I’ve been reloading for pistol now for over a year with success, so I decided to start loading rifle. Last night I loaded 50 rnds of .223 using Hornady 55gr FMJ and Federal AE223 brass. I followed all guidelines for brass prep being completely anal since this was my first batch.
Went out this morning to test my batch and was surprised to see my brass ejecting forward? All 50 rnds went bang and accuracy at 50 & 100 yds was more than acceptable, but why does my brass land at one o’clock? I shot some MFS 223 and XM 193 as well as some AE223 and all lands in a neat pile at 3-4 o’clock?
I used 26 grns CFE223 and CCI 400 primers with a coal of 2.200 just like the Hogdgon data page listed for a starting load. No feeding problems or problems of any kind occurred, just strange ejection.
Any ideas? Am I concerned for nothing? Is this an underpowered starting load issue?
No pressure signs at all. Primers look normal, cases look normal, recoil was no different than the cheap MFS or AE223 we were shooting. Case rims showed no sign of damage indicating extraction issues.
Only thing I did notice was that the cases were hitting the shell deflector right at the base of the deflector, just outside the chamber at the base.
The design of the AR has the cases hitting the deflector and bouncing forward.
The harder they hit, the further forward they fly.
1:30 to 2:00 is good.
If they are going to 12:30 or 1:00, that is a symptom of either high pressure or the need for a heavier buffer or spring.
I would suspect a light load causing your gun to short-stroke. How far away are they being ejected? Is the bolt locking back after the last round is fired?
I say the above after having issues with a gun having a gas tube problem. BCG wasn’t getting enough gas, causing less than full power loads to not feed from the magazine and the BCG wasn’t locking back after the last round from the mag. Empties were being kicked foward @ 1 o’clock and only 3 ft away.
Winston
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I think it has to do with the burn rate of the powder. I don’t know what you were shooting before but my guess is there are two different powders involved. I will check the direction the case go the next time I shoot and I’ve loaded several different powders. kwg
Load the CFE223 to about 26.4 to 26.6 grains. That is what I have been doing with the 55gr FMJ rounds and they are performing well. Take note that the CFE223 powder is at the top of the powder lists of pressures and burn rates.
Thus far my ejection pattern is around the 1:30 to 2:30 range.
My 62gr. SS109 loads are at the 25.5 grs, and are ejection around the 2:00 to 3:00 area.
Again, the CFE223 is a “hotter” burning powder. Way more the the H335.
If it (A)ejects without malfunction (B) locks the BCG back on the last round and (C) the ammo gives desired results downrange without excessive pressure signs then carry on…
You can put a piece of adhesive-backed velcro on the shell deflector if it damages the brass or you don’t like wear on the deflector.
If Mauser is correct and the CFE-223 is a hotter powder than H335 than you gun is running to fast and, just like ar15barrels said, your brass is hitting the deflector hard enough to shoot it way far forward. Thats why overgassed guns shoot brass forward instead of a nice slide across the brass deflector to land at 3-4 oclock.
I load 25g of H335 behind 55g FMJ rounds so if you are loading 26g of a hotter powder I would expect the gun to run much harder. Its not about recoil its about cyclic rate. Ive experimented with a bunch of different powders in the AR and some are weak and some do what yours is doing, but overall the recoil feels fairly similar.
ETA: I just looked at the Hodgdon website and with a 55g bullet and H335 you are maxing at ~49k PSI with roughly 25g of powder. Your load of 26g of CFE223 should only be running 43.3k PSI. Although like was stated it all depends on powder burn time.