New To 223

[6Gears1Speed]

I currently don't have an AR15 or any other 223/556 but I will be getting one and my cousin wants to load some up with me so I'm going to get set up on my loadmaster and learn how to do it. I saw a thread that steve posted but I'm looking for some beginner info and maybe tips that might not be in a book.

I just bought the Lee Ultimate 223 die set in the yellow case which I think has all the dies I need. Like some others here I use a hand primer to prime my cases out of process so that's covered. What I'm unsure of is case preparation. Are these tools useful or are there better alternatives?





Are there any other tools required and if so what do you recommend?

Also, do I handle 223 and 556 headstamps differently or can I load both headstamps the same? They will be used in 556 capable guns. I don't have to do any annealing do I? I already have a bunch of brass. Probably a 50/50 mix of LC and FC with lesser amounts of other misc haedstamps. Have no fear. I'm not going to load anything up until I understand it all. If you can point me to a beginners guide on loading 223 that would be good.

[akuser47]

The best guide is probably the lee manaul second addition. Those trimmer tools work fine I use them. I load .308,.357 magnum,.38 special,9mm,45acp, and just started in 5.56 with the lee ultimate die set. Soon to add 44magnum dies. The linked tools are good for trimming your cases as they stretch in time and need trimmed. Also a half decent caliper is good to measure C.O.A.L.. The .223 and 5.56 are different the cases for 5.56 have less capacity. So be careful which powders you use so you don't compress your loads to much. In general the once fired 5.56 are already annealed. Thus the discoloration from neck to shoulder of cases. The boxer primer can be tuff in 5.56 cases and a primer pocket swager is nice to have I'm saving for the dillion swager.

[6Gears1Speed]

I have the Lee 2nd edition book.
I already have all my brass deprimed so that's all set and I already have calipers for measuring my handgun rounds.
I can see which have been annealed or not. I don't polish enough to remove annealing. I get them clean and inspect them for damage but don't polish enough to remove the annealing discoloration. Some of my handgun stuff looks new but for some reason that cleans up easier.
Most of what I'm unsure of is the sizing and crimping.
Up until now I haven't sized any of my handgun brass. I've mainly been using once fired stuff. I thought it was more important for rifle brass for some reason and wasn't sure which tools to use. Anything that can be used with a drill is good for me. I tried the pocket cleaning tool by hand and that's nuts. Now I use a Dremel wire brush in a drill mounted to my vice. Works great. Eventually I'm going to buy some stainless pins.

[6Gears1Speed]

In general I do a lot of work in advance so when it's time for production it's easier with less problems and less to keep an eye on. I deprime in batches, clean the pockets in batches and hand prime in batches. I removed the priming attachment on the press. The plastic lever on the priming attachment keeps the brass from flinging off the shell plate, so to keep the brass in the shell plate socket I stuck a 1/4" round rubber cabinet door bumper on top of the little metal arm that presses the case into the shell holder. As the shell passes by it rubs against the rubber bumper and keeps it on the shell plate. Simple and it works great.

[akuser47]

Well depending on your gun. I fire form brass in my .308 and plan on trying 10 or so to test in my new DDM4V5 in 5.56. To see if she will function and gain even more accuracy. Like i do with my 700 in .308. This is were the neck sizing die comes in instead of wearing out your brass full length sizeing. This only works safely by labeling the neck sized / fire formed rounds as they can only safely be shot in the gun that fire formed them. Others with more .223 loading experience may have better suggestions. Also like you I'm the type that prepares all my ammo to the point that all I need is drop powder and put the bullet into the case. I like the rubber fix. Good work keep us posted

[6Gears1Speed]

What about powder suggestions? I hear H335 is a good one for 223 and I already have a 1 lb. bottle of Alliant AR-Comp that I bought just because it was on the shelf at the time. What are some other popular powders for 223? While searching around for information I got the impression that 55 grain fmj bullets are pretty popular and there is a lot of data for that bullet in my book so I bought a bunch. That's what I'll be starting with.

[akuser47]

M193 or 55 grain is common it depends on barrel twist rate. My old bushmaster uses 1by9 twist which can handle 55 grain bullets very accurately. My new DDM4V5 is 1by7 which needs heavies starting at 62 grains like M855 steel core or match ammo. I have projectiles in 62 grain up to 77. I'm still putting together components right now I'm shooting current federal surplus M855 2013 manufacture. Freeing some brass. Hoping next week to figure out some loads myself. I just got into loading 5.56 so I'm learning the good and bad.
Varget 25 grain is what I have my 10 test rounds set with a 62 grain pill. H335 is a powder I wish to find for heavy bullets as well.

[6Gears1Speed]

So far my searching has resulted in the following powders being recommended more than any other. I like that there are so many powders to choose from, especially at 55g. Next is primers...

Varget (AR2208)
IMR 4198
H335
Alliant Reloader 7 for 55g. and under
Alliant Reloader 15 for over 55g.
IMR 8208 XBR
Win 748

[akuser47]

Pretty good list I need a lb of each except varget. So I can find what works lol
Don't forget benchmark for your 55 or lighter bulket loads.
And IMR 3031

[SureshotArms]

Consider CFE223 great powder and easy to find