Non-Precision Reloading

[Herb Stoner]

I have a limited background in reloading - mostly smaller quantities of precision-ish rifle loads on a single stage press. I've been working on upping my reloading game in general but I'm still doing rifle reloading on a single stage press but have picked up an annealer, chargemaster, and other items to improve the process. In a somewhat unrelated move I acquired a Dillon 750 last year and later a case feeder looking to do some handgun loads on it and make some case prep for rifle more efficient. My SIL built an AR so I thought I could load some 5.56 for him and proceeded to buy or trade for a bunch of brass - mostly range pick-up.

I'd like to load rounds mostly for plinking but also provide good consistency out to say 200 - 300 yards. The brass was mixed and pretty dirty so I gave it a quick tumble before decapping. Its all mixed manufacturers so my question is: Do I need to sort by manufacturer prior to reloading or can I get decent consistency just tossing it into the case feeder and loading away? Any other steps I can take to improve consistency without sorting? Or - do I even need to worry about it given the somewhat limited range?

I'd pay attention to other details in the process but how key is brass sorting? It is thousands of cases so it not a task I'd find pleasant.

Thanks in advance!

 

[simonp]

My question would be, when you say "plinking" and "good consistency out to 2-300 yards" what exactly does that mean to you? Are you talking about hitting a 4 foot target or within a 1-3" circle on the target?

When I started loading for rifle about a year and a half ago one of the first things I was told was to sort my brass, figure a load for that brass and stick to it but I was / am loading for accuracy.

 

[Herb Stoner]

Its for my SIL so he used the term plinking. but I know he is shooting at steel at 200+. Is getting 1-2 MOA (mostly) at that range reasonable or do I need to sort to get there?

 

[nn8734]

What kind of AR? Similar to a rack grade carbine (irons red dot or basic LPVO) or more of a precision-oriented set up?

More importantly, How much is he paying you to load all this ammo?

 

[Herb Stoner]

What kind of AR? Similar to a rack grade carbine (irons red dot or basic LPVO) or more of a precision-oriented set up?

More importantly, How much is he paying you to load all this ammo?

More rack grade...

 

[nn8734]

Well given he’s not paying you and running a rack grade, I’d load a mag’s worth of mixed brass ammo and have him zero at 25m, print a couple 5 shot groups to see how it looks then engage 2/3 ipsc steel or paper targets at 200 and 300. If hits are easy and often (80-90% at 200m and 50-60% at 300m) then I’d not bother sorting.

3MOA or better is acceptable for a carbine…Translates to appx 250-300m effective range (point) and 500-600m effective range (area).

More rack grade...

 

[MtnCreek]

If you're going to load something like 55gr fmj I wouldn't sort. Be away that there's oddball foreign brass that's substantially thicker than dom. Not as big of a concern as with some other cartridges though. If a better bullet is being used I'd just buy new brass.

 

[flyfisher117]

Its for my SIL so he used the term plinking. but I know he is shooting at steel at 200+. Is getting 1-2 MOA (mostly) at that range reasonable or do I need to sort to get there?

As long as you aren't loading "pissin hot" loads you should easily be able to hit 1-2 moa with mixed brass.
My coyote loads are mixed range brass. I'm hovering about 1 moa with a varmint bullet. Out of a LaRue barrel and a BA Hanson barrel.
Granted a FMJ or other bulk plinking bullet may shoot worse. Also depending on his barrel. I just barely coverted an old chrome lined 5.55 barrel into another coyote upper but haven't had a chance to accuracy test yet.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

I load all my pistol and gas gun loads on a Dillon 550 and have done so for years. I also run mixed brass for my gassers and if you use decent components and not hurry you might be surprised. Just ran my 5.56 loads over the Labradar and was honestly pleasantly surprised...without sorting.

 

[sinister]

I segregate match brass from blasting brass. Match brass is usually military (Lake City, Winchester, IMI, TAA, etc.) segregated in batches, Winchester and Black Hills [Winchester] commercial for 600 yards.

Anything else goes into common buckets for 55-grain blasting ammo (Federal, Speer, Prvi, PMC, Hornady, Arsmcor, etc.). Anything with loose primer pockets or off-center flash holes (typically Fiocchi) goes in the trash.

 

[Billl223]

After removing the spent primer make sure to check and set aside any brass where the primer was crimped as they will need to have the crimp removed. Before I got into precision shooting I made thousands of rounds using mixed brass and all were better then 2 MOA.

 

[1500varmint]

Its for my SIL

What does "SIL" mean?

 

[Herb Stoner]

What does "SIL" mean?

Son-in law

 

[Herb Stoner]

Thanks for all the feedback - it's greatly appreciated. I've never had an AR so a bit different animal to me. Just looking to help the kid out.

 

[Brettmparker1]

It really depends on what you want. If you want to rule out variables that's an easy one. For me I wouldn't sort them for those distances.

 

[db2000]

Teach said SIL how to reload (if you like him and trust him enough) at let him get after himself.

 

[spife7980]

What does "SIL" mean?

 

[Herb Stoner]

Teach said SIL how to reload (if you like him and trust him enough) at let him get after himself.

I will - he's a good dude. He dosen't know it yet but thats the long term plan - have him take over loading for ME!

 

[DownhillFromHere]

The only other thing I'd suggest for bulk-loading mixed brass on a Dillon press is use relatively light loads of a fine-grain powder like CFE-223 or H335.

Even with these really fine powders which will meter as well as any powder can, even with an experienced touch on the handle, you'll get as much as half or even three-quarters of a grain spread on dropped charge weights. Extruded ("stick") powders, even smaller-grain ones like IMR-8208XBR, have larger spreads. And in a small-capacity case like a .223 / 5.56, such spreads can matter if one is loading hot.

I make these statements re charge weight spread because I drop powder through a Dillon measure and weigh each charge when loading for precision. I've been loading on that press for 25+ years and have a good feel for "irregularities" felt as rounds cycle through. Most of the time, the fine-grain powders meter within a tenth high or low - but not always.

Someone else already mentioned crimped primers in military cases. You'll know if you encounter one of those...

Heh. And if you use CFE-223, don't be surprised when the rifle's innards look like rounds were loaded with black powder. It's the Unique of the new millennium. Good velocity, but nasty.

EDIT: It was also mentioned above that bulk 55gr FMJ / FMJBT bullets will be a limiting factor on accuracy regardless of how good other components / practices are. True that. My AR is capable of MOA accuracy at 100 yards with 69/77gr SMKs - rounds which yield half-MOA accuracy in my bolt gun. Use same components (adjusting powder charge, of course) with 55gr FMJ BTs, I get 3 MOA groups out of the bolt gun. The AR doesn't do that well, of course.

 

[n0glock]

I toss it all together for most AR ammo, you still have to trim cases and you will be dealing with the crimp, for cheap effective crimp removal the RCBS crimp remover in a drill, I just trim everything (Trim-IT in the drill) and go over everything with the crimp remover while watching TV, some of the range pick up is really long.

 

[flyfisher117]

Not meant to be a flex by any means lol.

Here is a ~2011 SW MP15 1:9 chrome lined 5.56 barrel. I recently installed a free float tube. Primary Arms 1-8 ACSS resting off of 5 lead shot bags filled with sand. Barrel was warm from sighting in with coyote loads.

Mix range brass, CCI450 primer, CFE223, pulled 55 grain FMJ. Not loaded on a Dillon but charging directly to cases and verifying every 10th one.

 

[clcustom1911]

I have a limited background in reloading - mostly smaller quantities of precision-ish rifle loads on a single stage press. I've been working on upping my reloading game in general but I'm still doing rifle reloading on a single stage press but have picked up an annealer, chargemaster, and other items to improve the process. In a somewhat unrelated move I acquired a Dillon 750 last year and later a case feeder looking to do some handgun loads on it and make some case prep for rifle more efficient. My SIL built an AR so I thought I could load some 5.56 for him and proceeded to buy or trade for a bunch of brass - mostly range pick-up.

I'd like to load rounds mostly for plinking but also provide good consistency out to say 200 - 300 yards. The brass was mixed and pretty dirty so I gave it a quick tumble before decapping. Its all mixed manufacturers so my question is: Do I need to sort by manufacturer prior to reloading or can I get decent consistency just tossing it into the case feeder and loading away? Any other steps I can take to improve consistency without sorting? Or - do I even need to worry about it given the somewhat limited range?

I'd pay attention to other details in the process but how key is brass sorting? It is thousands of cases so it not a task I'd find pleasant.

Thanks in advance!

Plinking = 3-4 MOA

Mixed brass
Any small rifle primers
H335 24-25gr w/55gr or 62gr
BLC2 25-26.5gr w/55 or 62gr

Work from bottom of charge range and up.

55gr is 2.23-2.24" OAL
62gr is 2.24-2.25" OAL


Ready. Set. Go.