.223 Reloading Help

browninghunter86 · February 11, 2012, 07:15 PM

Just bought my first black gun today. has a 1:9"twist

What is the cheapest bullet for plinking to reload with that is accurate? Don't want to shoot steel brass in my gun just yet until it is broken in so purchasing ammo appears to be around $0.34-35/round. Pretty sure I can reload for cheaper than that. Found a ton of once fired brass at range so plan to inspect and clean and use those for FREE

any help would be great

Jimro · February 11, 2012, 07:48 PM

Ok, define "accurate" for me here. Are we talking "High Power Competitor" accurate or "beer cans at twenty paces" accurate?

If you want a bullet that should do really well with your twist for "competition accurate", try a 68 or 69gr HPBT. If you have a 20" barrel you might get away with 75 gr HPBTs.

If you want a "cheap" bullet that you can load lots of for "beer cans at twenty paces", pick up some 55gr FMJs.

Jimro

steve4102 · February 11, 2012, 07:55 PM

Cheap bullets are not accurate. That is why they are cheap.
For an inexpensive bullet that is kinda sorta accurate the Hornady 55gr FMJ can be had for about $80-90/1000.

jepp2 · February 11, 2012, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Cheap bullets are not accurate.

Accurate is kind of an ambiguous term unless it is quantified. For my plinker load I use Montana Gold 55 gr. FMJ. In case quantity delivered to my door they cost $0.08 each. Regarding this "cheap" bullet not being accurate, the target below show reasonable accuracy IMHO. 5 shots groups at 100 yards that average less than 0.9" isn't "not accurate" to me. But maybe it is to you.

Mike38 · February 12, 2012, 06:22 AM

I bought some Prvi Partizan bullets for some cheap plinking reloads in a .223. Got about 1.5 to 2 inch groups at 100 yards. Not too bad I guess.

m&p45acp10+1 · February 12, 2012, 03:24 PM

With a 1 in 9 twist I would recomend keeping bullet weight at 55 grains or heavier. As far as cheap bullets that will get you into they shoot as well or a little better than cheap factory ammo. I would say either Winchester 55 grain FMJBT or Hornady 55 grain FMJBT. Load with H-335 powder, and whichever small rifle primer you can get. You will shoot at minute of pop can at 100 yards with ease.

I shoot with a Savage Mod12 bolt action LRPV so I tend to shoot better bullets out of it. With 55 grain V-Max i shoot one hole groups if I do my part correctly. With the 55 grain FMJBT I used to use them for fire forming loads. They gave me sub MOA 5 shot groups. I admit I just quit using them, and started using the V-Max instead.

I did not buy a percision long range target rifle to shoot cheap plinking ammo. For that I have a Ruger 10/22 that does that with gusto, at way lower cost than I can buy the primers for.

CrustyFN · February 12, 2012, 03:50 PM

I have been using Hornady 55 grain FMJBT and can get sub MOA with five shot groups. I ran out and have been thinking about buying Montana Gold next.

jtmckinney · February 12, 2012, 05:55 PM

My last Midway purchase I bought 500 Dogtown 55 grain FBHT in .224 diam.. Weighed a few, all were .2 grains heavy but consistant.

Loaded into range pickup brass, 25 grains H335, CCI BR-4 primers and 2.220 COL. Gun was almost new CZ 527 Varmit, 24 inch barrel. Groups I got from the 50 I shot while sighting in a new scope were as good as any of the more expensive bullets in match brass I tried last weekend. I would buy them again. Only shot paper with them so far but hopefully I will get to try them on some coyotes in March.

Have a great day!
James

browninghunter86 · February 12, 2012, 08:51 PM

I was looking and cheapest FMJ in 55gr I found was $10/100 online. I think they would work until I break in the barrel and get used to shooting the gun

CrustyFN · February 12, 2012, 10:59 PM

Quote:

I was looking and cheapest FMJ in 55gr I found was $10/100 online.

You can buy Montana Gold for $80 per 1K delivered.

browninghunter86 · February 12, 2012, 11:40 PM

where is this at?

steve4102 · February 13, 2012, 07:04 PM

Quote:

where is this at?

MG, but you have to buy a case of 3500 to get that price. 1K price is $125.
https://www.montanagoldbullet.com/pricelist.html

CrustyFN · February 13, 2012, 10:06 PM

Quote:

MG, but you have to buy a case of 3500 to get that price.

Yes but they are for a EBR, 1000 bullets won't last long.

10 acre woods · February 13, 2012, 11:10 PM

wideners.com is at 40 buck per 500. comes to almost 50 with shipping. I bought 1000 for 90 to my door the other day.

browninghunter86 · February 14, 2012, 11:44 PM

what die set should I get for the 5.56/223? I read somewhere to only FL size these... so I should not need a set with a neck die or collet die?

cornbush · February 14, 2012, 11:59 PM

I had to use a small base die for my Rock River, but five other AR's in the family work great with regular full length dies.

m&p45acp10+1 · February 16, 2012, 07:21 PM

If shooting out of a semiauto do not waste your money on a neck sizing die. Your brass must be full length resized every time with a semiauto. Neck sizing dies are used for bolt action, and single shot rifles, and the brass probably will not chamber in a different rifle than it was fireformed in.

moxie · February 16, 2012, 09:44 PM

Best deal on 55FMJBT is at http://www.surplusammo.com/223-calib...t-1-000-count/

$79.99/1000, FREE SHIPPING!

They are very nice bullets.

browninghunter86 · February 16, 2012, 11:16 PM

is TAC a good powder to use for .223? OR what works for y'all with good results?

Sure Shot Mc Gee · February 17, 2012, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Best deal on 55FMJBT is at http://www.surplusammo.com/223-calib...t-1-000-count/

$79.99/1000, FREE SHIPPING!

I been a customer of Powder Valley Inc many years. Nice folks. Maybe they can match or beat Moxie's {above} price? maybe not. No harm in trying. Email 'em to see. SSMcG

Quote:

is TAC a good powder to use for .223? OR what works for y'all with good results?

Browning hunter 86:
Never have used TAC myself. Kind of hard to fine in this local. Always IMR 4198 seen on my bench. 4198 seemed to work pretty good for me in 223 & 30-30. But, if TAC powder works out well for you in your application for it Browning Hunter 86. By all means keep using it. SSMcG

Quote:

yeah def where I am about to order my powder and primers and bullets from.

You'll do OK. Like I said nice folks behind the counter taking your order there. Been a customer since the mid 80s myself. Never had a problem with them ever. If I can be of further help? Just let me know. SSMcG

browninghunter86 · February 17, 2012, 11:51 PM

yeah def where I am about to order my powder and primers and bullets from.

2ndtimer · February 18, 2012, 12:44 AM

Quote:

is TAC a good powder to use for .223? OR what works for y'all with good results?

I have used about 9 lbs of it, so far in a couple of .223's. Been very happy with it, very clean burning, accurate, meters very nicely in an RCBS Uniflow powder measure. I use it with bullets from 40 gr to 55 gr. (My .223 bolt guns both have 1 in 12" twist). Eventually will try some heavier bullets in my AR with the 1 in 8" twist. I have also tried other powders, Accurate 2015, Accurate 2230, Accurate 2460, H-335, H-4895, Reloder 15, and IMR-4064. Actually got pretty good results with all of them. The only powder I didn't think much of was H-4198. Didn't meter well, didn't provide a lot of velocity, accuracy wasn't great.
There are also some new powders to try that I haven't gotten around to yet. IMR-8208XBR, Hodgdon Benchmark, Hodgdon CFE-223, among others.

m&p45acp10+1 · February 18, 2012, 01:27 AM

For 55 grain bullets H-335 gives exelent results. I have used other powders, and most gave good results. H-335 gave exelent results.

I can get groups of half MOA out of my Savage Mod 12 on a crappy day using 55 grain V-Max, with 25.0 grains of H-335, and a CCI Small Rifle Primer, and mixed headstamp brass. I have also used Win. SR primers with the same results.

Xfire68 · February 18, 2012, 02:13 AM

Quote:

is TAC a good powder to use for .223? OR what works for y'all with good results?

I am working on the last 1/4 of 16lbs of TAC I bought about 9 months ago and I love the stuff. If Varget was as cheap as I bought the TAC for I would still buy it first but, $98 for 8lbs was hard to beat.

I think what most mean by accurate when referring to a AR is hitting 8-12 inch sized targets at 100 yards. Can AR's do better then that? Sure they can but, I think most are looking for reasonable accuracy and high rate of fire with AR's that have 16" carbine length barrels. That said I can get nice groups with my S&W M&P 15 shooting FMJ 62g pulled bullets or 55g pulled. What do I mean by "Nice Groups"? baseball sized groups at 100 yards. If I needed to do better then that? I would buy and load up some higher end bullets.

tobnpr · February 18, 2012, 09:51 AM

What cornbush said...you MUST FL size brass for a semi.
While the argument of FL vs. neck sizing for bolt guns is split and will go on forever, there's no discussion for a semi.

Far as "cheap, accurate" bullets...
That depends on the accuracy of the rifle they're being launched from.

Most AR's don't have the inherent accuracy of a bolt gun where you would be able to realize the accuracy gain from the best match-grade bullets, unless you're really trying to stretch it's legs. At a couple of hundred yards, it's far more about the rifle, the shooter, the weight of the bullet, and the charge, rather than whether it is a "match grade" bullet.

Just my $.02.

February 11, 2012, 07:15 PM	#1
browninghunter86 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2011 Posts: 499	.223 Reloading Help Just bought my first black gun today. has a 1:9"twist What is the cheapest bullet for plinking to reload with that is accurate? Don't want to shoot steel brass in my gun just yet until it is broken in so purchasing ammo appears to be around $0.34-35/round. Pretty sure I can reload for cheaper than that. Found a ton of once fired brass at range so plan to inspect and clean and use those for FREE any help would be great

February 11, 2012, 07:48 PM	#2
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 4,263	Ok, define "accurate" for me here. Are we talking "High Power Competitor" accurate or "beer cans at twenty paces" accurate? If you want a bullet that should do really well with your twist for "competition accurate", try a 68 or 69gr HPBT. If you have a 20" barrel you might get away with 75 gr HPBTs. If you want a "cheap" bullet that you can load lots of for "beer cans at twenty paces", pick up some 55gr FMJs. Jimro __________________ "Gorsh" said Goofy as secondary explosions racked the beaten zone, "Did I do that?" http://randomthoughtsandguns.blogspot.com/

February 12, 2012, 03:24 PM	#6
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,110	With a 1 in 9 twist I would recomend keeping bullet weight at 55 grains or heavier. As far as cheap bullets that will get you into they shoot as well or a little better than cheap factory ammo. I would say either Winchester 55 grain FMJBT or Hornady 55 grain FMJBT. Load with H-335 powder, and whichever small rifle primer you can get. You will shoot at minute of pop can at 100 yards with ease. I shoot with a Savage Mod12 bolt action LRPV so I tend to shoot better bullets out of it. With 55 grain V-Max i shoot one hole groups if I do my part correctly. With the 55 grain FMJBT I used to use them for fire forming loads. They gave me sub MOA 5 shot groups. I admit I just quit using them, and started using the V-Max instead. I did not buy a percision long range target rifle to shoot cheap plinking ammo. For that I have a Ruger 10/22 that does that with gusto, at way lower cost than I can buy the primers for. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

February 12, 2012, 03:50 PM	#7
CrustyFN Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,202	I have been using Hornady 55 grain FMJBT and can get sub MOA with five shot groups. I ran out and have been thinking about buying Montana Gold next. __________________ I don't ever remember being absent minded.

February 12, 2012, 05:55 PM	#8
jtmckinney Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 260	My last Midway purchase I bought 500 Dogtown 55 grain FBHT in .224 diam.. Weighed a few, all were .2 grains heavy but consistant. Loaded into range pickup brass, 25 grains H335, CCI BR-4 primers and 2.220 COL. Gun was almost new CZ 527 Varmit, 24 inch barrel. Groups I got from the 50 I shot while sighting in a new scope were as good as any of the more expensive bullets in match brass I tried last weekend. I would buy them again. Only shot paper with them so far but hopefully I will get to try them on some coyotes in March. Have a great day! James __________________ I don't know how many "Mid Life Crisis" a man is allowed, It is probably different for each individual. I am trying to maximize mine.

February 11, 2012, 07:55 PM	#3
steve4102 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,279	Cheap bullets are not accurate. That is why they are cheap. For an inexpensive bullet that is kinda sorta accurate the Hornady 55gr FMJ can be had for about $80-90/1000.

February 12, 2012, 06:22 AM	#5
Mike38 Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2009 Location: North Central Illinois Posts: 932	I bought some Prvi Partizan bullets for some cheap plinking reloads in a .223. Got about 1.5 to 2 inch groups at 100 yards. Not too bad I guess.

February 12, 2012, 08:51 PM	#9
browninghunter86 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2011 Posts: 499	I was looking and cheapest FMJ in 55gr I found was $10/100 online. I think they would work until I break in the barrel and get used to shooting the gun

February 12, 2012, 11:40 PM	#11
browninghunter86 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2011 Posts: 499	where is this at?

February 13, 2012, 11:10 PM	#14
10 acre woods Member Join Date: December 1, 2011 Location: the commie state of il Posts: 73	wideners.com is at 40 buck per 500. comes to almost 50 with shipping. I bought 1000 for 90 to my door the other day.

February 14, 2012, 11:44 PM	#15
browninghunter86 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2011 Posts: 499	what die set should I get for the 5.56/223? I read somewhere to only FL size these... so I should not need a set with a neck die or collet die? Last edited by browninghunter86; February 15, 2012 at 12:31 AM.

February 14, 2012, 11:59 PM	#16
cornbush Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: The retarded place below Idaho Posts: 1,356	I had to use a small base die for my Rock River, but five other AR's in the family work great with regular full length dies. __________________ The best shot I ever made was an accident

February 16, 2012, 07:21 PM	#17
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,110	If shooting out of a semiauto do not waste your money on a neck sizing die. Your brass must be full length resized every time with a semiauto. Neck sizing dies are used for bolt action, and single shot rifles, and the brass probably will not chamber in a different rifle than it was fireformed in. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

February 16, 2012, 09:44 PM	#18
moxie Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2006 Location: TX Posts: 513	Best deal on 55FMJBT is at http://www.surplusammo.com/223-calib...t-1-000-count/ $79.99/1000, FREE SHIPPING! They are very nice bullets. __________________ If you want to shoot...shoot...don't talk! Tuco USAF Munitions 1969-1992 RVN 1972-1973

February 16, 2012, 11:16 PM	#19
browninghunter86 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2011 Posts: 499	is TAC a good powder to use for .223? OR what works for y'all with good results?

February 17, 2012, 11:51 PM	#21
browninghunter86 Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2011 Posts: 499	yeah def where I am about to order my powder and primers and bullets from.

February 18, 2012, 01:27 AM	#23
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,110	For 55 grain bullets H-335 gives exelent results. I have used other powders, and most gave good results. H-335 gave exelent results. I can get groups of half MOA out of my Savage Mod 12 on a crappy day using 55 grain V-Max, with 25.0 grains of H-335, and a CCI Small Rifle Primer, and mixed headstamp brass. I have also used Win. SR primers with the same results. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

February 18, 2012, 09:51 AM	#25
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 2,211	What cornbush said...you MUST FL size brass for a semi. While the argument of FL vs. neck sizing for bolt guns is split and will go on forever, there's no discussion for a semi. Far as "cheap, accurate" bullets... That depends on the accuracy of the rifle they're being launched from. Most AR's don't have the inherent accuracy of a bolt gun where you would be able to realize the accuracy gain from the best match-grade bullets, unless you're really trying to stretch it's legs. At a couple of hundred yards, it's far more about the rifle, the shooter, the weight of the bullet, and the charge, rather than whether it is a "match grade" bullet. Just my $.02.