Armory Sponsor
Posted: 4/5/2011 9:38:37 PM EDT
|
Here are some of the first run I did today. Basically the first .223 I have ever loaded.
I am using a Dillon 550b and most of the brass is Lake City. Hodgdon H335 21.5g per load Winchester primers Hornady V-max 55Gr projectiles I'm sure I came to the right place for critiquing so if you all could let me know what I can do better. I don't think my brass is getting shiny enough, Does that matter or is it more of a preference? http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b153/Camneedsfoodyo/IMG_6165.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b153/Camneedsfoodyo/IMG_6173.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b153/Camneedsfoodyo/IMG_6175.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b153/Camneedsfoodyo/IMG_6176.jpg http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b153/Camneedsfoodyo/IMG_6177.jpg Thanks in advance |
|
Did you remove the primer pocket crimps? (It doesn't look like it)
What is your OAL? It could just be the pictures, but it looks like the bullets are seated kind of deep.. The brass is plenty clean, you can polish it to a mirror shine but in reality if you are storing it over time it'll dull back out to what yours looks like. -Masta |
|
Quoted:
I don't think my brass is getting shiny enough, Does that matter or is it more of a preference? Looks like you got it plenty clean enough to ensure that your dies don't get scratched, and it doesn't look like you spent hours in some elaborate cleaning ritual that serves little or no practical purpose. I'd say it's perfect. |
|
Comments: - the necks look a bit long, did you trim the brass? I suggest trimming to 1.750" after sizing - do you use a case gage to check headspace, the drop in case gages are simple and effective - how close to max is the 21.5 gr charge? I suggest making a range of loads from 10% under max to max and shooting them in that order. - based on the results don't use charges in the future that don't cycle your gun and then choose the most accurate round from the remaining loads - also based on the results, stop shooting the loads in order as soon as you see any obvious signs of high pressure then be prepared to pull the higher charged loads apart to salvage the components |
|
May just be the picture's fishbowling, but it looks like some of the brass needs to be trimmed down; and the shoulder set-back looks different between the different pieces. Also, the charge feels a little light... I'm loading 62grs with 24.7gr using H335 data; I'd figure 55gr usually uses more powder not less than the 62grs. If the rounds don't cycle properly (slow fire and rapid), then its time to bump the charge up a bit. |
|
|
Quoted:
Comments: - how close to max is the 21.5 gr charge? I suggest making a range of loads from 10% under max to max and shooting them in that order. 21.5gr is closer to the minimum starting charge! I believe the listed max for the 55gr VMAX is around 25.0gr of H335 but that is still not "dangerous" But OP I would definetly make an assortment of varying powder charges. Quoted:
In the second picture, it looks like the neck is only partialy sized. Are you sure your dies are adjusted properly? Is this for an Ar15? A Good catch, looks like it "stopped" 2-3mm above where the neck meets the shoulder. |
|
Thanks for all of the comments.
ill do my best to answer in one post. As for OAL i matched a lake city round i had that I purchased from somewhere. http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b153/Camneedsfoodyo/IMG_6184.jpg The stripper clip has a slight arch to it and that might be whey they look different. I went through 30rnds today and they cycled without a glitch. and seemed to be pretty accurate (no pictures) but my groupings were tighter than the L/C stuff the primers came out fine. there were a few that I had issues with. I just read up on the military brass crimp and will be stopping by Dillon's to pick up the super swage 600 tomorrow. if the primers are in there would it be an issue if the crimp roll was left in? they are for a 20" bbl ar15. I went with that load because it was a little over the recommended min load that was on the hodgdon can. The die is set like it says in the instructions. Turn down till the tie hits the plate and then back off 1/2 turn. I noticed that as well. I started reloading for the 50AE. But i now think ill mostly be doing the .223 stuff 
Thanks again for all the knowledge on this forum. |
| They look shiny enough to me, but others here have their brass polished to a blinding shine. Max loads with 55 grain bullets and H335 is going to be somewhere around 25 to 25.5 grains. I have loaded 55 grain FMJs up to 25.5 grains, but don't just jump up to that level. I don't have my Hornady manual in front of me so I don't know what their listed max is for the 55 grain V-max. |
|
Quoted:
... As for OAL i matched a lake city round i had that I purchased from somewhere. ... the primers came out fine. there were a few that I had issues with. I just read up on the military brass crimp and will be stopping by Dillon's to pick up the super swage 600 tomorrow. if the primers are in there would it be an issue if the crimp roll was left in? ... I went with that load because it was a little over the recommended min load that was on the hodgdon can. ... First, it's clear you need to buy a couple of load manuals. The COAL of a loaded round might or might not work with any particular bullet, although that is a good place to start, especially if the bullet you're loading is about the same weight (and hence, length). Your method of selecting a charge weight needs a little more thought, too. But at least you didn't throw the maximum charge weight and hope it all worked out okay. I'm curious about where you bought your brass. If the primers seated easily, then it must have been used brass fired more than one time. The last photo in your post clearly shows a crimp ring. Some people have reported that Magtech primers will seat through a crimp ring, but all the others are close enough to impossible with sensible forces on the priming tool. |
|
You have to be careful comparing OAL's with cartridges that have different bullets.
Not every bullet has the same shape even though it may be the same grain. That's why Hornady lists the OAL with their 55grain bullets as 2.20 and I'm sure your XM193 measures longer then that. Your necks must be a bit long in order to have the hornady 55grain loaded round match the OAL length of the XM193 round. The fact that it worked fine out of your AR is giving me more and more appreciation for how forgiving a 5.56 chamber is when it comes to OAL. I just reloaded my first rounds last month so I'm still learning myself so I could be way off base here. |
|
It looks like the necks are not being sized all the way. I too had this problem with my Lee press. I set it up like they said but with the deflection of the turret, it needed to be turned down almost 1 full revolution. If you are firing them out of the same weapon that fired the cases in the first place they will probably work ok, but they may not work in another gun. That is how I discovered the problem, they would not even chamber fully in my pistol. they would jamb up the BCG badly. Worked fine in my rifle though. I know nothing about Dillon presses except that people say they are better than Lee. My limited experience only
I also just loaded some LC 08(some 10) with a crimp. I completely forgot to remove the crimp as I haven't fired NATO LC in a long time. To my surprise I didn't even notice when priming them. Could it be that depriming with the press pushed out the crimp just enough to facilitate the loading of the CCI #41 primers easily? I have never heard of this but when I say I didn't notice, I really could not tell any difference between the crimped and the uncrimped (it was a mixed batch). |
| I have seen lots of Lake City with out the NATO Cross that has such a lite crimp that it can be primed 90% with out swaging. It is once fired LC too. Most of that ammo is for semi auto fire training and they know it. The LC 5.56 brass that has no NATO Cross is the same as the LC with the NATO Cross, far as I can tell they have the same web. |
|
Ok edit on my initial load weight... I just re measured one and I have 24.9 in there.
I can bump up the next batch a little and see how that goes. I looked at the hornady reloader's guide today, any bad things about that manual? Should I be worried about the primers that I pressed in that still have the crimp in the pocket still? |
| It is really not a worry with the primer crimp in the primer seats like it is supposed to. In most cases the crimp will not allow the primer to seat or will deform the primer as you try to seat. Good looking ammo. I am using 335 @ 24.7 grains under a 55gr BTFMJ.. Good Job |
|
No it is a great resource, especially if you are using hornady bullets in your loads.
I would suggest a comparison. Hogdon is free online. Buy a speer and a lyman also, for comparison. And read a copy of the ABC's of Reloading, buy, beg, borrow or steal on if you have to. |
| I am a novice reloader and reloading manuals were the first thing I bought. I read 3 different manuals before even looking at a press or reloading equipment. I am by no means saying that you did anything wrong but it seems that I learned so much from those books! Even after reading, there is still so much more to learn, but you picked a good place for advice. Regarding manuals, if you get a few you will see that there is variation between some of them. It seems in my limited experience the Lyman tends to use load data that is much higher than say the Sierra manual, but by cross reference you can get a good idea of where to start and what not to exceed!..., by gradually working up! |
| After years of loading for prairie dog shoots and matches I've yet to see a load length in a .223 for an AR that won't chamber or safely fire if it fits in an AR magazine. My problem is making sure a load will properly feed from a mag. I tend to load mag length and not all mags are created equally. |
Armory Sponsor