Excellent AR-15 Reloading Info

GBMaryland · Mar 3, 2010

To my utter shock, this New Jersey clubs website has excellent information on AR-15 reloading:

http://njhighpower.com/cart_tech.htm

(I was looking for a good TAC load for .223...)

GB

PS (I'm shocked because "assault rifles" are generally banned in NJ. Yeah, there is an exception, but it's usually a huge PITA.)

JamesBailey · Mar 3, 2010

Thanks GB-
that is a good site.
Does anyone have experience w/ their pet loads for the 80JLK or 80Berger?

JamesBailey · Mar 3, 2010

GBMaryland said:
(I was looking for a good TAC load for .223...)

77SMK over Reloader-15. :thumbsup:

Russ D · Mar 3, 2010

I shoot a 75 gr. Hornady HPBT over 24.5 gr. of Varget loaded to max 2.260 lenght. Very accurate but also pretty hot. I'd work up to it.

Streetgang · Mar 3, 2010

Good stuff. I'm getting ready to start reloading soon. This will come in handy.
Thank you.

pumperp5 · Mar 3, 2010

A little more info for the noggen. Thanks

shrpshtrjoe · Mar 4, 2010

Sierra has some good info as well thats just for Ar's here's a link
http://accurateshooter.net/Downloads/sierra223ar.pdf

GBMaryland · Mar 5, 2010

JamesBailey said:
77SMK over Reloader-15.

I tihnk I just made a test bach of those using 24.1gr.

We'll see how it works.

Gerhard

JamesBailey · Mar 5, 2010

GBMaryland said:
I tihnk I just made a test bach of those using 24.1gr.

We'll see how it works.

Gerhard

77SMK seating 2.260" OAL over 24.0gr R-15 chronos at 2700ish out of my SPR and is more accurate than Black Hills Mk272. I hope you will be happy w/ the load in your rifle(s)

Russ D · Mar 5, 2010

JamesBailey said:
77SMK seating 2.260" OAL over 24.0gr R-15 chronos at 2700ish out of my SPR and is more accurate than Black Hills Mk272. I hope you will be happy w/ the load in your rifle(s)

Have you tried Varget to see which is more accurate between it and R-15? I've been thinking about trying some R-15 instead of Varget but I'm getting good results so far.

JamesBailey · Mar 6, 2010

Russ D said:
Have you tried Varget to see which is more accurate between it and R-15? I've been thinking about trying some R-15 instead of Varget but I'm getting good results so far.

Russ,
Yes - I did a side-by-side comparision between the two. Varget and R-15 are very comparable in my 18" stainless steel Noveske barrel at pushing the 77SMK: both about 0.75moa, which is about as good as this shooter can do

. I seem to meter the R-15 a bit better, plus I like its recoil a bit better (seems like a smoother push). R-15 is certainly worth trying but it will come down to what your rifle's chamber likes better.

I have recently been thinking about best VLD loads and the folks at Berger and JLK seem to think R-15 is a bit more accurate for VLDs. I have very limited experience w/ R-15 vs Varget in VLD at this point however.

frozencesium · Mar 13, 2010

I've made some test rounds at COAL 2.230 and H. 55gr VMax's over 26, 26.5, and 27gr of Varget. Max on Varget with 55gr bullets is listed at 27.5, so even though I'm on the deep side of OAL window, I figure it should be fine...as I step up the powder of course I'll be checking for pressure signs.

Right now the barrels I have are both 16" M4 profile...one is 1:7 and the other is 1:9. If I can get MOA out of them I'll be happy. The real trick will be working out a precise load once I build my varminter upper with a 22" stainless heavy barrel and a Wyld chamber.

Rockzilla · Mar 13, 2010

Thanks always good to have some more info, noticed the .308 and 30/06 info not too far off in some of the loads I use.Varget in the .223 is a good powder, have been trying to get some IMR 8208 to play with. Here are some of the loads that work good for me. 7.62 Nato IMR4895 40.5grs, 168 SMK, CCI-200,in LC 77 Match cases. 30/06 IMR4895 44.3grs, 168 SMK,CCI-200 in LC 69 cases. 5.56mm Varget 23.9grs, 77 SMK, CCI-400 in WCC cases. Just some of my pets

-Rock

Longhammer · Mar 14, 2010

Thanks for the info.
________
Vaporizers

JamesBailey · Mar 15, 2010

Rockzilla said:
5.56mm Varget 23.9grs, 77 SMK, CCI-400 in WCC cases. Just some of my pets

-Rock

ARs as a class really like Varget at a bit under 24grs. I run 77SMK over 23.7grs of Varget (w/ Rem 7.5). It is a hot load, so work it up.

Rock-
Let us know your impressions of 8208. thanks

Rockzilla · Mar 15, 2010

JamesBailey said:
ARs as a class really like Varget at a bit under 24grs. I run 77SMK over 23.7grs of Varget (w/ Rem 7.5). It is a hot load, so work it up.

Rock-
Let us know your impressions of 8208. thanks

Yeah I have worked up some loads in my AR generally load 10 rounds in .1gr increments watching for pressure signs, group sizes, etc. Varget seems to be the best that I have found yet. I still have some 844 and 846 surplus for plinking loads.

Will do on the 8208 got a pound to play with.

-Rock

Russ D · Mar 15, 2010

JamesBailey said:
ARs as a class really like Varget at a bit under 24grs. I run 77SMK over 23.7grs of Varget (w/ Rem 7.5). It is a hot load, so work it up.

Rock-
Let us know your impressions of 8208. thanks

So I was pushing it hard with 24.5 grains of Varget? I worked up to it but it did start flattening primers.

Rockzilla · Mar 15, 2010

Russ D said:
So I was pushing it hard with 24.5 grains of Varget? I worked up to it but it did start flattening primers.

Not to jump in, but when I loaded with 24.1 grains at that charge I was seeing primers that were pretty flat, not to the point of cratering, also my groups had already started to open up. Each gun likes different charges,bullets,oal etc. The loading I use in "warm" in the AR I shoot.

-Rock

JamesBailey · Mar 16, 2010

Russ-
If you are seeing any pressure signs, I think that load is too hot and shouldn't be reused. Why put that stress on the weapon? I don't think I have loaded Varget much over 24gr, I guess because I (1) don't want to stress the chamber/rifle/case and (2) think the best combo of accuracy and MV will be somewhere under the max charge.
-James

Rockzilla · Mar 16, 2010

JamesBailey said:
Russ-
If you are seeing any pressure signs, I think that load is too hot and shouldn't be reused. Why put that stress on the weapon? I don't think I have loaded Varget much over 24gr, I guess because I (1) don't want to stress the chamber/rifle/case and (2) think the best combo of accuracy and MV will be somewhere under the max charge.
-James

Agreed as noted I never went higher than 24.1grs, and generally I have found the best accuracy/mv will be under max. I also don't want to put the added stress of the load on that weapon.

The primers are one sure sign of pressures.Even in once fired brass if you notice some are really flat and have cratering, they are hot, and sometimes just sometimes the pocket is loose.

-Rock

Excellent AR-15 Reloading Info

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