I was wondering if some of the forum members wouldn’t mind posting their favorite reload formulas for 5.56 in a carbine (vs full length barrel).
I’ve been told that I should use medium burn powders vs. either extremes but I’m curious what you all think.
Thanks!
There is a subforum for just that. Look further down the list on the forum main page.
Thanks… blindness sucks…
I guess I’m blind too! I can’t see the sub-forum? what’s the title of the sub?
Depends somewhat on what barrel you’re using. Myself in 1/9 I like to use hornady 55gr soft point with 25.5gr-25.8gr of Varget (I use a little on the light side for my plinking rounds). I recently switched to a 1/7 barrel and started working up some 75gr. Hornady BTHP. Ive started at the starting point at 22.5 but havent been able to stretch out my rifle and see what works yet. Be sure to get some good book references and play around to see what works for you. Hodgdon also has online charts that are a great reference. http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp
Thanks for the load tip. I was at Cabelas today and they had CCI primers so I picked up a grand. Couldn’t find them at my local shop which seems odd to me. They had plenty of 209 shotgun primers but no rifle primers.
I’m going to start with plinking loads and I’m going back to reloading in part because I hope that better rounds helps my feed issues!
Someone helpfully put a jump to link at the bottom of this post that sends you to the reload forum. As I tell my son, I need a scope to help my failing eyes… :rolleyes:
It seems to me that primers are trickling back into the stores now. Which is great after I spend around $350 on 6k last summer. Just take your increments slow and find what you like best while staying within safe pressures. What kind of feeding problems are you having? Start with the basics. Remember the acronym MEAL- magazines, extractor, ammunition, lubrication. If it has problems past that you may want to talk with a gunsmith or consult user gotm4 on this forum.
I’ve had lots of feed issues but am pretty much down to short cycling right now. Checked out gas tube/key alignment and the like, bought r guns mags, and those two really helped (one short cycle in the last 50 rounds (until I ran out of ammo))… so I’m hoping that I’m almost there.
I’ll know more this weekend…
The unofficial .223 load here is 24.5 grains of TAC behind a 55 grain FMJ of you choice. Seems to work great across a wide variety of gas systems and barrel lengths.
It’s an economical load that is not very hot, but good for close/medium range practice.
If it’s short stroking, I’d start experimenting with different buffers also.
I shoot these loads from a 16" S&W M&P15T, which has a 1/9" twist barrel (actually around 1/8.4" if my measurements are correct), so remember to work up to this load in you’re rifle.
I normally only shoot 3 bullets, the Hornady 60gr. V-Max, Hornady 68gr. BTHP Match, and Sierra 69gr. BTHP Matchking.
My fave long range loads are:
CCI Small Rifle Magnum primer (450 I think)
Winchester case w/ VLD chamfer
25.5gr. RL-15 or 25.3gr. of VV N140
C.O.L. of exactly 2.264" (max length for my mags), use whatever you can fit in yours).
In my rifle, the Hornady bullets group better from 0 - 250 yds, and the Sierra’s group better from 250 - 600.
This load works for either the 68 or 69gr. BTHPs.
My fave load for the 60gr. V-Max is:
CCI Small Rifle Magnum primer,
Winchester case w/ standard chamfer,
25.0gr. TAC,
C.O.L. of 2.264".
Use these loads at you’re own risk, they are not really too “hot”, but they are a bit hotter than factory ammo, so work up and see what your rifle likes best.
If it’s short stroking, the first thing I’s do is make sure it is lubricated.
Is it doing it with factory ammo?