reloading for an AR 15

[220yotekiller]

Is reloading for an AR 15 any different than reloading for a bolt action?
I have a PSA upper that is chambered in 223 WYLD with a 1 in 7 inch twist.
Looking for a coyote/varmint load, if it likes a heavy bullet I might try antelope or white tail hunting with it.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I'm no expert but i haven't done anything different besides trying to not run really low neck tension.

Biggest differences for me is just that gas guns are prone to beating up brass and making it filthy so I have to actually clean it before resizing and having to load to shorter COALs to fit in AR mags with heavier bullets.

 

[220yotekiller]

I'm no expert but i haven't done anything different besides trying to not run really low neck tension.

Biggest differences for me is just that gas guns are prone to beating up brass and making it filthy so I have to actually clean it before resizing and having to load to shorter COALs to fit in AR mags with heavier bullets.

I tumble my brass every time with everything so that doesn’t bother me, thanks!

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Forgot, I make sure shoulder bump is a little above min too.. Like if i'm getting 1.5-2.5 thou shoulder bump on a bolt gun, i'll screw the die in another thou or two for a gas gun so there is never any resistance going into battery.

 

[Sheltowee]

I had a Sig AR that ate brass like it was its job. Significant case stretch, gashes from the feed ramps, etc. Was probably overgassed if I had to guess.

Most commercial ARs are going to max out around 1.5MOA unless you are jumping up into the Geissele range. I've given up reloading .223 for semi-autos given that I can get just about the same accuracy from good commercial ammo or cheaper blasting ammo. Working on dialing in .223 loads in a Tikka bolt gun, though.

 

[mevertsen]

I reload for a couple. 5.56, and Wylde, as well as a .223 single shot. I've never had any problems. Full length resize, and I do like a Lee Factoru Crimp.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I had a Sig AR that ate brass like it was its job. Significant case stretch, gashes from the feed ramps, etc. Was probably overgassed if I had to guess.

Most commercial ARs are going to max out around 1.5MOA unless you are jumping up into the Geissele range. I've given up reloading .223 for semi-autos given that I can get just about the same accuracy from good commercial ammo or cheaper blasting ammo. Working on dialing in .223 loads in a Tikka bolt gun, though.

Lot of truth to that except if a guy wants to shoot heavier tipped bullets like 73 ELD or 77 TMK the economics come into play. Can load the 73 ELDs for about 50 cents a round and the 77 TMK for about 60 cents compared to usually well over $1/ea and the factory stuff is often loaded to 223 pressure rather than 556 so you can get some more performance out of handloads.

ADI 55 sierra blitz king has been a high value factory option too where you're really not saving much handloading but again they are loaded pretty mild.

 

[rogerthat]

Don’t push pressure reloading for an ar either. I blew one up shooting over max for a decade. It worked until it didn’t. Lucky to have both eyes still.

 

[Sheltowee]

Lot of truth to that except if a guy wants to shoot heavier tipped bullets like 73 ELD or 77 TMK the economics come into play. Can load the 73 ELDs for about 50 cents a round and the 77 TMK for about 60 cents compared to usually well over $1/ea and the factory stuff is often loaded to 223 pressure rather than 556 so you can get some more performance out of handloads.

ADI 55 sierra blitz king has been a high value factory option too where you're really not saving much handloading but again they are loaded pretty mild.

Yeah, I can't argue with that. I also just hate chasing my brass all over the place. Had pretty decent accuracy with the IMI 77gr. SMK 5.56 load out of my Bren-- was comfortably ringing steel out past 500 a couple of weekends ago-- but you're right that it runs $1/rd.

@220yotekiller: Don't be like yours truly and pick up a couple hundred pieces of random 5.56 and .223 brass from the range, painstakingly deprime, clean and resize the whole batch, and only then discover the wonders of crimped military primer pockets . RCBS sells a pretty cheap de-crimping tool, at least.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Yeah, I can't argue with that. I also just hate chasing my brass all over the place. Had pretty decent accuracy with the IMI 77gr. SMK 5.56 load out of my Bren-- was comfortably ringing steel out past 500 a couple of weekends ago-- but you're right that it runs $1/rd.

@220yotekiller: Don't be like yours truly and pick up a couple hundred pieces of random 5.56 and .223 brass from the range, painstakingly deprime, clean and resize the whole batch, and only then discover the wonders of crimped military primer pockets . RCBS sells a pretty cheap de-crimping tool, at least.

Brass catcher helps a lot on the brass chasing front.