5.56 AR Only Loads
- Thread starter padom
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I weighed a bunch, and they were so damn close, if off at all.
That was for 308. So I just sorted the LC 5.56 out and assumed. Couldn't be certain. I hand load basic stuff for 5.56, nothing too precision oriented. I save all that effort for bigger and better stuff
Good to know. Now i can just throw all the LC in the same pile. I weighed all of my different 556/223 headstamps from different manufacturers and they were all within .3gr of each other.
I loaded a handful of the various assortment and I would always get the random flyer that would open groups up to about 1 moa. Sorted by headstamp and groups were consistently in the .75 moa range. Good enough for my uses.
That seems a tad low velocity wise using Varget with 73 gr. ? . I looked in MY ledger and I'm running 75 gr. at 2780-2840 with 24.4-24.8
Book says 2907 at 25.0 C with 75's . Don't use TAC or CCi primers ,so ??.
I definitely sort headstamps for precision rounds in the ar.
I run all I can of that stamp and when I run out the next stamp needs checked for powder but not a full ladder test.
I go .3g up and down from previous load in 0.1g if the exact same load didn't work.
Sometimes you get lucky and the same load works.
If you have an E C tuner brake many times a small adjustment will bring that "standard load " right back in without changing anything else with several headstamps.
Some days you can tune it in and not change poi and get the same group. Other times group can be dialed in but the poi is off by a click or two? I never figured that out but not a problem.
Barrel harmonics never cease to amaze me. The smallest of changes and you have to do the dance again.
Note: I also run all my brass in a mandrell. That really made a measurable difference when switching between brass.
I run all I can of that stamp and when I run out the next stamp needs checked for powder but not a full ladder test.
I go .3g up and down from previous load in 0.1g if the exact same load didn't work.
Sometimes you get lucky and the same load works.
If you have an E C tuner brake many times a small adjustment will bring that "standard load " right back in without changing anything else with several headstamps.
Some days you can tune it in and not change poi and get the same group. Other times group can be dialed in but the poi is off by a click or two? I never figured that out but not a problem.
Barrel harmonics never cease to amaze me. The smallest of changes and you have to do the dance again.
Note: I also run all my brass in a mandrell. That really made a measurable difference when switching between brass.
Those velocities are perfectly realistic depending on his barrel, chrono, seating depth. I think my 24gr LC brass 77smk 2.245" load was 2650ish from an 18" 4.5mils to 650. The 69gr had a similar drop even though they are going faster.
Yeah I'm higher VL also for the spicy 5.56 loads.
Worked up based on Western Powders 5.56 load data I'm getting 2570 from the 73 eldm in a 10.5" barrel using Tac. Now that is loaded longer than std where the 73eldm gets happy, but still that's cooking from a 10.5". Nothing I've tried has come close to Tac in the shorty. TAC is beating GRT's predictions by 150-200fps in the short barrel. In 16"-18" barrels Lever wins the speed contest. AA2520 has given me the best combination of speed + accuracy. Staball Match give up about 1/4 moa in accuracy, but is temp stable.
My most Accurate MK262 clone load uses AA2520 with 77SMK @2758 from 18" 8T wylde chamber.
My 20" service rifle was like 2650 with 24 varget and 77s, not everyone gets the same velocity, it also helps to check with drops at various distances vs chrono (they can be different, even expensive ones).
My rifle loved AA2520 but I settled with varget and tac. I have pushed TAC with a 77smk at 2800fps with the LC brass and CCI41’s (I think I was at 24.8gr or something) but i was getting deeper smears than I was ok with. Accuracy was still great. I just like varget because it’s more stable but due to its price hike I really want to try N140 with the 77’s. I love those Berger bullets the smell from the packaging smells amazing to me.
What is a good velocity to aim for with a 62gr fmj in a wylde chamber, 16"?
Would that speed be reachable with AR Comp?
Trying to come up with a blaster load but will still do some load dev to see if I can shrink groups at all.
Would that speed be reachable with AR Comp?
Trying to come up with a blaster load but will still do some load dev to see if I can shrink groups at all.
Yeah seems slow. So this means a faster burning powder is needed? Anyone have experience with H322?
I'd have to double check, but I think I'm shooting H322 under the same bullet from a dpms bull barrel varmint upper that I cut down to 20"
I can't remember the velocity but it shot a ½" (three shot) group at 200 yards. Standing, off a BBQ pit, with a fortune cookie thrown on top.
Yeah yeah I know. Statistically speaking that's not proof of anything. But it seems to have held up. It's been the demise of lots of crows, a couple bobcats and some other things that like to eat chickens.
H335 is awsome.
I have 52g speer and 55g Bob's both sub 1/2 inch in my 20inch gas gun using it.
69g bullets didn't like it as much.
I have 52g speer and 55g Bob's both sub 1/2 inch in my 20inch gas gun using it.
69g bullets didn't like it as much.
I think I’m going to get some of the VV140 & some ARCOMP to test with the 73 grain ELDX then. Do you suppose the Starline Brass has more case capacity than new Lake City 5.56?
Thank you
Starline will have lower/smaller internal capacity compared to Lake City... Quite a bit I believe.
Mike
Anyone have data or insight into how different years of LC brass behave if you mix them? I have a pile of ‘21 and a great load with n140 that is “precision” enough for me but the pile dwindles the more I shoot. If I buy more lc brass with a different headstamp, any odds I’ll see a difference on paper due to the brass difference alone?
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Precision would dictate you separate them by weight and/or capacity. You can also load some with your current recipe and shoot them then decide. Good luck
Started with a couple hundred assorted factory and all shot under moa. Tested 73 eldm, 75 bthp, 77 smk, and 77 tmk. Eldm shoots best followed by smk. 75 bthp shot worst at over an inch with tmk in between bthp and smk. Was not hard to find a good load.
I can second chasing my tail with a WOA barrel. I have probably a few hundred on it now and finally found a load that shot with 75gr bthp and AR Comp. 77s shot pretty well too but not just any load, I had to do some load dev for sure. I would say stop removing the copper for a bit if you are when cleaning.
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Seems those WOA barrels can be picky. I found mine likes pills in the 69-70 gr area best (most times lol). It has done well with the 75’s and 77’s, pretty much the same average with all I guess. But it did take some work.
Hornady 75bthp?
23.2 AR COMP and 2.25" COAL LC brass any primer
Or 24.3 Varget (was best imho)
I had the same "problem" with a green mountain 18" then I tried some 55vmax and it made several 1MOA groups one after the other
I was thinking 8208 yeah that would've been a banging ARCOMP load
Tested out some Varget/Hornady 75gr bthps with the 18" White Oak. 24grs, varying seating depths. Apparently seating depth matters with my barrel. Was getting some crunch with 24.0grs which was a little odd but maybe I need to shake the case a bit when throwing powder. Shoots nice though and being single base the barrel stays significantly cooler vs. AR Comp I notice. 24grs of Varget gets me about the same velocity at 22.7gr of AR Comp. AR Comp measures better, less bridging. Trade offs
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Back out again with Varget and 77gr SMKs. They ran a touch slower, liked max mag length the best which is easy. Getting some crunch with 24 grs, noticed seating depth was a little less consistent because of that, May bump back to 23.8-9. Would probably put me right around 2700 fps.
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I have found for my WOA barrels at least that 23.8 of Varget under a 77SMK seems to be the magic load, that extra .02 shouldnt make much of a difference but it pushes my SDs higher and my accuracy a touch lower for some reason despite all the service rifle people insisting that I just load 24.0 at mag length and forget it.
Service rifle scores are way more you reading the wind and technique, a more accurate load does help but I think it was just me having more experience too
Right now I've got a bunch of 69gr RMR bullets loaded up with TAC from 23-25gr just waiting for a not windy, not shitty day to test them
When I used to shoot NRA High Power matches, I shot 23.6 gr of Varget under 77 gr SMK loaded at mag length out of my 20" WOA upper.
It is a heavy barrel with an unthreaded muzzle.
Yeah, it's an A2 upper. It has their fine adjust iron sights. I can't remember offhand if it's 1/2 or 1/4 moa adjustments. It's pushing a decade that it's been sitting in the safe.
