Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Anyone load win 64gr bullets for .223?

I just loaded some win 64gr bullets with 2015 powder and then tumbled them for 1/2hr to get the lube off and they came out nice and shiney!Do any of you load win 64gr bullets for your AR?

I have loaded the 64 gr PP for my AR, Mini-14 and Ruger #1V. I use mostly 69, 77 and 80 gr Sierra MatchKings in the AR now, as well as 55 gr Nosler BT's and 52 gr Hornady Match HP's. Why?

I'm just curious, and maybe I read the post incorrectly, but you tumbled loaded ammo? How did that work out?

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Yeah, REALLY! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

My buddy told me he was doing that very same thing and I couldn't believe it!
Of course, this is the same guy that blew up a Ruger Redhawk with his handloads... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

There is a lot more tumbling loaded ammo going on than one would guess. I've seen tons of it in surplus ammo sales too. Done in cement mixers!

A bit to get the lube off isn't a big deal. But a bunch can change the burn rate of the powder. had a buddy buy a bunch of cheap LC stuff tarnished to heck and tumbled it for 24+ hours. Finally had a batch that had a round go off while tumbling. And later when shooting the stuff had a round blow his mag out. I don't think that is any good.

I believe that considering vibration in the car for hours to a match and back, on a plane etc.... is comparable to a short tumble to clean up but be very careful. There are stories out there if ammo riding in a truck for many years and blowing a gun up when finally shot. The coating wore off the powder and blam.

Jeff

I always tumble for a 1/2hr to get the lube off.It doesn't hurt anything.I did find that 24gr of 2015 shot great in my RRA with win 64gr pp!

Glock, dont' know anyone else loading 64s but family did shoot a bunch of 63s in one finicky barrel a few years back. Shot super. Not great in the wind at midrange but better than other options.

Why not tumble the empty cases and then load them? That's what I do. I'd never tumble loaded rounds.

glock..,

The heavest bullet my AR will shoot is the Speer 64SMP. Altho the bullet is designed for slow twists mine has a 1/7. I may be the only guy in the world using 2520 powder in a .223 ,but it's been accurate in 3 differant guns so far. Have also taken a couple of deer with the gun and load.

I think Sierra has a couple of Gameking bullets out now, one in 55 gr the other in 65 gr. May want to check out the 55 gr if the 64's won't shoot.

I load 25.0grains of BL-C(2) under a Winchester 64grain PP for my Bushmaster and Winchester M70 coyote in 223rem(both are 1/9 twist).
It is real accurate in both.
It has taken yotes up here and deer in NC.

I loaded them for my little brother for deer. He was shooting a DPMS with a 1:9 twist. They shot well for him and he killed 2 decent sized Idaho mule deer with them. They were complete pass throughs on the lungs and took a rib or two out. I was fairly impressed by their performance on deer. MV was about 3000fps.

I tried them in my Rem model 7 SS but they did not shoot well in that gun. It's got too slow of twist, 1:12 I think.

Bb

Bb,
Would ya mind giving a powder type and weight for that load. If it's max I'll work it up but always interested in a new load. I have some of them sitting down stairs too and would like to see how they'd shoot for me, too.

Sapper,
I may give that BL-C2 load a try also It looks like it's about max from what I can see in the book, so I'll start a little lower. How does the pressure look in your rifles? I have a .223 bolt gun I might try it in too.

RickyD,
Overall length of 2.200" on the rounds.
They both show real mild pressure in both rifles!
Even at their Max-Load(26.0grains) they show BL-C(2) to have but 46,300cup.
It works great with temp's down to -25 and up to 90.
I've gotten complete pass-through's on lung-shot deer while at the wifes families farm down in Rutherford County,NC!
Around these parts though 223's are only legal for deer on reservations.
The 64grainers work plenty good on coyotes,fox and feral-critters!

Outcast

Watch out with 2520 sooner or later it'll bite you. I've had too many years of experience and suggest, HIGHLY, that you start with a different powder. Lots of stories as to why, lot to lot variation, temperature variations, speed variations(over 200 fps from one lot to another) etc..

BTW I'd wonder about the barrel being a true 7 twist. A true 7 could almost stabilize a 90grain. Certainly anything 80 and under. It sure should not stop at 64s. And could even be prone to blowing up 60s or under just depending on the quality of the barrel possibly.

Jeff

RickyD,

I was using Data powder 2200. It was a limited run powder put out by Accurate Arms a few years ago. The powders not available anymore but I was using 22 grains over a cci 400. It clocked right at 3000 fps with a 20" barrel with no signs of high pressure.

Bb

rost..,

Thanks for your response. That was new info for me re: 2520. Will send a more detailed post later when I get to the home computer and load log book. Would like to hear more of your experiences.

CORRECTION:

The bullet I was refering to in my first posting was a Sierra 63gr. semi point #1370. Loading data for this bullet is listed in their 50th Edition loading manual, however,it is not shown in the rifle bullet section. It may be discontinued.

Forgive the error.

Rost..,

After Clinton said they had no sporting purpose, I had to find out. I have both a Colt Car-15 and an HBAR... both are marked 1/7 on the barrel,so I'm confident of the twist. Also loaded for a Bushmaster marked 1/9. Yeah,they should stabilize heavy bullets. None the less my best results were with lighter bullets. Tried bullets from 52grs. up to 69 from several makers.

All the usual suspects, H-335,BLC-2 and 748 produced 2-4" groups with bullets ranging from 52 to 69 grs. Also tried 4320 and 4198, not bad but doesn't meter well.

After around 2 dozen load combinations I settled on 2520 with 55gr. Vmax ... groups ran from .898 to an average of 1.1 in both the Car and Hbar. The 63 gr Sierra bullet averages 1.6 so I killed 2 deer with that. I don't think the 'better' bullets were available in '96. When production switched from Sweden to the Chech Rep. I tried the new 2520 powder,couldn't tell the diff.

So, I've got a Car that shoots as good as an Hbar,fast twist barrels that like lighter bullets and I've never owned anything that likes 748,H335 or BLC-2 , maybe that's why my user name is....Outcast. It seems I always find the exception to the rule.

I'd really like to hear your experiences with 2520...dern,I may have to start over.

I don't know that the AA 2520 has the market cornered on lot-to-lot variations. I have been using AA powder for about as long as they've been around. For one example: I have loading data from AA that shows a maximum load for a 50 grain bullet with AA 2015 BR powder of 26 grains. I used that load with great results. A few years later, the same load droped the max to 25.5. After going through the kegs I had on hand, the new powder produce good accuracy at the NEW maximum. The current load data shows a maximum of 24.5 grains for the same bullet. Now that's lot-to-lot variations!

I still have about 5, 8 pound kegs of the older powder but I bet when I get the new powder, 24.5 will be real close to a good, accurate load.

I have been reloading for about 40 years and AA is the only powder that I have found that large of variations with. I have a 22-250 that my father made for me about 30 years ago. I am now on my 4th 8 pound keg of IMR-4064. These kegs were purchased one at a time over the 30 years. The new keg produces great accuracy with the exact same load that I developed 30 years ago!

Lets just say I have had 3 different containers of 2520 here at any time years back. From 3 different countries. Max loads varied by over 4 grains. Some velocity difference to the tune of up to 200 fps difference from lot to lot. Accuracy difference from under MOA to over 3 MOA.

Let me add though, that I believe that currently AA has been taken over by the Ramshot folks and I've had nothing but good luck with Ramshot so far. I dont' shoot much ball powder but the times I have, its been good. I bought 200 pounds of surplus powder in 92 and use that as my practice ammo. Still workign on burning it up. Got a bit slower when we switched from M1A to AR15 and burn half the powder now.

AS Dtech notes, old reliables are cheaper in the long run often. They'll vary a bit from lot to lot, but not signifigantly.

I don't mind tweaking loads from lot to lot. It really has to be checked any time you switch lots of any component to be sure and sometimes a few tenths difference will be noted. But nothing like the old AA days.

Jeff