Reloading input

[charles]

I'm fixing to to a reloading kit and start loading my spent brass. I'm not sure, but I think I may have a bunch of 5.56 brass that is military crimped. Anybody had any dealings punching the military crimped primers out and if so, what's the best tool to punch them so I can insert civi primers?

Next, for a beginner in reloading, what would be the better reloaded to get but not grow out of?

If any of yaw who do reload are in the temple/ft hood/Waco area, would yaw be willing to show me so I don't blow the chamber up?

Not sounding like an ass, but if you don't have any experience reloading, please don't reply with "my brothers, uncles cousins son reloads". I need first hand experience, not heard it through the grapevine advice.

[Black Streak]

Hello
  RCBS is a good pretty decent brand of reloading equipment.     The .223 FL (full length) reloading dies will come in a two peice set.   One is your resizing die and the other is your bullet seating die.   They must both be set up correctly or you wont get a very good outcome.    Your resizing die will punch out the primer and resize your neck and push the shoulder back.   Don't push the shoulder back much,  only a little.
  The 223 military brass holds slightly LESS powder than regular 223 brass.   The reloading manuels are referring to regular brass.    From my recolection it is about 1 or 2 grains less.  When you reload your military  .223 brass, consider your max load at least one grain less than the reloading manuel calls max load.     
Keep looking for a mentor in reloading hobby and it will shorten the learning curve a bunch.
    Fyi, compair a fired factory shell with your fired reload.   Compair the primers.   If your primer looks to be flattened compaired to the fired factory shell then your chamber pressure is to high which means you need to back off the powder charge a little.    If the bolt is hard to lift then you need to back off the charge even more.
         Any other questions just ask.    If you need help setting up your dies I can walk you through it.   Your reloading manuel might have a how to in it also.

[charles]

Im obliged for your input. If i run into issues, ill pm u to c what im doing wrong. Again, thank you for your reply.

I would hav figured mil load would have been hotter the civ loads. I do know without a doubt SAW ammo is loaded hotter than issued m-4 ammo, even though they are the same caliber. We were told shoot saw ammo ONLY IF we had no other choice bc we could burn and or blow the barrle up bc its to hot.

[rdjustham]

Charles best thing to do is get a reloading manual.  Ive got the Hornady set.  Also I think the overall length is different from 5.56 t0 .223 but I cant remember off hand.  I haven't touched my reloading stuff in a few years.  Also I always reloaded single stage with a Lee Press, using lee dies since I mostly reloaded for rifles, and was doing it for accuracy purposes.  I also never used the full length resizing die, because I wanted the round matched to my chamber.  However reloading a semi auto id resize the whole case.

[charles]

Charles best thing to do is get a reloading manual.  Ive got the Hornady set.  Also I think the overall length is different from 5.56 t0 .223 but I cant remember off hand.  I haven't touched my reloading stuff in a few years.  Also I always reloaded single stage with a Lee Press, using lee dies since I mostly reloaded for rifles, and was doing it for accuracy purposes.  I also never used the full length resizing die, because I wanted the round matched to my chamber.  However reloading a semi auto id resize the whole case.

All but the reloading manual was greek to me. 
As far as 5.56/.223 being different in overall length. I think you are right, i think i read somewhere too that a 223 can chamber in a 5.56 weapon, but 5.56 wont chamber in a .223 bolt action.

I do want to load custom rounds for my .308 bolt gun, and want to hot load or load for best grouping the 5.56. Even though i could take issued rounds and abused issued m16s during rifle quals and cover a 6 shot grouping with a dime, but that was only at 25yds zero range. Once we went to the 300yd qual range, i would shoot 36-40 out of 40 but had no idea of grouping. All i had to do was knock the reactive target over. Except for my first qual during basic, which i shot 35 out of 40, 2x a yr i would shoot my 36-40 for 12 yrs.

[rdjustham]

Over all length (OAL) is the measurement from the rip of the bullet to the back of the case.  This comes into play since chamber are specific.  There is a "general" measurement that will be in the manual, but I like mine exact.  Every rifle is different in this as the barrels (unless a custom job) are made in batches. 

When I reloaded for my rifles I measure each round I ordered.  in a box of 168 grain .308 diameter bullets whether they be for 30-06, 308 or 30-30 there are going to be variations.  Now this doesn't come into play at a 100 yards much but it can.  I would find some being 168.1 to 168.9.  Oh you need a good digital scale too. 

I chose to reload one step at a time IE single stage.  My press would only hold one shell at a time.  I would deprime and resize a batch (usually 20) the move on to seating primers (I didn't measure 5,000 of these).  After that I would move on to powder.  I would measure each dump of powder (some powder measurers are better than others but none are dead nutts on everytime.  Plus different types of powder are different sizes).

After they all had powder I would go back to the press, change out the die and seat the bullet.

This way takes longer than a progressive press (one with different stations where you get a live round with each pull of the handle).  But I KNOW every round in a box is the same as the one that just went down range.  This is important when you want to put bullets through the same hole at long ranges.

If I were to get a progressive id go with a dillion for what its worth.

Oh and when I was doing it (every night for hours on end) I ordered my stuff from midway usa.  They were usually the cheapest and they KNEW when it was going to be at your house.

[rdjustham]

Here is a newer version of the book I have.  If you give me a little ill type you out a list of everything youll need to get started.  But a manual is gold, it will give you a base line, just take a log book to the range with you.  List conditions, load data and how they grouped.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/575530/hornady-handbook-of-cartridge-reloading-9th-edition-reloading-manual

[rdjustham]

Press
Powder dumper
Scale (don't go cheap here)
Case Tumbler
Media for tumbler
Case trimmer
Good Caliper (I prefer a dial caliper)
deburring tool
dies
priming tool (depending on press, I do it by hand because I load single stage)
GOOD RELOADING MANUAL 
Trays
Ammo boxes (unless you have a bunch laying around I used plastic ones from midway)


Pretty sure that should get you started, that's probably better than a $1000 worth of stuff.  Good thing its a cheap hobby 

[rdjustham]

As far as 5.56/.223 being different in overall length. I think you are right, i think i read somewhere too that a 223 can chamber in a 5.56 weapon, but 5.56 wont chamber in a .223 bolt action.

You're correct.  If you look at the barrel it will either say .223 or in the case of mine it says 5.56/.223

[Amokabs]

Look at the Redding T-7 turret press, or a turret press from any of the other major manufacturers. Kind of the best of both worlds.  Basicly a single stage press, you perform one function at a time, however, you have 6 stations on the turrest so u can have 3 different 2 die setups or 2  different 3 die setups. You dont have to swap dies out, u just rotate the turret manually for the next function.  Just remember regardless of set up, check, check and double check all your procedures, and really double check your powder measures, start with lighter loads and work your way up to the maximum loads . You'll enjoy re-loading, very therapeutic ,,, right up there with bush hogging for me

[charles]

Rdjustham, when i was shooting regularly on the post's pow range, i was shooting my M40 with blackhills moly coated160gr bthp n at 100yds, i could cut each hole over and over and over. Until i got stationed at ft riley, i never was able to stretch it any further since 100yds was the furthest at the ft hood range. The range at riley went out to 1000, and at 400 i was covering a 3 shot group with a dime and 600, i was covering with a quarter.

And yes, my ar is stamped 5.56/.223. I guess the 5.56 has a deeper chamber throat than the .223. I do hav a digi crack scale, compliments of uncle sam, just gotta find it.

Thanks for yaws input on this subject. Oh, have any of yaw reloaded the 5.56 in the past yr to current? Is it hust as cheap to just buy the factory loads compared to reloading? A doc my wife works with says its actually cheaper to buy factory loads than it is to reload since the gun/ammo scare is "over".

[rdjustham]

Reloading is almost always cheaper.  1000 bullets to reload is 77 bucks

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/2586165491/armscor-bullets-22-caliber-224-diameter-62-grain-full-metal-jacket-boat-tail?cm_vc=ProductFinding

However the cheapest 1000 live rounds is 248 and they are steel case boxer primed.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/3083217598/tulammo-ammunition-223-remington-55-grain-full-metal-jacket-bi-metal-steel-case?cm_vc=ProductFinding

Powder varies and depending on what powder you are using to load with (this is where the manual comes in handy  )  a pound of powder used to run like 20 bucks and will more than likely load a 1000 rounds of 223.  So as long as you have the brass hand loading is cheaper.  Side note I never ordered powder, the shipping will kill you. 

[charles]

Rdjustham, that doc must be using the most expensive new nvr fired brass, bullets, primer and powders. Using my brass and powder, bullets and primers from midway (like u said, for the powder, s/h and hazmat fee is to expensive to buy online but using the price and inflating a bit for a local purchase) it came out to $3 for a box of 20. A friend down the road said I can use his RCBS loader, I just gotta buy the 5.56 dies and  possibly a few other items, plus a chronograph till I can buy what I need a lil at a time for my own loader.

I am greatful to yaw for yaws replys, and for the offer to use the loader.
Just as therefore good folks out there that will help out a new hunter, there are good folks that will share their knowledge and help to the new comers of what they have little to no knowledge of.

[rdjustham]

If youre starting on a budget,  Id hold off on the chronograph.  Most of the loading manuals out there will give you a ball park.  The Hornady one I have will give you a bullet (it will be a hornady one) in the caliber you look up, the grains of said bullet, different levels of powder and the estimated velocitys using certain powders.  ALWAYS start low and work your way up.  Chances are you will find a good recipe before you get close to the maximum recommended levels in the book.