OK. New Expereince About To Happen: Reloading .223

[covertpanda]

Ok, let me ask it this way. Is Clays ok for general target shooting ? It's basically a target gun and close range range backyard groundhogs. I have a 4 pound jug of Clays and would like to simply reload some (100) rounds for targeting. He's not looking to shoot 200 yards.

I would get another powder, a lb of varget is like $20. Also, if it's a core-15 make sure you check thevstake job; I have seen a few from them that were hilarious.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

I would get another powder, a lb of varget is like $20. Also, if it's a core-15 make sure you check thevstake job; I have seen a few from them that were hilarious.

Thanks. The price doesn't bother me. It's the finding "something" to use at all is the main concern. If I have to pay a few dollars more for something I don't need to have shipped to me for an additional $30.00 HazMat... I'm all good with it. I am in no way ever going to pay HazMat fees for powder. The H4895 was there and ready to go.


"thevstake job" ? Huh ?

 

[covertpanda]

Thanks. The price doesn't bother me. It's the finding "something" to use at all is the main concern. If I have to pay a few dollars more for something I don't need to have shipped to me for an additional $30.00 HazMat... I'm all good with it. I am in no way ever going to pay HazMat fees for powder. The H4895 was there and ready to go.


"thevstake job" ? Huh ?

Sorry, i hit "v" instead of the space bar on my phone. The staking of the carrier key to the bolt carrier is what i was talking about.

 

[covertpanda]

Thanks. The price doesn't bother me. It's the finding "something" to use at all is the main concern. If I have to pay a few dollars more for something I don't need to have shipped to me for an additional $30.00 HazMat... I'm all good with it. I am in no way ever going to pay HazMat fees for powder. The H4895 was there and ready to go.


"thevstake job" ? Huh ?

Also, agreed on the hazmat fee; the only thing i'm willing to pay hazmat is VV N-320.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Well, getting back to the reloading venture of .223 for my buddy's AR-15

I finally got to shoot my reloads this morning for it. This is my shooting at 50 yards with a scope I don't care for and gun I don't care for, but, my shooting with my reloads was enough to prove my ability to hit something with my bullets.

My buddy shot about 10 of his factory Remington 55 grain bullets and had a pretty nice group at 50 yards. He shot 15 of my reloads and the group was even better than the Remington factory stuff. He walked back from the target and said, "Whatever you are doing with them reloads don't change a damned thing".

I don't care for the feel or design of an AR-15, or that big red reticle scope he has on that gun, but, here's what I did today at 50 yards with my reloads There is no sighting with the reloads, just trying to shoot a consistent group with it. He has it sighted in for his Remington ammo and this is our first testing with my reloads for it. My group is great but it is a little right of the 1" center. I am by far a trained marksman with that gun, but, I am proud of my reloads and my shooting that thing.

.

 

[Traveler]

Nice work. It is satisfying isn't it?

 

[DocAitch]

Looks good.
DocAitch

 

[Sticky]

Looks like you're on the right track!

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

LOL yeah not bad at all considering I could not see the orange 1" dot on the target because of the red reticle in the scope at 50 yards. I didn't know I had even hit the target until I stopped shooting and walked to it.

However, the recoil on my reloads was slightly less than the factory Remington ammo, but, the accuracy was so much better with my reloads than the factory Remington.

 

[paxfish]

Cool. Here's what I did recently when testing loads of ARCOMP. Consider making up several batches of reloads using slightly different powder loads. After several target sheets like the one below, I settled on 24.7 grains for my rifle.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Cool. Here's what I did recently when testing loads of ARCOMP. Consider making up several batches of reloads using slightly different powder loads. After several target sheets like the one below, I settled on 24.7 grains for my rifle.

What powder are you using for your reloads ? I am using Hodgdon 4895, as was recommended by many, and 55 grain Hornady / Remington FMJ bullets. These are basically target shooting rounds and unless fully confident, which I am that my buddy is at this point, he doesn't expect to use them for hunting, but, I think I satisfied his interest and satisfaction with the reloads yesterday.

 

[Pinecone]

Smallest group is not always the best choice.

You want a group that is repeatable over time with things like weather changes.

http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Smallest group is not always the best choice.

You want a group that is repeatable over time with things like weather changes.

http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com/

That might be true, but, when he pulls the trigger on a Groundhog he'd like to hit it. ( this year )

 

[Pinecone]

The point of OCW is the smallest group may become a big group with small changes. Temperature, case volume, slight changes in powder charge.

OCW finds nodes where those small changes to not suddenly make the group MUCH bigger.

So if you really want to hit the groundhog, maybe you want a load that will group well day after day, week after week, etc.

And we are not talking about large groups.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

The point of OCW is the smallest group may become a big group with small changes. Temperature, case volume, slight changes in powder charge.

OCW finds nodes where those small changes to not suddenly make the group MUCH bigger.

So if you really want to hit the groundhog, maybe you want a load that will group well day after day, week after week, etc.

And we are not talking about large groups.

Here in the country we sight our scopes and kill things. Next time we decide to go kill things we check our scopes and go kill things. Not interested in the techni-babble of how to kill things. We just go kill things.

 

[Traveler]

Here in the country we sight our scopes and kill things. Next time we decide to go kill things we check our scopes and go kill things. Not interested in the techni-babble of how to kill things. We just go kill things.

Okay Mongo, have some more beans.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Okay Mongo, have some more beans.

Sorry I just had to beat back another over-thinking response.

 

[Pinecone]

So when you are out shooting in colder weather then you worked up the load, and miss a lot, YOU DON'T KILL THINGS THEN.

Your choice.

I prefer a load I can depend on shooting in all conditions and slight variations.

But if you are fine with the attitude of it worked for pappy and grandpappy, so it is BEST THERE IS, go for it.

Thinking people will find that as time goes on, they are better ways to do things, and use them.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

So when you are out shooting in colder weather then you worked up the load, and miss a lot, YOU DON'T KILL THINGS THEN.

Your choice.

I prefer a load I can depend on shooting in all conditions and slight variations.

But if you are fine with the attitude of it worked for pappy and grandpappy, so it is BEST THERE IS, go for it.

Thinking people will find that as time goes on, they are better ways to do things, and use them.

I kill things in cold weather. I kill things in warm weather. Same ammo in both temperature conditions. Now if you wish to set around the house and beat to death a cold and hot weather bullet feel free. I'm going huntin'

 

[paxfish]

What powder are you using for your reloads ? I am using Hodgdon 4895, as was recommended by many, and 55 grain Hornady / Remington FMJ bullets. These are basically target shooting rounds and unless fully confident, which I am that my buddy is at this point, he doesn't expect to use them for hunting, but, I think I satisfied his interest and satisfaction with the reloads yesterday.

Hey Bud. That is 24.7 grains of ARCOMP and the Sierra BlitzKing 55 grain bullet. I don't have a chrono, so am unsure about MV variances right now. But it is hitting where I want it to again and again. I also shot a group at 100 while testing some other ammo.

ARCOMP is supposed to be consistent in a wide temperature range, so hopefully the groups hold up over the winter.