Loading New Lake City brass

[Daveo711]

HELP!!!!! I am trying to work up a load for my CMMG 16" 1:9 twist AR 15.I have 500 rounds of new LC not sure if 04 or 06 run. I have 200 64 gr Nosler Bonded Solid base bullets and CCI 400 SR primers. I don't even know where to start because Nosler's test rifle is a 20+ " 1:12 twist rifle of which they base their data and they are using Nosler components. I know SSA offers this bullet in a loading in 223& 5.56 but getting info from them on a "secret recipe" is not happening. Bottom Line- I don't want spend a lot of time and money working up a accurate load as I am very new to reloading. Any one have experience loading Lake City brass??? I can't find any info out there.

[Fire_Moose]

Originally Posted by Daveo711

Bottom Line- I don't want spend a lot of time and money working up a accurate load as I am very new to reloading. Any one have experience loading Lake City brass??? I can't find any info out there.

If that's the case, reloading is not for you.

Alternatively, go to yer powder or bullets website and look for load data.


Oh and go get a manual.

[Daveo711]

OK thanks for being honest! I will take your advice and do more research. It is not for lack of wanting to learn from my own trials and errors I just wanted to see who had experience loading LC 223 brass as it is my understanding it is heavier than Winchester or other non mil-spec brass and my need to be loaded to 5% less than what a manual may call for.

[Bart B.]

Daveo711, there's other things besides load information that will cause your duplication of it to either work fine or be bad.

One is way too much neck tension on the bullets you put in the cases. If it's enough, peak pressures will be too high for safety.

Which is why folks are encouraged to start low then work up loads using reasonable care, skills and knowledge of what to look for that indicates peak pressure's getting up in the dangerous area.

There's no guarantee that using someone's "secret recipie" will be as accurate in your rifle as it was in theirs. What if he's a much better shot than you are? If so, the accuracy you get may well be disappointing for you. To say nothing about the bullet used not the best diameter for your barrel's bore and groove dimenions.

[Jimro]

Daveo711,

You have the brass, primer, and bullets you want to shoot. Pretty much any powder will do in the right burn range.

If you are looking to duplicate SSA ballistics just look at their stated muzzle velocity, then look up which powders can duplicate that.

Jimro

[steve4102]

I just wanted to see who had experience loading LC 223 brass as it is my understanding it is heavier than Winchester or other non mil-spec brass and my need to be loaded to 5% less than what a manual may call for.

This is a Myth!

Your LC brass is not thicker and does not have less case capacity than Winchester 223 brass. In fact it probably has more case capacity. Load your LC brass the same as you would any Civilian 223 brass.

From Sierra.

The conventional wisdom to reduce loads with military brass is familiar to most reloaders and is generally good advice. The rationale here is that the military cases tend to be somewhat thicker and heavier than their civilian counterparts, which in turn reduces capacity and raises pressures. This additional pressure normally requires a one or two grain reduction from the loads shown in most manuals or other data developed with commercial cases. While this is most often the situation with both 308 Winchester and 30-06 cases, it is less true with the 223 brass. We have found that military cases often have significantly more capacity than several brands of commercial brass.

You can also go here and view actual 223/5.56 H20 case capacities, note the LC brass compared to Win brass.

Scroll down to "Case weight vs Capacity".

http://www.6mmbr.com/223rem.html

[sundog]

Steve4102 is right about the myth. However, there are lots of brass out there that are heavier (and lighter) than normal. Best way to tell is weigh your brass, maybe ten random pieces, to tell.

I've been loading a batch of new LC 11 for high power. It does not seem to be any different than much of the other brass other than the annealing discoloration is not polished away.

[Daveo711]

Thanks for all the replies. It sure makes this newbie a lot more confident! There is a lot of info and theory's out there and you have to seperate the fact from fiction. I know I make some mistakes along the way, but that is some of the best learning out there. I am just trying to garner in wisdom from folks that have been there - done that. One last note: Not get myself hurt or someone else!!!

[603Country]

Daveo, get a couple of reloading manuals. I'm fond of the Lyman 49th edition, which will give plenty of bullet and powder combinations with max and min loads. Read up on the reloading if you haven't already done so, and proceed carefully. Basic reloading isn't difficult. Just follow the book directions and safety tips.

[oldpapps]

Daveo,

You have bullet, primer and brass. (stating the obvious)

Get one or two or more books. Pick your powder (that you have or can get). Look in the books and on-line Powder/Bullet makers web pages. Search out components to match. Start with the listed 'beginning' loads.

Make up one round. Verify that it will feed and your bolt will lock up. Make 4 more. Go to your range and test them. Did they perform to your desires? If not adjust till they do.

Unless you have access to a chronograph, you will only be able to guess if your loads are close/near whatever your target load may be.

As for 'Lake City' brass. Each lot of brass will be a little different from each other and ever more variance between makers. We are very luck that .223/5.56 brass made here in the USA is so uniform. If you start at the 'starting' load and work your loads up to find what you want, any variations in brass will not be noticeable.

Read your reference material until you fully understand what and why you are doing each step.

Things to remember: consistency is prime, always error on the side of safety, don't rush - take that extra step, enjoy what you are doing.

Be safe,

OSOK

[jmr40]

You don't have to reinvent the wheel every time you start loading something new. I wouldn't take any one persons internet advice as gospel. But if you ask enough guys you will start seeing trends. If you find a lot of people having success with "X" amount of powder "A" with bullet "Y", in case "C", with primer "Z", then chances are good it might be a good starting point. I'd still check that load in a manual, lots of good ones online. If it checks out as a safe load, I'd drop down a little on the powder charge and start experimenting. You can usually find a good load fairly quickly. Usually exactly the same one others are using.

Every single load I use in the rifles I load for was borrowed from other's. I tried several combinations, and have slightly tweaked the powder charge in many cases before settling on the exact combo that I found to worked best.

A lot better than stumbling around randomly trying every combination you can think of. There are lots of people who have already researched this stuff. No reason not to use their data.

[Edward429451]

I just wanted to see who had experience loading LC 223 brass as it is my understanding it is heavier than Winchester or other non mil-spec brass and my need to be loaded to 5% less than what a manual may call for.

The others speak the truth. LC isn't heavier than commercial. Of course , you should weigh some and see. Don't trust anything you read on the net without checking for yourself. In my experience, PMC is the heaviest brass in 223/5.56. Put some on the scale and see.

It is not stumbling around in the dark trying to develop your own load either. This is called proper procedure load development, always a wise approach. You do not take someones max load and reduce it 5% and start there. You begin with the starting loads, which is why they call them starting loads.

In doing this, you will be doing things properly, being safe, and you may even find a sweet load that likes your particular rifle more than the other guys. It is not wasted time. Some of these guys spouting shortcuts are the ones you read about having blown up rifles. Will they buy you a new rifle if yours blows up? You're just learning...have some patience bro. Do it right and be safe. Rifles are expensive. If you want to take a shortcut and save time, use the powder recommendations for brand, but work up your own load. H-335, Varget, BLC2, RL-15...

[Daveo711]

As always thanks for the replies and takeing the time to share wisdom! I appreciate it greatly. I hope some of you don't mind if I follow you on here as there will be other questions along the way. This just happens to be the caliber I am working on now. I plan on reloading 6.8SPC 308 7.62X39 just to name a few. If any of you have had any special trials along the way with these please let me know, but that is for another day.

Have a good day!
Dave