winchester 223 = 69

Remington “R-P” = 49

Summary of Test Results
Catshooter writes: “For all you guys that have believed that Winchester cases were tougher than Remington — you are vindicated, they are a lot tougher! However, Lake City and Lapua are ‘the pick of the litter'”. Catshooter notes that both Lake City and Lapua are significantly harder than either Winchester and Remington .223 brass. That’s something that we’ve observed empirically (Lapua and LC stand up better to stout loads), but now we have some hard numbers to back that up. Hats off to Catshooter for settling the hardness debate with his Ames Hardness Gauge.

For practical purposes the only difference in "some" .223 and 5.56 rifles is throat length.

I have two AR15 rifles and a Savage .223 bolt action with a 1 in 9 twist and the throat is longer in my Savage bolt action (.566 vs .500)

Also forget the NATO pressure of 62,000 psi it is measured by European CIP standards and the transducer is mounted at the case mouth. American transducers are mounted at the mid point of the case and both the .223 and 5.56 have a maximum chamber pressure of 52,000 cup or 55,000 psi.

Bottom line I buy a lot of once fired Lake City 5.56 brass for the cost savings and quality of this brass. I can buy 500 cases for fraction of what you would pay for 100 Lapua cases. So forget the myth that military 5.56 cases are thicker and have less case capacity.

We really need a like button...