.223 reloading info

Post by **RJensen** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:10 am

Hey,

I am getting into reloading for my 223. Here is the story. Bought a DPMS 223, 9-1 twist, went through a bunch of ammo, decided it is a waste to waste all that brass. I have 2- 223's the DPMS, and a savage bolt action. I was looking for a reasonable load I can put together for shooting. 95% of my shooting is plinking, 5% at coyotes. I am just looking for a good, accurate, economical load when I am done. Nothing hot, basically by the book, as I do not want to screw up a gun in the process of reloading. I don't want to use a FMJ either. Any advice? Safe, accuracy, and then cost is how I would rate the shell I want to have. What kind and grain would you recommend? Also, is there any special kind of die I need for using the reloads in the AR, I heard once something about using a different die for the AR than the bot rifle?

Post by **Coyote 22-250** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:03 pm

I have been using 55gr nosler Ballistic tip bullets out of my bushmaster with varget powder, I will post later the recipe when I get home. have had very good luck with it. it is all by the book. there is no special die to use I just have the full lenght resizing die, backed off to just neck size the brass.

Post by **RJensen** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:53 pm

Definatly interested in doing some ballistic tips, also, do you ever do hollow points, would really like to know the recipe, but also the main thing is the best grain bullet to use out of the AR. I would only be shooting either hollow points and ballistic tips.

Ron

Post by **LeviM** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:54 pm

Ron your going to shoot your eye out

Post by **RJensen** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:03 pm

I am such a poor shot, I doubt I could even hit my own eye! As you can tell, I have a bunch of brass, if I hit what I shot at, I would still have bullets. God I love the DPMS, it flat out lets me get lots of lead out there, which when you flinch, close your eyes, and most of the time forget to aim, helps all my handicaps. But it is getting spendy owning this little toy. I might have to have the wife get another job to support my bullet habit. My whole goal is to actually con her into doing my reloading for me after work, it should be a relaxing thing for her to take up, and keep her out of my hair about my just laying around watching hunting shows on the tube. But I think when she finds out what I spent on reloading stuff the other day,

she will probably shoot me! Hopefully she reloads the shot she uses on me! As I am out of bullets at the moment JK

Post by **Coyotehunter** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:08 pm

ok that is funny, Ron, I got to find a way to get to kenmare. I already miss listening you.

Post by **LeviM** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:58 pm

LOL

I thought you would have something smart to say Ron!!!

Post by **Coyote 22-250** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 5:33 pm

here is the load I worked up this last summer..

July 29, 2007
3:00pm
75 degrees, NE wind 5mph
.223 Cal Bushmaster Varminter AR-15
55gr Nosler Ballistic Tip
26.5gr Hodgon Varget
Winnchester Small Rifle Primer No. WSR
Winnchester Brass
trim-to length 1.750
overall length 2.210
average fps 3286fps
group size @100yds .310

hope this helps you out

Post by **RJensen** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:44 pm

Matt,

Thanks for the information. Do you have anything on Hollow points?, I will keep this recipe, I definatly will be loading some of these

Post by **Coyote 22-250** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:40 pm

this load shot so good out of my gun that I have had no reason to try anything different. sorry. but i am thinking playing around with it some more in march and trying some different bullets, I have many to choose from and one of them is a 52gr hollow point boattail, that shoots really good out of my 22-250. I don't think i want to go any lighter than 50gr. I had problems with to light when I had a .204, and was not satisfied on the performance of the bullets that were available at the time I owned it, the .204 didn't kill em near as good as the 22-250. yup they are two different calibers, and the .204 just didn't do the job I wanted it to do

Post by **RJensen** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:04 pm

what grain bullet does the AR 15 do best with? Or does that depend on several other factors? Obviously the one you shoot seems to be what a guy wants to use. But when considering other bullets I am guessing you would want to stay around a certian grain bullet

I got an old lyman press, (turret) but am short the shell holder, scheels is supposed to be gettin me one, so i have been reading up, and looking on the net, but your advice seems logical to me! I picked up the rest of the goodies at scheels, scale, powder measurer, dies all the other goodies, just now thinking I should have went with the chucker kit at 280! Do not think I would have been out much other than the turret part, cost wise. As I said earlier, hope the wife like her new hobby i got her into! lol

Post by **LeviM** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:49 am

RJensen wrote: As I said earlier, hope the wife like her new hobby i got her into! lol

If I were you Ron I would wait and get all this reloading stuff for your wife for an anniversary gift

or Birthday or even Christmas!!

Post by **Coyote 22-250** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:45 am

well from all the reading and other info I have gathered from old pro reloaders about rifles with fast twists is the heavier the bullet the better. I know when I first got mine last summer I bought a bunch of factory ammo to break the barrel in and I tried 45gr remington umc hallow points, 40gr ultra max soft points, federal 45gr soft points, and some black hills ammo both new ammo and reman ammo, all over a couple month time frame to see witch would be best for my rifle and the best group I could get was 3" at 100yds. at the time i bought the rifle i didn't figure i would reload because the shells were so cheap it didn' seem like it would be worth it. but i had no choice in the matter after seeing the groups the factory ammo gave me. i had a bunch of 55gr noslers for my 22-250 so i just started working up a load with for the AR with them and found a great load

Post by **Coyotehunter** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 6:52 pm

Ron, there is a site that sells parts for those old Lyman presses. I have 3 of them. The first one I got from my dad and he got it from his dad. I do not remember the site and I would think if yougoogle Lyman you should find it. Scheels takes for ever to order anything. If I come across where I got my shell holder I will drop you a line.

Post by **RJensen** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:52 pm

Well seems how I have all the reloading stuff already, that is out of the question for a b-day anniv. gift, but I think we need to spend some time apart, so we can enjoy our time together, so I am thinking moose hunting in Alaska, and her staying home, just to see how much I really do, do around the house, plus if I get a moose, I would be supplying the grocries, so it would actually be a working trip on my part, so that would hide my fact of feeling guilty about the trip. I just hope she keeps her 2nd job, when I ran this idea by her, she said something about a 1 way ticket... hmmm, than and it must be cold up in Alaska, as she mentioned something about cold day in something or another.