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Posted: 2/8/2009 12:29:03 PM EDT
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I'm new to the game so please go easy on me.
I've read a couple reloading books from start to finish, purchased a Dillon 650 and about 7,000 rounds worth of .223 components. My issue is this: I want to load bulk quanities of 55gr FMJBT in once fired LC brass. I've got the whole lot , sized/deprimed, swaged, and trimmed. I'm all ready to go but my reloading manuals are confusing the crap out of me. It seems none of the reloading books or downloadable data sheets I've been able to find show 55gr FMJBT. I always see a 55 gr bullet listed, but it is usually either a soft point or some other brand/style. WTF? Why can't I find simple reloading data for a 55gr FMJ with either AA-2520 or AA-2230? I looked at the http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/PerCaliber2Guide/Rifle/Standarddata(Rifle)/22Cal(5.56mm)/223%20Remington%20pages%20185%20to%20187.pdf and it does not list FMJBT. I'm just starting out in reloading but because my interest coincided with the frenzy of panic buying, I can't just buy powder pulled from a load data list. I have to do it the other way around... look for powder... any powder... that's available, and see if I can find load data for it. It's much harder I think. I ordered 24 pounds of AA-2520 and 32 pounds of AA-2230. I thought I could use the 2530 in both .308 (my next purchase) and .223, but I now think that was wrong. I have a .223 load manual coming from midwayusa, but I have a feeling I'm just going to find the usual varmit/match type commercial ammo and no mil surplus stuff. What am I doing wrong? |
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Use the 55gr data for AA2230 for your 55 gr FMJ. Work up your loads. Your true max will be either lower or higher than what's listed for the 55 gr soft point. By working up loads and test firing them you'll be safe if you shooting progressively hotter test loads soon as you see signs of high pressure. Make 10 loads of AA2230 with 55 gr FMJ of: 22.5, 23.0, 23.5, 24.0, 24.5, 25.0 grains, test fire them in that order |
| That was my first bad reaction to the loading references also. Welcome to the fun. IMO, the answer is that for internal ballistics the configuration of the bullet ahead of the cylindrical or barrel section of the bullet, for a given weight, does not matter that much. What does seem to matter for jacketed or guilded bullets (copper over lead) is the configuration behind the bullet ie. boat tail or flat base. The recipes for boat tails and flat base should not be intermingled. In other words, for a given weight, a jacketed boat tail soft point or boat tail hollow point or a jacketed boat tail nosler tip, is going to have approximately the same characteristics as a full metal jacketed boat tail. There are some differences in the extreme but that is generally the case. Some loading manuals published by bullet makers tend to feature their brand of bullets which may not include 55 grain FMJBT. |
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