I am not new to reloading, but am to small rifle calibers.
I just purchased a S&W M&P ar-15 and the caliber is 5.56, do I reload for this caliber, or for .223?
I could not see any reloading dies for the 5.56.
Anyone know the rules for reloading for this?
Ive been wondering the same thing. Does anyone make 5.56 dies? Is it that most reloaders reload for accuracy where the .223 works better than the 5.56?
The more I read, it looks like you just reload for .223. I will watch this in case it is not the case.
Your on it. 5.56 really designates greater pressure of round as well as barrels to handle the pressure. 5. 56 tends to have a more forgiving chamber for more positive and roomy feeding. I wont debate the fact or not of a tighter .223 barrel for accuracy.
Just reload it using .223 data.
What about 5.56 brass? It’s my understand that 5.56 and .223 are not the same, so do you just resize the 5.56 brass in the .223 die?
Completely wrong. 5.56 will sometimes have a little more internal case volume. But that’s not an issue for loading .223. Most 5.56 and .223 brass has very similar internal case volume.
I do NOTHING different when reloading 5.56 vs. .223… except that the 5.56 may need case trimming… even if it’s only once fired. Remove the crimp, of course, on any 5.56 or .223 brass you have.
Good to know. Thanks.
Yup.
Just got on midway and priced brass, WOW, where do you guys get your brass.
When buying the cheap ammo at the gun shop, can this stuff be reloaded?
From what I see I can buy it much cheaper than I can load it unless I am missing something.
most of us buy once fired brass or use our own once fired brass. I have not bought any significant amount of new 223 brass in ages
Just pick it up at the range. Some days you find nothing, and some days you hit the jackpot. My brass supply grows faster than I can wear it out.
You’ll learn with experience what brass is good/bad, and what brass is once fired or someone elses reloads.
What Mark M said.
MarkM - when you going to share that good/bad brass list with the rest of us?
In order of preference of current or somewhat recently available ammos:
Thanks, Very helpful
be aware that need for trimming also has to do with what sort of gun (chamber dimensions etc) it is being fired in, what sort of loads (223, 556, etc) and what sort of dies you are using to size. All these things affect the stretching of the brass.
markm, you are dead on the money about which brass needs to be trimmed. I do not have a trimmer yet, I have been looking the Little Crow Gunworks WFT that attaches to a drill for my 5.56/.223 brass. I have had great luck with your top three picks and have also had good luck with Aguila .223 brass not having to be trimmed.
CBC/Magtech doesn’t even make the list :laugh:
The WFT is what I use. It’s the cheapest option for efficient, bulk trimming. Get yourself a cheap corded drill, wire a toggle switch to it, knock the chuck off and install a small peanut butter jar to catch your trimmings. Block the whole thing in with some 2x4 and you’re off. If you’re using a primer pocket reamer for crimp removal you can use this same setup for that too.
Damn. I don’t know if magtec was around in 09. :eek:
Magtec brass is only a pain in the case volume department. A fairly filling powder charge in normal brass will nearly overflow in Magtec brass.
Trimming isn’t a problem.
Facepalm The necroposts will get you every time.