Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Deconstructing .223 rounds to make slower loads?

Hello Folks,


I really like the .223 Rem cartridge, but it is too danged loud and too powerful for much of the varmint control in areas where I shoot.

So, my goal is to reload, as easily as possible, some 55 grain bullet loads in the 1,800 to 2,000 fps area.

I already have the reloading data I need, and am not asking for comments or approval regarding the data. (7 grains of Blue Dot with 55 grain bullet was suggested to me.)

My problem is: The last time I did any reloading was 40 years ago, using the "Full Monty" RBCS single stage press and reloading kit, and as I recall, it was tedious, troublesome and danged boring.

What I want to do is reload using the most convenient, and safest method possible, that is reasonably cheap to do. I do not need ultra accuracy. 75 yards would probably be the max range, and the targets (groundhogs, fox, huge crows, etc.) are fairly large. Groups of 1 inch or so at that range is all that I need.


So, my plan is to buy factory .55 grain fmj .223 rounds, deconstruct them, replace the powder and then reconstruct them. I will just use a Lee hand press.

To do this, I will use a Lyman inertia bullet puller hammer, dump and dispose of the powder, weigh (with digital scale) and insert the new powder, and then reseat the original bullet (for practice) or some Hornady 55 grain soft point semi jacketed bullets for hunting.

My questions are:

1. Do you think that after pulling the bullet, I will need to neck size and flare the case? And, is there a safe way to do this if the case is already primed?

2. Will I need to neck-crimp the cartridges after reloading the bullet? My rifle will have a regular box magazine, and the recoil of the rifle will be extremely light.

3. Loading just 7 grains of power may be hard to do, because of the small volume. (I don't want to use a powder trickler!) Does anybody make scoops that are that small? Will I have to make my own scoop to card and pour it on the scale? (My last reloading was with a 7 Mag, which took a lot of powder.)


Thanks for all advice and comments. Please don't recommend a .22 Mag or .22 Hornet or .17 cal. The .22 Mag is way too loud,the .22 Hornet way too finicky (and factory ammo way to speedy), and the .17 cal just to weird. :-)


Mannyrock

Answers:

1. You will need to neck size the cases...no need to flare them. To do safely just back off your decapping pin so that it doesnt contact the primer.

2.You do not need to crimp the finished cartridge

3.Can.t help you on the scoop, but check Lee reloading stuff for scoops.


Item #4 if you aren't happy with your Blue Dot try 12.5 gr of 4198 thank me later.

Thanks for your excellent comments.

Mannyrock

You can do that without resizing. I’ve done it using Norma TAC 223 with 55 gr fmj. I pulled the fmjs woth a collet puller and Replaced them with Nosler 55 gr Varmageddons (kept the powder as is). Seated and crimped.

If you are planning on shooting sub velocity loads as a mainstay, you would be far better served using a cartridge with leas case capacity.

you are dancing in my arena with stuff like this..

1. ya don't need to crimp, but I'd do a light touching roll crimp.. just in case.. let your conscience be your guide. you know what you need, I dont' just suggesting, as that is what I'd do..

2. If you are looking at the 1800 fps velocity range, even tho I do a lot with Blue Dot, and reduced 4198, the powder I'd be looking on the shelf for would be Unique.. 7.5 grains of that...not that I like the powder, but Trail Boss would be made for that application...

3. FMJs, I'd be concerned about ricchochets, if you are in a suburban housing environment. I'd go with something like a 40 grain VMax or Varmaggedon, bullets that would shatter when they hit, so you wouldn't be worried about riccochets.

4. As far as a scoop, maybe someone has an extra or never uses the smaller powder scoops... in my set I have a 0.5 and a 0.7 grain labeled scooper.. they are for pistols, but would work in your application here.

5. With light powder loads, that produces small volumes with many powders.. DON'T use filler to compensate. In your application also, small pistol primers would work just fine also, if that is all you got or can get.

Good luck with your project.

An addendum also... If you want a full case but 1700 to 1800 fps, a case of REALLY slow powder will accomplish the same...
Probably would even have to size the brass for several shots...like powder in the burn rates of H 1000 or so...

I know you can accomplish that with H 4831 SC with like 17 grains or so...

A good source for tons of load data, would be a good cast bullet manual.. especially older ones...

or like use cast bullet data for a 221 or 222, low velocity.. it will work just fine in a 223 case.

Many .223 Rem factory loads have sealant around the bullet. You can beat a kinetic bullet puller to death unless you seat the bullets a little deeper to break the seal.

I did similar thing a few years ago to make some Nosler BT hunting loads for a M1 Garand, from ball ammo. I had to clean the asphalt from the inside of the neck to prevent bulging when seating the new bullets.

Don't know how valuable your time is but doing more than a handful will get very time consuming.

You can probably get somebody to provide primed brass and soft point bullets for the cost of factory ammo.

An afterthought...you can fill the case up with TRAIL BOSS powder and you are good to go for nice reduced loads.

Sounds like the op should get a good 22lr and use his time in a more productive manner.

Buy some 223 brass that has been cleaned and sized if you want to load reduced loads. Fug all that bullet pulling. Buy a scale, don’t rely on scoops.

I'm with Hanco, if you can find primers, assemble from scratch. And if you think loading on a single stage is slow and boring, wait till you start deconstructing factory rounds with an inertia puller. It is neither convenient nor safe. A far better way is to use a pair of diagonal cut pliers (dykes):

With no die in the press, raise the loaded round enough to grip the bullet just above the case mouth with the dykes. Then lower the ram allowing the dykes to contact the top of the press, the bullet will be pulled as you lower the ram. If it isn't heavily crimped you should be able remove the bullet without putting more than slight marks on it so it can be reused. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES.

This works great and will be much faster. I have experimented with bullets pulled in this manner and at the range you are planning to shoot you will not loose any accuracy even if they are slightly marred.

drover

Not having primers would be the only reason I’d do that. And the concern over FMJ bullets is well-founded, as to clean kills as well as safety.

Mule deer wrote a piece back during one of the Obama rimfire shortages that included recipes for .22 mag equivalent loads. Dig that up. I did pretty much the same thing with 4759 in a .223 long ago and far away.

Depends on what FMJ you have, but a lot will need decrimping of the primer pockets before the next go-round, which is why I studiously keep such brass in a separate, IN CASE OF FIRE, pile, hopefully to be left to my children, or theirs.

A "finicky" 22 Hornet doesn't really sound so finicky.....

That's exactly what I was thinking. I mean, I can't imagine that the muzzle report is going to be THAT much different between a regular and a reduced load. A little bit, yes - but not enough to make any significant difference.

I think this falls into the "I know it's not the best approach but I wanna see if I can make it work anyhow" category. We've all been there. Sometimes you have to do things the hard way to see the fallacy in re-inventing the wheel.

All good advice. I can't really add anything except to say that fmj bullets are a crappy choice for this exercise if killing groundhogs at 75 yards is in the offing. They're tough buggers and unless clean head shots are executed they'll die hard when hit by a relatively slow moving fmj.

Cheap/simple powder scoops can be made with empty pistol cases and wire handles soldered on. File the case down until it holds the desired amount of powder. Better yet, just get a cheap balance scale and a good used powder measure. You're going to need a scale anyway no matter what approach you take, unless you like living on the edge....

Good post gnoahhh. Every time I see this thread I think about all the 8mm mauser ammo I broke down earlier this spring. I have been doing this for years for my dad. The damn ammo he bought is loaded too hot for his VZ24. It shoots alright in my nephews sporter 8x57, but I still don't trust it. What I do is re-use the powder in a brass case, but in a reduced load. I re-worked a load up in my dad's rifle that is very accurate. I think it is 2 grains less powder than the factory ammo.


I think I did 380 pills that time^^^^ Got more than 2 pounds of powder out of those cases, but it gets reused. I have the recipe written down in my notebook and it works well. I agree that the op should get some better equipment for doing what he intends to do. It is possible, but a simple scale and even a collet bullet puller would make the job much easier and safer.. I still think he needs a dang 22lr though and chit can his idea of tearing down that factory 223 ammo..

THIS !!!!!!!!

Manny, I'd recommend HIGHLY you at least get the Lee basic O press kit with a SCALE. Yes, reloading can be boring, but doing it right makes the shooting EXCITING in the best way. Lee's box set isn't that expensive, mine has given excellent service alongside my Dillon XL 650 production press.
Just having the press to pull bullets is ten times better than whaling away with an inertia whacker. I learned that the hard way, myself.

Hint................