Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Reloading for these Black Rifles, How?

Any details on reloading for a .223 Bushmaster compared to any other .223?

My 700 takes 24g of Benchmark with a 50 g v-max bullet,

I understand start out low and work up..........................ya ya......

Any reason why Benchmark and 50g vmax wont work?

Are you sure it's an actual .223 Chamber?

Most books have data for .223, not 5.56 chambers. If you have max loads that work in a 5.56 chamber back off about 1.5gr for a .223 chamber.

Along with the 5.56 chambers being able to handle a little hotter load, the only other differences from a bolt gun are the mag constraints (~2.260" with Pmags, 2.300"-2.315" with ASC) and to make sure you bump the shoulders back .003"-.004" when resizing brass.

The AR system doesn't have the same concerns as a Garand about powder burn rates and bending op rods; as long as you stay within appropriate burn rates for the cartridge (i.e. don't expect Unique in a 223 to cycle, or other weird stuff like that) the AR platform is pretty tolerant of different powders.

Other than that it's pretty straightforward. Benchmark and the 50gr Vmax will work great. XTerminator also works really well with that bullet at max loads.

Actually a bushmaster would have the 5.56 I guess huh?

Typically yes. Mine has a 5.56 Chamber.

H335 and TAC will also work behind those 50's.

Winchester 748 Hodgdon CFE223 are also great powders

My prairie dog AR is an old Bushmaster Windham V match.
It's been fed several thousand 50 v max w/Benchmark, no complaints.

I also use Benchmark for my 55 FMJ blasting loads in other AR's. No complaints there either.

I shoot Benchmark with a 69 Sierra BTHP Match. 50 grain would work fine, too.

I haven't loaded Benchmark in my AR's with the 50gr VMAX but I can't see why not. I favor TAC but have used H4895 in it also. Colt M4 and HBAR 1-9" twists.

BTW those 50gr VMAX's are brutal. The pop on sagerats is awesome. And we've slayed two badgers with them in the last month. One shot and DRT.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/13715986/1




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I’ve gone to CFE, works so fine through my Redding Powder measure!!!

748 is not built for hot climates FWIW

And if we are talking none progressive, my findings are I have no clue where my redding or rcbs measures are at this time.

For better powders Harrels works great. But for iffy powders the tip that cheap lee measures work amazingly well for their 19 dollar cost is good info.

Mind you no flies on the Redding, but I've not used it since going to Harrels.

Care to give more detail in your loading process for the AR's? Dies, neck tension, preferred powders and weights for twist rates, brass, primers, etc. etc.... Thanks!!

Its been so long...

Redding FL busyhing dies, what is most accurate, .243 IIRC, but have 242 and 244. Powders have changed so much since I quit competition. That said, Varget RL15 N540 plus a lot of surplus WC852 because we bought 200 pounds..

Brass. Almost only LC.

Primers CC450, M41 a lot or R7.5. BR4 worked really well with Varget, in fact would be my go to if I was using varget these days.

Heavy bullet shooter, 68 to 90s. Twists 7.7, 7, mostly 6.5 in the end.

Have rarely shot anything less than 68/69 otehr than lots of 60 flat base sierra HP for practice , cheap and accurate.

Have shot all kinds of game with 75 bhp/77, 75 amax and various 80 vlds though never a 90.
Have used a handful of 62 ttsx, but bought lighter last time but they are still in the box. Have so many RL 15 /75 bthps still loaded generally just grab them for any use.

Thanks rost.

sorry I'm so rusty.

Last I heard LC was made by FC, and I still dont' care for FC brass, but have not had any in years, with over 100K of LC primed and ready to load....

That said LC is made to LC spec regardless of the owner of the contract... at least it was when FC first took over.

And there were always some years or lots of LC that were not as good as otehrs. Typical of about anything in life really.

Jeff, there is so much different "FC" out there anymore, I can't keep track of it. Some good, some... I don't know. I still avoid it.
New LC and NTT is too cheap to screw with anything questionable.

Seems I'm not off the mark then.

What is NTT? National trophy team. LOL