Ball practice load for AR15 -- Hornady 55 grain FMJ-BT

[leroy]

Fellow reloaders:____________

I'm in need of makin up some "practice rounds" for my AR carbine. Ive got several pounds of WW748 and about 1000 or so rounds of military headstamp brass ready to go. I've been goin back and forth between the following loads:

1. 26.0 grains
   
2. 26.5 grains
   
3. Other (...i dont have a clue about this one...).
   

Whadda ya think? Remember, these loads are "for practice", not precision shooting. I need a load that will give reasonable accuracy (...the more the better...) and good functioning with my carbine. Think about it and let me know.

Thanks a bunch.

leroy

[mikegideon]

For what it's worth. It looks like the powder is a little slow. Strike that.

More: Maybe not slow. My money sez you won't exceed pressure with 26.5, and you're at 101% case capacity at that.

Edited January 2, 2012 by mikegideon

[Westwindmike]

A friend of mine has loaded thousands of practice loads with 748 and he always uses 25.0. They shoot good and don't beat up the gun.

[mikegideon]

I just did a batch of Nosler 55 grain boat tails with 22.5 grains of Reloader 7. Pressure is a little higher, 'cause it's a faster powder, but you burn almost 100% of it. You're gonna blow 7% of your charge out the end of the barrel with 748, assuming a 16" barrel.

[mikegideon]

A friend of mine has loaded thousands of practice loads with 748 and he always uses 25.0. They shoot good and don't beat up the gun.

Probably helps copper fouling too. Quickload sez about 2800 fps

[Dave Shooter]

Fellow reloaders:____________

I'm in need of makin up some "practice rounds" for my AR carbine. Ive got several pounds of WW748 and about 1000 or so rounds of military headstamp brass ready to go. I've been goin back and forth between the following loads:

1. 26.0 grains
   
2. 26.5 grains
   
3. Other (...i dont have a clue about this one...).
   

Whadda ya think? Remember, these loads are "for practice", not precision shooting. I need a load that will give reasonable accuracy (...the more the better...) and good functioning with my carbine. Think about it and let me know.

Thanks a bunch.

leroy

Why don't you load up about 20 of each load, take em out and chrono them, function check, look for pressure signs, and see how they compare to your non-practice ammo. If both meet your needs then less powder equals less money.

[mikegideon]

Why don't you load up about 20 of each load, take em out and chrono them, function check, look for pressure signs, and see how they compare to your non-practice ammo. If both meet your needs then less powder equals less money.

Always good advice, but I'll bet money he won't see any pressure signs with either load.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I have to go with Mike and the Reloader 7 for the smaller bullets. It's faster and

more complete burning. That stuff is great for small bullets in 6.8(85-95gr), too.

I am still dumping Accurate DataPowder 2200 into 5.56 cases and I don't know

if you can find it anymore.

[mikegideon]

I have to go with Mike and the Reloader 7 for the smaller bullets. It's faster and

more complete burning. That stuff is great for small bullets in 6.8(85-95gr), too.

I am still dumping Accurate DataPowder 2200 into 5.56 cases and I don't know

if you can find it anymore.

Yep. You need Reloader 15 or Varget for the heavies, like 77gr SMK's. From playing with Quickload, 748 appears to be real close to Reloader 15

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I've never used 15 as I've heard the same as you mention. Too slow.

I don't really know where my Data Powder comes in, but I think it is pretty

close to 10.

[mikegideon]

I've never used 15 as I've heard the same as you mention. Too slow.

I don't really know where my Data Powder comes in, but I think it is pretty

close to 10.

Reloader 15 and Varget are probably the two most popular for big target bullets in .223, and I think 6BR too. Heavy bullets down long barrels, as fast as you can make them go. My 77 gr Matchking load is 24 grains of Varget, and there's an audible crunch when you seat the bullet. Shooting it in a 24" barrel. BTW... it's a published load by Sierra.

[leroy]

Why don't you load up about 20 of each load, take em out and chrono them, function check, look for pressure signs, and see how they compare to your non-practice ammo. If both meet your needs then less powder equals less money.

Dave:______________

This is good advice and i appreciate it. (...and i may end up doin exactly what you are sayin...). What im tryin to do is to get a pretty good consensus on these loads and gather some new ones in the meantime. I'm an old bolt gun shootin guy and i'm interested in findin out from all you younger and more austute AR shooters if one of the old maxims of the bolt gun is true for the rotating bolt gun. It is (...in general....) that the best load is that load that fills the case, expands the case to fill the chamber (...no soot on the case neck...), and is generally about 95% plus percent of the max listed for the powder/bullet combination. It is most always near to or exceeds the factory balistics for that particular round.

Thanks again.

leroy

Edited January 3, 2012 by leroy
spellin!!!!

[mikegideon]

Dave:______________

This is good advice and i appreciate it. (...and i may end up doin exactly what you are sayin...). What im tryin to do is to get a pretty good consensus on these loads and gather some new ones in the meantime. I'm an old bolt gun shootin guy and i'm interested in findin out from all you younger and more austute AR shooters if one of the old maxims of the bolt gun is true for the rotating bolt gun. It is (...in general....) that the best load is that load that fills the case, expands the case to fill the chamber (...no soot on the case neck...), and is generally about 95% plus percent of the max listed for the powder/bullet combination. It is most always near to or exceeds the factory balistics for that particular round.

Thanks again.

leroy

Well, there's an obvious advantage to using 748... you got it. Since you're loading 1k, I would test the 748 AND the reloader 7. There should be somebody around your neck of the woods that can give you a powder sample.

[Mark A]

I did my first 3-4000 with varget. Used 55 & 62 gr FMJ. Switched to TAC for the next several thousand. Not sure I remember why. I think it was on sale. Both were completely satisfactory. I've loaded up some 75 gr PRVI and Hornady with BL-C(2). I really like this load a lot but it is a bit $$ for just plinking.

Pretty sure I used 24.0 gr of TAC on both the 55 & 62 gr rounds. The BL-C(2) was 25.0 if I remember correctly

Mark

[Dave Shooter]

Dave:______________

This is good advice and i appreciate it. (...and i may end up doin exactly what you are sayin...). What im tryin to do is to get a pretty good consensus on these loads and gather some new ones in the meantime. I'm an old bolt gun shootin guy and i'm interested in findin out from all you younger and more austute AR shooters if one of the old maxims of the bolt gun is true for the rotating bolt gun. It is (...in general....) that the best load is that load that fills the case, expands the case to fill the chamber (...no soot on the case neck...), and is generally about 95% plus percent of the max listed for the powder/bullet combination. It is most always near to or exceeds the factory balistics for that particular round.

Thanks again.

leroy

Sounds like you've got lots of experience loading rifle. I would say the main difference of AR vs bolt gun loading (or focus area) is to make the gun run--full length sizing and a narrower acceptable pressure window. Since you'd orignially posted a specific bullet and powder I'd assumed you were set on those. I haven't loaded 748 so couldn't comment first hand; I load 55s, including practice ammo with AA2230 in a fairly warm load. It's cycled every 5.56 chambered AR (including full auto) that it's been shot in perfectly without pressure signs although gave slightly cratered primers in 223 bolt gun. It gives 3070 fps in my 16" AR.

[leroy]

Thanks Dave. You and Mike have me thinkin about this a bit, and have helped a whole bunch. I've got the 748 on hand, and I had thought it (...748...) was pretty close kin to Ball C 2 (...i think... the slower of H335 or BC(2)...). I've got 3 or 4 pounds of 748 layin around and wanted to use it up if we thought the loads would work ok. As you know, the 748 meters well and at a 26.5 grain load, it would load 264 loads/lb. and it would be easy to load the rounds up. I've also got some Reloader of various flavors around; but i think it is a stick powder. Keep thinkin about this. I'm busy learnin from you all.

Thanks again.

leroy

[dlm37015]

i use wc844 thats h335 same powder lake city uses about 25 grains with a 55 grain bullet shoots good very clean powder is cheaper in surplus