Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Loading the 223 for the AR

I have the RCBS small base dies for the AR. I have been playing with loads and getting some anemic loads. I have RL15 on hand, a lot of it, so I am trying to use it on this gun. Loaded 64 grain winchester PP and 70 grain Speer SS and loads ranged from 2480 to about 2600 with different powder charges. Cases are FC, Primers are Fed 205 blue box, (also have thousands of them). I had a load set up for my NEF that turned out to be too hot when the outside temps peaked over about 35*, so I tried that at the end of the session and it rocked in the AR. That load was Win cases, same fed 205 primers, 60 grain nosler partition over 25.7 grains of H335. Running out at 2875 from a 14.5" barrel. Wondering if I am just underloading for the AR since its a higher pressure round or if RL 15 just isnt the right propellant for that gun?
Thoughts?

I think RL-15 is a good choice.

The above load was worked up for an AR with a 1:7 twist but it also works well in my rifle with a 1:10 twist barrel (even though it shouldn't).

great, thanks

Based on Hodgdon's loading data, it would appear that both loads you list are over their recommended maximum powder charges, especially for the 70 gr bullet. I would not run over max loads of H-335, particularly on a hot day. In my experience, it can be a little sensitive on the upper end. I would think the Reloder 15 might be more suited to the heavy bullets, if you are looking for max velocity at safe pressure levels. I like IMR-8208 XBR for those applications.

RL 15 should work fine but I'll never reload Federal .223 cases again.




Travis

RL15 is better suited for heavier bullets like 69-77g. H335 was made for 62g from .223, so your results are as expected.

If you're looking for velocity in the 5.56, RL15 or Varget is a poor choice. the target shown above by Grumulkin has good accuracy, but velocity can be improved by about 200 fps over that, in a 16" barrel.

TAC, XTerminator, or AA2460 will give you top velocity in the 65-70+gr range. Depending on your rifle and bullet you may or may not find best accuracy there; I'm getting best accuracy at max load/velocity with the 65gr SGK and 69 SMK, but the 75gr Hornady HP has to be backed down some.

Benchmark will get you about halfway between those good ball powders and RL15, and is what I'm using now for the 75gr Hornady. Accuracy is equal or better than Varget, in my rifle, with 150 fps more velocity.

This.

Also, skip the small base dies and try regular dies. Small base dies are not usually necessary, and may be slightly counterproductive if you're chasing accuracy.

+1 I have better luck with standard dies and H-335 powder and 55 grain bullets.

Thanks for all the input, please expand on why not the FC cases? I acquired them through purchasing 1x fired cases somewhere. I thought Lake City made Fed cases???

You got that backwards. Federal runs the armory that makes LC brass. The LC meets NATO requirements for brass hardness and annealing. Federal has their own specifications and they are usually much softer than LC, so much so that the primer pocket may expand enough after a couple of loadings that they are unusable.

Good to know. thank you. I will keep an eye on the pockets and if they get loose, into the trash.

I had some whose pockets were loosened by the factory loading, and the chrono said the load shouldn't have been hot unless a wildly inappropriate powder was used.

It's true that the primer pockets on Federal brass expand faster than that on other types of brass but that isn't a reason not to use it. When the primer pockets get loose, recycle the brass that that probably won't happen until after several reloadings. I have Federal brass that I've probably reloaded at least half a dozen times and is still good.