Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Care to share some good loads?

Hey guys, new to the AR scene. I'm wanting to know what you run in your AR15's or similar rifles to get the best accuracy. I'm thinking my 1 in 7 twist barrel will like the 69-77gr bullets, but I may be wrong. I kind of skimmed through some of the other threads here and saw some loads posted, so I worked up some loads yesterday ranging from 24-25gr's. of RL15 in R-P brass. I just bought 4000 BR4 primers too since they were a great deal. I'm working with new brass and will shoot today to fireform and get some once fired brass for the rifle. Bought a small base die set, just because. I am running mag box length, and will be about .080" off the lands with this particular rifle. I really don't want to single load the rifle, but may end up doing that in the AR challenge. I'd love to see your target pics, load data that has worked for you and hear your thoughts. Thanks...

I run 24.5 grains of H4895, CCIBR4's in Lapua brass with 75 grain Hornady HPBTs or 77 grains Sierra Tipped Matchkings. I've shot this load out of a bunch of ARs and bolts guns. Always accurate.

My 1:8" twist SPR likes 69-grn SMKs over Varget, loaded as long as I can to still allow mag loading and crimped using Lee factory crimp die.

You may be over-sizing your brass w/ small base dies and I'd never buy them as the 1st option, but would wait until the particular gun/chamber/load told me I may need them. Regardless of die brand/type, I strongly recommend you buy a Wilson chamber gauge or other means/tool to properly setup your sizing die so you're setting the shoulder back no more than ~0.002" from fired brass in your chamber.

Set your charge (then bullet seating length) using Dan Newberry's "Optimal Charge Weight" (OCW) method. It works! I've shot groups at 200Y approaching 1/3 MOA. Have since bought that OnTarget app to measure my shot dispersion (mean radius) and will further develop loads using no less than 10-shot groups.

Have fun!

Awesome, thanks Scotty!! I have some H4895 in the cabinet.... About ready to head off, we'll see what happens.

Thanks buddy. Good suggestions...

The tool you want to buy for measuring brass & setting up your die is an RCBS Precision Mic; I usually set the brass to it's fired size minus .003" for any specific gun. If sizing for non-specific gun & ammo to be used in any gun, I size to min HS dimension (zero on the Precision Mic; Go-gauge dimension) minus .003-.004".

With 69, 75 & 77 gr bullets, my preferred powder is AR-Comp with MR-2000 & XBR-8208 as a very close second; all flow much better than Varget or RL-15, but those are good choices as well. For lighter bullets, I'll use the 8208 or H4895 for the most part.

No real need in most cases for a small base die, but if you have it, use it.

MM

+1 on the OCW for load development.
2nd on the no need for small base dies. You are just overworking the brass.


In my 18", 1:8 twist, Wilson barrel, my best results with 77 gr. SMKs at mag length, L.C. brass, CCI 450 primers:

8208-XBR - 23.4 gr.
H4895 - 24.1 gr.
RL-15 - 24.7 gr.
TAC - 23.8 gr.
Varget - 23.9 gr.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the info. I bought the small base die set yesterday. I have not tried to re-size any brass with it yet. Is is possible to just do a PFL sizing for an AR. That is generally what I do with my bolt action rifles and get excellent accuracy. The reason I bought the small base die set is because my buddies say that's what they use. I want this one to be very reliable with no hang-ups. Thus far after shooting it at the range, I am tickled pink. Everything went exceptionally well. I will say that I believe the rifle shoots better than I do. I'll post some target pics later. All is looking good though, considering I was using brand new brass that was already primed with CCI400's that I was going to be using in my bolt rifle. I scored on a bunch of BR4's that I'll be using in this once fired brass next go around. This rifle is exactly what I was looking for and at a price I couldn't pass up. I think I'll be happy with it. Thanks for the response to my questions.

Small base dies and partial full length sizing is all backwards for the application. You do need to bump the shoulders back slightly, but you do not need to work the body of the case so much with small base dies, unless you have a really tight match chamber.

That make a lot of sense yondering. Thanks... I will not use the small base die. Looks like the RCBS presision mic is a good thing to consider. I've been wanting to give one of those a try as well. I've used the case gauges before too. Nifty little tools. I appreciate the comments..

High Power Service Rifle competitor Glen Zediker has had a running series of articles sponsored by Midsouth Shooters with some good tips and information on loading accurate AR ammo, primarily for service rifle application but applicable to other types.
It is basically one of his books, presented in parts.
If you sign up for Midsouth's email list, they come out about twice a month. The back issues are available.
A lot of it I was already doing but I have picked up a few useful tips.

Here is the latest one with links to the older ones at the bottom of the article.

Zediker Blog

Thanks for the link Steve. Looks like some great advice. I've never really thought about deburing the inside of the flash hole before, but he makes a great point... Looks like that guy know's his stuff... I'll be reading more of his articles..

I like the 62 gr barnes. Not a long range bullet but it kills cshit out of pigs!!

+1 I have not loaded it in a while but ww cases federal primers maximum load of TAC for the 5.56 chamber and the 62 grain tsx or ttsx. It kills deer no problem. I got into hunting with a 6.8 so I have not loaded this in a while.

I use the same dies for the AR as the bolt guns. Never used a SB resize die. Size them like you would for your bolt guns and ensure function as you would for any rifle. I push a little more for the ARs but not much much BSA. You won't have any troubles making it shoot.

Thanks Scotty. I appreciate that.

Thanks Scotty. I appreciate that. I know it sounds weird, but I pulled the adjustment ring off of my SB sizing die, so I don't accidentally use it. I also have damn near 2000 pieces of sized and primed brass that I have for my bolt gun, I mocked up some dummy rounds and tried this brass and every brand I have chambers just fine. That brass was FL sized to fit 2 of my .223 rem rifles. I'll try some of that brass and see how she works/shoots, but as of now it looks like PMC, FC, R-P and W/W load and function through the rifle just fine. I've been finding a chit load of FC brass here lately at the range (must be on sale somewhere), also the PMC. I was reading through some of the threads and see that some of you guys don't like FC, I'm wondering why since LC is made by Federal and most of you love that stuff???????? I may load some up and find out why some of you guys don't like FC. I also bought a inside flash hole deburing tool, 10 round mags (for easier shooting with bags or front rest off of bench). Also looking at the accu wedge. Not that my receivers are loose, but they wiggle like most AR's. I've heard the accu wedge helps a little to better accuracy. I also stumbled across some 68gr. Horndady BTSP match grade pills I want to try. Hopefully those aren't obsolete now, because if they work good, I'll probably buy more of those since they are cheaper than sierra's...

Dang jimmy, I was hoping you would have more info. I was also looking for Rost to show up and maybe even certifiable. Some of the other guys that shot really well in the AR challenge!!!!!!!! I'm looking to make the best out of this thing and hopefully the next time at the range I won't be dealing with 25+ mph winds. When the wind starts pushing at my back and shaking my target stand back and forth, it's time to give up on groups!!!!!

LC is a different spec brass than standard FC stamped. I think the jury is still out on the newer
LC / FC stamped brass & I have a lot of it loaded so time will tell.

The regular commercial FC stuff has primer pockets that open up much faster than most other brands............I generally reload it once & then generally pitch it, unless you want to waste primers with they just fall in on some of the brass.



I used to deburr all the flash holes on many of my bolt guns............came to the conclusion that unless you have 1/4" gun, you'll never find the difference that performing that function makes on the target.

But if it makes you feel better, then it's only time & it surely doesn't hurt anything.

MM

Thanks MM. I read through the articles (that NVhunter told me about) that were posted and they seem to be quite interesting. I also looked inside the cases that I pulled the bullets out of, that I will load more 25 and 25.2gr charge wt's and noticed some rough looking flash holes that were not consistent. Some looked pretty crappy where I could barely see the primer cup and others I could see just fine. I figured I'd lightly touch those up the next time I prep those pieces and them throw in some of those BR4's i recently picked up. I figure its all the little things that add up in the end. Just like the accu wedge I am going to buy for the rifle... Again, it's a big experiment to me. I'll try some of your suggestions and then see if it helps. The main thing here is getting my 1.73 moa. average down to around 1-1.25 moa. in the AR challenge....Then I'll be happy...