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AR15.COM
6/6/2007 5:47:05 AM EDT
With the price of 5.56 bullets being so expensive & getting harder to find, I have a question.

I have several thousand Hornady 55gr. SP bulltets. I have had them for about 10 years. They do not have a canallure,. Will these be OK in my AR that has M4 rails? Or will it push the bullet down in the case? I have a friend that used a bullet like this & it pushed the bullet in the case & the rifle exploded. His rifle did not have M4 rails.

Thanks,

Mike
6/6/2007 5:52:22 AM EDT
[#1]
I load 69gr Sierra Matchkings for my AR, and they don't have a cannalure.
Never had a problem with any of them.
Just ensure you're resizing your neck completely and correctly for the best fit.

Also, you should be using a powder that fills the case sufficiently.
I've yet to find a powder that won't fill the case up enough to prevent the bullet from setting back far enough do disengage the case mouth.
6/6/2007 5:58:45 AM EDT
[#2]
Back in the day (early-80's) I handloaded 1000's of those non-canallure SP 55 gr bullets and shot them in my SP1 AR15. Not a single problem.
6/6/2007 6:03:11 AM EDT
[#3]
If you're worried, I believe the Lee "factory crimp" die works on non-cannalured bullets, as long as it's a very light crimp.  The factory crimp works below the case mouth and creates a thin ring of crimp at a consistant spot.  I use it with my Winchester 55gr FMJ (cannalured) and it's very solid and very repeatable.
6/6/2007 6:05:51 AM EDT
[#4]
First of all, don't worry about it if you have a 5.56 NATO chamber and stick with .223 Rem data.  Why?  Because the longer throat will keep pressure safe even if the bullet is set back.  Setback is BAD in pistols but in a rifle?  Trifle.  More bullet jump means LESS pressure.

Now id accuracy is a problem, just use Varget!  It is so bulky you will have problems seating the bullets.

And if you still think you must make uber tacticool ammo that will not setback with non-cannelured bullets, get a Lee factory Crimp die.  You can do a bit more than a light crimp.

6/6/2007 6:14:42 AM EDT
[#5]
Just use a Lee Factory Crimp die as your final step.  It doesnt need a cannalure to work, and it WILL hold your bullets in place.  I use mine on non cannalured 75gr OTMs  in .223 and 110gr VMAXes for 6.8.
6/6/2007 6:24:01 AM EDT
[#6]
Does anyone know what crimp Georgia Arms uses on non cannelure bullets?
6/6/2007 7:23:19 AM EDT
[#7]
Thanks guys! Going to order a Lee Crimp Die right now.

Mike
6/6/2007 7:31:10 AM EDT
[#8]
I used to load Hornady 55gr SXSP for prairie dog shooting back in the mid-'90s.  I didnt use a crimp and I didnt ever have a problem shootig them out of my Colt HBAR (no M4 cuts).  That rifle and loading kept pace with my Savage 112FV!