Recommendations on AR-15 handloading reference?

[Trigger Hippie]

Greetings, this is the first post of a long-time lurker.

I'm hoping to cut out a lot of noobery right off the bat by looking for a good textual reference on handloading for the AR. I'm working with a single-stage Lee press w/a Redding seating die and a Noveske DMR-type build. Mostly shooting SMK 77s and 69s. (Edit: And also the latest Lyman load book.)

I've head Glen Zediker on another forum, though at a glance his stuff seems kind of... florid. Any other recommandations, perhaps something more modern?

 

[plant.one]

Re: Recommendations on AR-15 handloading reference?

i cant help you with info on your smk's but the 8th edition hornady manual has .223 rem service rifle specific loads available for their 68,75 and 80 gr bullets.

they also have service rifle specific loads for .308 win as well for their 155,168 and 178gr bullets in that platform as well.

HTH

 

[Beef82]

Re: Recommendations on AR-15 handloading reference?

What is it you want to know? Max overall length for mag feeding is 2.26, with the variable meplat of SMKs I prefer to set for 2.25. Any .223 load data will work in a DI gun, though very light loads may not cycle reliably. Just like loading for anything else work up and watch for pressure. If you have a Wylde or 5.56 chamber, then you're mostly on your own for figuring out maximums, Accurate and Ramshot are the only manufacturers publishing 5.56 data I know of.

 

[Smithcollector]

Re: Recommendations on AR-15 handloading reference?

I think Zediker's books are worth the effort.

 

[MitchAlsup]

Re: Recommendations on AR-15 handloading reference?

At a certain oint, the knowledge is not book based, but skill based. Knowledge is gained when you learn about something (book) while skill is retained after you use the knowledge a number of times and get the process down. So learn to be dilligent and accurate in the reloading process, and success will come as you figure out each step that looses accuracy. This is a long process, but with perseverence, almost anyone can develop ammo superior to FGMM for use in their gun.