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Posted: 11/15/2009 4:47:33 PM EDT
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Hi all, I have a 5.56 Stag Arms AR15 with 1in 9 twist and need to work up a load. I am new to this and never reloaded before. I have everything I need but was wondering if anyone has the same rifle as me and could give me some recipes to start out with. I have Hornady .223 FMJ BT W/Channel, LC brass, Varget powder, and Federal small rifle primers.
I appreciate all of your help first off and look forward to all of the forums help. |
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I don't have your rifle but...............
If I were you, I'd read my reloading manual (read ALL of it, even the boring warnings). Then, starting with the "starting load"..........I'd work my way up. You pick how you want to stagger the powder loads (and/or playing with COAL). You never know where your rifle will find it's "sweet spot." Aloha, Mark PS...............When you get more time under your belt (this isn't meant as a put down, I just want you to READ your manual first) you might try this (Free Load Data)………… www.magnusbullets.com/loading_data.htm Or, try this one…….. www.handloads.org/loaddata/ |
Welcome to the Reloading Forum.
To get off to the right start, begin at the top of this page and read the FAQ's, Tutorials, Reloading Tools & Accs, and the Reloading References. Another good read is the "Useful Threads" ^^^ Also read the "How to Reload" section of your reloading manual. Do your case prep on your brass, try a sized case in your chamber. Does it chamber or not? Get your sizing die adjusted correctly before you load a couple hundred of rounds that won't chamber. You will find that Varget is a great powder for loading target loads in 223, but it doesn't measure well. IMHO the effort of using/loading with Varget is wasted on non match grade bullets. I suggest using a ball powder with your 55 gr FMJBT's. (it's a cannelure, not a channel. So many terms to learn.  )
Ball powders will measure very well through a powder measure, unlike Varget a stick powder. Some good ball powder choices are, BLC2, Tac, H-335, AA-2230, and W-748. My favorites are BLC2 and Tac. As for recipes (loading data), every gun/rifle is a little different. That is why there are "starting" loads. Begin loading there and slowly work up the powder charge. Watch for pressure signs on the fired cases. (read you reloading book, it will explain this) Do some reading and come back to ask questions about what you don't understand. Use the Search function in this forum, it is open to all. Good luck. |
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Varget is too good for those 55 gr. Hornady's. Save it for use with Sierra 69's at 200+ yrds.
Use one of the ball powders mentioned by Dryflash, start low and work up. Every gun is different, so what one likes, another may not. Let yours tell you what it likes. By working up a load it will tell you where that sweet spot is. |
I have the same rifle 2 of them one is mine the other my sons,, you will love it. However they perform slightly different in accuracy. Each likes a different load. I have to agree with the above posters, read your manual. Work up a load for YOUR rifle. My son found his sweet spot. Me I'm still searching so I can beat his *ss. 
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Varget is too good for those 55 gr. Hornady's. Save it for use with Sierra 69's at 200+ yrds. Use one of the ball powders mentioned by Dryflash, start low and work up. Every gun is different, so what one likes, another may not. Let yours tell you what it likes. By working up a load it will tell you where that sweet spot is. Good advice. I started out loading Varget in LC under the 55 grain FMJ Hdy. It is not the ideal, but at the time I wanted to be safe and have no other powder in the house that could be mistakenly loaded (call that anal retentive, I guess  ). I used the Hodgdon published load data as a guide and worked up from the starting load. I learned alot in the process which had little to do with the load. Most was involved in dealing with the brass.....crimp removal, die setup trimming, cleaning, seating, neck tension, shoulder setback, priming, deburring, crimping into the cannelure, etc.
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| Wow guys thanks for the replies! I bought 5 pounds of Varget and now I am *ss out of all that money now. Bummer. My wife is not going to be happy, she really wants those rounds for christmas. Anyone wanna trade? I am loading for bulk so what would be the cheapest ball powder way to go and still be able to find that sweet spot? |
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If you already own the Varget, I would use it. I pretty much use it exclusivley for all of my rifle loads.
Some measurerers have trouble with it, but I have an old volumetric type that I have hand measured hundreds of loads and verified that it is very close. All of that being said, what is the goal of your load? Ours is usually plinking, so minute of a pumpkin or watermellon or tomatoe is fine. In our situation, I will just use a volumetric load that is light (I don't have the data here, but I think something like 24Grains Varget on a 55 FMJ) so I can load a lot in bulk and we can all get out and shoot spinners and what not without a whole lot of cost.... If you want to cover a 5 shot group with a dime at 100 yds, than you can work up a load slow and detailed, but then I would be weighing eadch charge by hand, so I would still use Varget.... Dan |
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Wow guys thanks for the replies! I bought 5 pounds of Varget and now I am *ss out of all that money now. Bummer. My wife is not going to be happy, she really wants those rounds for christmas. Anyone wanna trade? I am loading for bulk so what would be the cheapest ball powder way to go and still be able to find that sweet spot? In my AO, it would be Tac or AA-2230. |
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Wow guys thanks for the replies! I bought 5 pounds of Varget and now I am *ss out of all that money now. Bummer. My wife is not going to be happy, she really wants those rounds for christmas. Anyone wanna trade? I am loading for bulk so what would be the cheapest ball powder way to go and still be able to find that sweet spot? In my AO, it would be Tac or AA-2230. He could probably trade the 5 lbs of varget for 8 lbs of TAC and be in business. Even though in theory TAC isn't optimal for 55 gr FMJ, it really works great. And you can get a lot of practice ammo out of TAC compared to some other ball powders. I saved 2 grains of powder on every round when I switched to TAC for my 55gr practice ammo. |
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I am reloading with a Hornady Progressive. Will using Varget work poorly in the powder measurer and dropper? I would run a bunch out by hand with no bullet and then measure the load by hand for all of them and decide on your own if it is consitant enough for your needs.... Dan |
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I am reloading with a Hornady Progressive. Will using Varget work poorly in the powder measurer and dropper? I would run a bunch out by hand with no bullet and then measure the load by hand for all of them and decide on your own if it is consitant enough for your needs.... Dan Thanks for the replies, but how consistant does it need to be without losing reliability of cycling the bolt? I guess what I am saying is will being .2 grains off make any noticable differance when all I want to do is put rounds down range at aggressors if need be. And the TAC sounds good if I can trade for that much. |
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Just about any will cycle the bolt. Mine are all way underloaded and cycle fine. Consistance will translate to accuracy so you need to decide what that needs to be for your purpose.
Do you want to shoot a fly off of the mailbox at 200 yards or do you want to hit a raccon at 25? Make a bunch of laods and purposely vary them by .2 near and below the starting load, then go shoot, see what you get.... Dan |
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I am reloading with a Hornady Progressive. Will using Varget work poorly in the powder measurer and dropper? I would run a bunch out by hand with no bullet and then measure the load by hand for all of them and decide on your own if it is consitant enough for your needs.... Dan Thanks for the replies, but how consistant does it need to be without losing reliability of cycling the bolt? I guess what I am saying is will being .2 grains off make any noticable differance when all I want to do is put rounds down range at aggressors if need be. And the TAC sounds good if I can trade for that much. I have 2 Hornady Projector presses and if you are using the Hornady powder drop it will work well with Varget if you do your part. You need to be consistent with your operation of the handle and pull it with "authority". That does not mean trying to rip it off the bench but you need a firm stroke and expect some resistance as it cuts the powder. Just don't be timid and you should be fine. I have switched to TAC for my bulk 223 loads which meters like water and has zero issues in the Hornady powder drop. I still use Varget or IMR 4895 for my FAL and Garand loads without issue. Consistency of operation is the key. |
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COL is the same. You'll be making .223 rounds (unless you plan to seal the bullet, crimp and seal the primer, and load at 5.56 pressures).
I'm pretty new at reloading myself and I understand the desire to go full speed ahead...but stop. Read at least one manual along with the stickies at the top of this forum, make dummy rounds to get sizing right and get used to your equipment, do a lot of practice powder drops to help get the feel of the equipment (you'll likely do this trying to get the grains right anyway but it's good practice). And most importanly...take it slow. It's more important to make the rounds right than it is to make them fast. |
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Also, something I didn't think of. My rifle is 5.56 NATO. This affects the Case Overall Length right? I have trimming tools for .223 am I still good? Case length is the same for 5.56 and .223. The difference with those two is the chamber, specifically the throat. Your .223 trimming tools are fine for the ammo you will be using in the 5.56 Stag. I'd love to have that five pounds of Varget, but have nothing to offer in exchange. If you are shooting 55 grain bullets, I would recommend H335. |
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