I would happily buy it if I could find it.  You can imagine how that is going.  My hope is that someone has a recipe for say the 55 grain in the .223 and either the 110 or 168 grain for the .308.  I realize that I may have to start gathering components.   I would appreciate any suggestions.  Thank you.

You could easily build and TUNE the same components to be MORE accurate in your rifle.

Getting the same exact velocity as factory ammo (with same bullets) does NOT always equal the 'best' possible accuracy depending on the gun and barrel.

I felt like I would have to work up  loads. For the .223 I have the 55 grain Hornady Amax ballistic tip projectiles.  Along with Hogdon Varget and H335 powders, also some reloder 10 reliant powder. For the .308 I have the 110 grain and 168 grain Amax ballistic tip.  I only have Hogdon H4198 powder.  What I was hoping for was more of a shopping list really.  Somewhere to start, a heads up on which components to pick up that I may normally pass over.  I would think (maybe incorrectly) that the same projectile design at the same weight with close to the same coefficient of drag travelling close to the same rate of speed would have the same effect on it's target.  I was just wondering of someone else on here had already ventured down this road.

Don't hang yourself thinking hornady tap is the best round for mankind.... Maybe for a non reloaders . Fact is, i think it's subpar. BBI 50gr and 55gr are far superior projectiles imo. I'm working a load up as i text with BBI( barnes)

Go to data.hodgdon.com and look up the caliber you want.  Its pretty self explanatory.  Start at the lower end and work up.

Ramshot and accurate also have pretty good pdfs you can download of their load data.  Just google it.

For what its worth, there are probably a dozen or more powders that will work with both 223 and 308.  Good luck!

Plus hornady tap uses the 75 gr match bullet.

What are you trying to achieve?

Accuracy? Or self defense load?

That will help us out in helping you out.

I would like for it to be used primarily for self defense.  I would hope it would hold at least a 3 inch group at 100 yards.  It may help to note that my LGS sells primarily Hornady.  There is a little Nosler, and a few dusty boxes of Sierra.  They were just recently able to get a press.  I have been squirreling away whatever components I could find since the first of the year.  Primers are fairly available.  They have 2 types of small rifle as of now.  I have been fairly active on the EE, but have bought mostly equipment and brass.

I did this for the Black Hills ammo.  That way I have a source of factory ammo as a back up that matches my reloads.


You'll want to get some TAP.  Shoot a few over a chronograph.  

Disassemble one.  I suspect you will find the bullet has a cannelure and a heavy crimp.  Weigh and measure the bullet.  Hornady makes 75 gr HPBT-M bullets with cannelures but most of the ones sold to reloaders do not.  

You may also find the primers are sealed.  Possibly the necks are sealed with lacquer or varnish, too.

Take a look at the powder, maybe even weigh it.  Is it extruded or ball?  

Once you understand their recipe, you can begin to replicate it.  You'll develop a load that replicates the ballistics

Look up my thread, my 5.56 copy is nearly perfect.

I can't help you with .308 as I have yet to acquire one, but I can offer some guidance on the .223/5.56 TAP.

First, their are a couple different types of TAP. FPD, TAP (red box), and then TAP T2. FPD and Red Box both use the 75gr BTHP bullets, with cannelure. I've never seen Hornady offer the 75gr with cannelure bullets, but it shouldn't be that big of a deal.

The FPD is offered in a 55gr and a 75gr. The 55gr variant uses the Amax bullet, while the 75gr is the BTHP.

The 55gr FPD chronos at 3250fps at the muzzle of a 24" barrel.

The 75gr FPD chronos at 2800fps also from the muzzle of a 24" barrel.

I don't have the numbers for the TAP red box. As for the T2 (which the bullet isn't available for reloaders) however you can substitute it for the regular 75gr BTHP.

The T2 chronos from a 16" barrel at 2750fps.


I also plan to replicate the TAP 75gr load, and just finished replicating the 70gr 5.56 GMX load.

I used CFE223 with standard CCI 400s, and was able to actually exceed the velocity within safe pressure.



I would suggest against the 55gr Amax to be honest. I have heard this bullet has a thicker jacket and doesn't fragment as well as other bullets. However, depending on your barrel length, and twist rate, you might be limited to lighter bullets.

Also look around at other bullets offered for hunting/defense. The Nosler bonded 64gr is new, and getting pretty good reviews.

This may sound good but, by definition, means you did NOT replicate the load.  

I suppose it's a matter of what you are after, however, if your goal is to replicate the ballistics, then you goofed.  Really, it's a matter of defining your goals.

I would like to thank all of you for all of the advice and ideas.  I am looking for other components as I go to the lgs every day after work.  I will try to find some oft the Noslers.  I have never considered the Barnes.  They just were not around in 1977 when I reloaded the first time.  Maybe I will be able to find some on EE.  I will look up that 5.56 thread.  It will be easier after I pony up for a membership.  Just did the NRA membership.  BRD has been a money pit since I was a panic buyer.  Not that it was my first gun, far from it.  I just felt like I would get one someday.  Came close a couple of times when some 5th group friends at Campbell offered to build me one. So I heard the advice about waiting.  I just decided I wasnt going to be left out in the cold.  I guess the best thing about being a panic buyer is the fiance thinks they all cost that much.  Can you say hello LMT, BCM, Noveske.  Thanks again for all of the help.

If you want a load nearly identical to 5.56 75gr Tap T2 here you go....

Go to Pat's Reloading, they are the only place that I know of that has the Hornady 75gr T1c's

Acquire XBR 8202 Powder

Acquire CCI 41's

Acquire Virgin LC 5.56 Brass

Nail polish works to seal primers...

My Thread on copying tap 5.56

Do NOT use these loads without working up to them.





5 Rounds, 16" Armalite Carbine



My Gel Test:


Hornady's 5.56 Tap T2 Gel Test:

I worked up a 75gr OTM match load with 75gr match bullets.

I was confident enough with it that I stashed away about 400 into an ammo can for a rainy day.

Load was 23.5gr TAC, Wolf 556 primers, LC 1x brass, and the Hornady 75 HPBT bullet.

To be safe, you should start lower if you partake in this.    I saw pressure signs not far above where I settled on a load (23.8gr).

Seriously, Infinitegrim, this is an excellent post.

Thanks for the tip about the source of supply, too.  I knew I'd seen them somewhere but had no recollection where.

U sneaky devil you!

Please explain how I "goofed" in replicating the ballistics.

Thanks once again for all of the help.  I should have mentioned earlier that my rifle has a 14 1/2 " 1 in 9 twist barrel.  So I guess I will need to stick to light to mid weight projectiles.  I would like to thank you in particular infinite grim.  Your posts are outstanding.  I read your 5.56 thread.  You should do this professionally.  I wish I knew a way to buy all of you a beer.

I have a 1/9 14.5, and it handles the 75gr BTHP just fine.

It actually made me wonder just how damn accurate I can get this thing.

If your reloads exceed the average velocity of the cartridge you're trying to replicate, then they will have a different trajectory - the external ballistics will be different.  
So, if you objective (goal) was to replicate the ballistics, then you goofed.  You could have replicated them but chose to go faster.  By making that choice, you chose to miss the goal of replicating the ballistics.  

Duplicating the ballistics was my goal when I replicated the Black Hills cartridge.  I did it using TAC.  Back then, I did not have their cannelured bullet but have since found a source of supply.

If your goal was something else, maybe you did okay.  As I said above, it's all about your goal.

That 5 round group I posted is out of a 1/9 16" barrel. So these might work for your 1/9 barrel OP