Options for 62 grain reloading bullets?

General Firearms Reloading & Ammunition
1

without this becoming a discussion on the proposed M855 ban, I am looking for some suggestions for a 62 (or thereabouts) grain bullet to reload for223/5.56. I am halfway through a pack of the ss109 bullets that midway offers and will probably run out soon. Assuming that option goes away, it seems like the market for 62 grain bullets is sorta bare.

I have a 14.5" pinned flash hider 1:7 twist barrel that has always shot M855 really well, and I don’t want to step over to 55 grain if I don’t have to. going through Midway, brownells, etc. I see plenty of options for the 70+ grain match type bullets, and plenty of the smaller offerings, but am I missing something? The armscor 62 bulk pack at midway seems to be it, and the reviews indicate that those are very hit or miss.

Hopefully you guys will have some suggestions.

2

http://www.shop.rmrbullets.com/223-556-62-Grain-Newly-Mfg-Lead-Core-FMJ-1000-Ct-223-62-FMJ-NEW-1000-Ct.htm;jsessionid=4E385F7D1A4810D500463C1163ABAAFF.m1plqscsfapp02

3

Regarding FMJ’s only, what does 62gr’s offer that 55gr’s doesn’t?

Are you just trying to replicate NATO rounds?

4

Barnes makes a 62gr and Nosler has a 64gr, both are pricey. If it’s for plinking I would just get 55’s.

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5

Wideners had a bunch of SS109s no?

6

They did, but I found them after it was too late. I just checked again and it seems like they now have a few non-steel tip offerings that i may try

had never seen that site, but it looks promising

I would like to get as close to what I have been shooting as I can, which have been M855 or a somewhat similar handload. I don’t have anything against 55 grain, and I do see that the hornady bullets are plentiful if I choose to go that route, but familiarity with 62 means ill at least try to find an ss109 alternative.

7

That makes sense.

Just and idea, and I’m not sure on the ballistics, but with NATO rounds being higher pressure, you may get a similar trajectory with 55gr in 223 pressure loads…?

8

They are out there, though I’ve never used them myself.

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/254
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/12601

9

I’ve loaded some lead core 62gr Prvi bullets and some from Bulletheads.com and both were acceptable for a plinking round and very affordable.

Tapatalk’d

10

They sold out of those nasty things?? Looks like the scare of the ATF ban got their inventory clean up.

I’d definitely prefer a non-penetrator bullet if you can find it.

11

As do I, but before these suggestions I had really never been able to find many. I appreciate all the suggestions. I had always wondered why someone like Hornady had never just made a 62 grain version of their ubiquitous 55 grain bulk pack.

I figured I’ve got to find a new bullet anyway, and if none of these 62’s work out, I can always fall back to the Hornady 55’s.

12

Yeah. It’s strange. CBC/Magtec loaded 62 gr FMJ in their .223 line, but you don’t often find a 62 gr FMJ for hand loading.

13

Is there some reason I’m missing for why that is? It seems like there is a market opportunity for Hornady/Remington/Winchester to make a cheap 62 in bulk. With the prevalence of 1:7 twist barrels and the popularity of m855, it seems like a no brainier

14

I agree. If they were cheap, I’d run them. Sometimes when you just want to go out an blast, slinging 77/75 gr bullets can be a little painful.

15

Yeah, it was 5k for $625. There was a gentleman around here selling 62 gr. Fusion pulls for a decent price, if I remember correctly.

16

Isn’t the BC and length of the steel core quite a bit different than standard lead core stuff and loads would be completely different anyways?

17

Good God. Wideners email blast stated they’re several days behind due to the tard panic run on M855. At least they’ll clean up all that SS109 bullet inventory that nobody “needed” a week ago.

18

Probably a bit different. But inside of 200 yards you could likely dial it in pretty close. Outside of that range, you should be shooting 69 or heavier in my opinion.

19

I seem to remember someone (Hornady?) producing a 62gr fmj lead core @ 30 years ago that was fairly accurate. But not popular because everyone had to have the SS109 not some cheap pretender. If memory serves they weren’t offered for more than a couple of years.

I may give the Prvi bullets a try just because. :slight_smile:

20

I had pretty good luck with the Priv bullets - 62gr FMJ. Used Ramshot TAC with Wolf primers, dont have my recipe book in front of me but decent(i.e. not bad).