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5.56 AR Only Loads

Just tried out a couple new 77SMK loads this weekend with good results. The best out of my WOA 18" was

  • 77 SMK
  • 24.4gr of TAC
  • 2.255 COAL
  • LC mixed year (mostly 15, 16 17)
  • MV 2751
  • SD 5.4 (I'm still coming to grips with this...)
  • About a .75 one hole 10 shot group
 
Service rifle loads 77smk
23.5 H4895
24.2 RL15
24.0 Varger
max mag length
What kind of MV and accuracy are you getting from the RL15? Going to start loading this powder when I run out of factory loaded BH 77g. Will be ran through an 18 inch bartlein barrel.
 
77gr TMK
23.6gr 8208XBR
Rem 7.5 primer
Annealed/full length resized/once fired LC brass
2.250" OAL
18" DD upper unsuppressed

10rd group past a Labradar

AVG: 2603
ES: 37
SD: 12.2
 
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My plinking load:
hornady 62gr bthp
23.1gr H322
LC case
wolf small rifle magnum or Rem 7.5 primer
2.240" coal
 
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May as well add the 100yds and in blasting loads for the sake of data sharing:

Both loads from an 18" DD upper unsuppressed, 10rd groups

Hornady 55gr FMJBT
Win 748 26.5gr
Rem 7.5 primer
Range pick up brass
OAL: 2.224"

AVG: 2953
ES: 95
SD: 27

Hornady 55gr FMJBT
BLC-2 27.0gr
Rem 7.5 primer
Range pick up brass
OAL: 2.224"

AVG: 2909
ES: 79
SD: 28
 
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77 SMK
Magtec Brass
23.2 8208XBR
CCI450
2.259 COAL
22" barrel
2842 FPS
SD 7.74 FPS
 
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In a 5.56 chamber only (thats all I own)

Mixed brass fodder with either CCI SR or Federal SR primers:

55gr FMJBT projo of your choice:

26.1-26.3 of H335
2950 out of a 16"
2.21-2.22"

Hornady 62gr HPBT w/cannelure:

25.5 H335
26.5 BL-C(2)
Both are about 2850 out of a 16"
2.25"

Hornady 68gr HPBT:

Speer Nickel plated brass
Federal 205 primers
25.5 BL-C(2)
Mag length (2.26")
Gonna get numbers on this load soon. Its my only "precision" load I have made for 5.56 thus far. Everything else is just for plinking/general use.
 
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Sierra 77 HPBT or Hornady 75 HPBT

23.5 8208 XBR
LC brass (09, 15, 19) or Lapua brass
Fed 205M
2.250 (77) 2.248 (75)
2670 in Centurion 18" SPR 2620 in Rainer 16" Match
SD 3.0 SD 8.7
ES 10.0 ES 19.0

Hornady 55 FMJ

26.3 Win 748
Mixed brass practice AR load (mostly LC, Hornady, Winchester and Fiocchi)
CCI 400
2.220 I think (seated to cannelure)
2870-2900 (varies by barrel length) in 14.5-16" BCM barrels
 
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Range brass
55gr SP (Hornady? Dunno)
25 gr Benchmark -or-
24.7 gr H335

55 gr FMJ or SP
25.7 gr Fiocchi (BLC-2 equivalent)

62 gr SP
25.7 gr WC844

I don't have a chrono, so no data. Just OCW /seating depth observations from my guns.
 
Absolute lights out load in every AR ever tested so far.

64 Grain Sierra Game Changer
23.7 Benchmark
Nammo brass
Fed 205M
2.250
Shilen/WOA/Proof
Sub MOA

55 Grain Sierra BlitzKing
25.0 Benchmark
Nammo brass
Fed 205M
2.250
Shilen/WOA/Proof
Sub MOA

62 Grain Speer Gold Dot
25.0 Benchmark
Nammo brass
Fed 205M
2.250
Shilen/WOA/Proof
Sub MOA

60 Grain Hornady V-MAX
24.5 Benchmark
Nammo brass
Fed 205M
2.250
Shilen/WOA/Proof/
Sub MOA
 
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18" WOA 1:8 223 Wylde

3-4 firing LC brass
23.2gn 8208 XBR
77SMK loaded 1.849" from O-Give or about 2.246 COAL
Fed GM205MAR

2700fps
ES 19
SD 9

300 yards, right target had cold bore shot go left .2mils

IMG_20200809_122142.jpg
 
18" Lothar Walther

77TMK - LC18
23.4gr TAC ~2620fps
24.5gr TAC ~2760fps
Rem 7.5
2.25"

75gr HPBT - LC18
23.5gr XBR 8208
~2720fps
CCI 450
2.25"

50-55gr Nosler Ballistic tip
25gr H335
CCI 400
2.20"
 
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18" Lothar Walther

77TMK - LC18
23.4gr TAC ~2620fps
24.5gr TAC ~2760fps
Rem 7.5
2.25"

75gr HPBT - LC18
23.5gr XBR 8208
~2720fps
CCI 450
2.25"

50-55gr Nosler Ballistic tip
25gr H335
CCI 400
2.20"

Any pressure signs on that xbr load?
 
Any pressure signs on that xbr load?

Not horrible, not enough to make me not shoot it. I developed it at 85* and shoot suppressed.

I tested up to 24gr and that was too hot. From 23.7-24 was noticeably more gas to the face and more obvious ejector marks/swipes, so I tried 23.3 and 23.5 and stuck with 23.5.
 
I have shot pretty much the same load 23.6gr 8208, 75 HPBT, CCI450, 2843 FPS out of a 22" barrel. I have since changed to 77gr SMK over 23.2gr 8208 and get
the same velocity.
 
Just ran some lapua brass (once fired in a bolt gun) with H4895 in a 20 inch Bartlein spun up by craddack

Brass showed slight ejector swipe but want to tune the buffer system before ruling out the 23.5-23.7 area with the 77 and the 24-24.2 area with 69s
 

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Magnetospeed.
Did you find pressure on the 77gr loads? What chrono did you use?

I used a magnetospeed. I had light case swipe on all loads past the third shot on each ladder but am going to mess with the JP buffer and gas block before ruling anything out. Primers were 205m and looked perfect on every shot on the ladder.

Currently running a standard spring and two tungsten weights

I’m going to end up in the areas circled below
 

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Yea thats hot as hell in an AR...24.7gr varget is on the hotter side in a bolt gun loaded out to 2.49"....let alone a mag length AR round


Yeah I still want to test it with some hotter weather. Did it at an indoor range that stays in the mid 60s so all my data stays similar over multiple trips. Planning to end somewhere in the 23.5-23.7 range. Where I ended the 77 tmk ladders seemed to be a nice area.
 
Magnetospeed.

I used a magnetospeed. I had light case swipe on all loads past the third shot on each ladder but am going to mess with the JP buffer and gas block before ruling anything out. Primers were 205m and looked perfect on every shot on the ladder.

Currently running a standard spring and two tungsten weights

I’m going to end up in the areas circled below

Compressed at all? Hodgdon website was calling 22gr compressed
 
Compressed at all? Hodgdon website was calling 22gr compressed

They were slightly compressed the last two loads on the ladder but stopped because it started to be too compressed. I used my AD 120 and a 6 inch area 419 drop tube to throw charges so that may have given me more room to get powder in than normal.
 
Seekins .223 Wylde 16” 1:7

59F 49% 30.18mmHg
SMK 77 gr HPBT
H4895 23.4 gr
Fed 205M
BTO 1.843
COL 1.750
COAL 2.260
CBP chrono 6ft from muzzle
2612, 2621, 2618, 2620, 2643

59F 49% 30.18mmHg
Powder Valley 2nd 77 gr HPBT
RL 15 24.5 gr
Fed 205M
BTO ? (Ogive same as SMK 77 gr)
COL 1.750
COAL 2.240
CBP chrono 6ft from muzzle
2616, 2598, 2589, 2582, 2596
2562, 2610, 2601, 2626, 2627
 
Yea thats hot as hell in an AR...24.7gr varget is on the hotter side in a bolt gun loaded out to 2.49"....let alone a mag length AR round


Not arguing about the charges being hot but this is the worst swipe out of the ladder that I could find. Primers seem to look perfect to me.

Definitely won’t be running at the top end of those ladders but always load a little higher than I think I’ll end up and see we’re it goes when trying to find pressure
 

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69 SMK
WC brass
CCI BR primer
24.7 RL15
Ogive: 1.820
2550 fps 16" 1/8 Twist AR
Averages about Moa out to 300 yards ( sub Moa at 100).

53 SMK
LC Brass
Win Primer
VV N133 - 23.5g
Ogive 1.820
16" 1/8 Twist AR
Averages about 3/4 Moa at 100 yards.
 
Question for all. Crimp or no crimp? My experience loading for the AR platform is limited. Most of my loading for the AR will be coyote hunting extending to mid range plinking based. However, I do want to load some FMJ “ shoot the hell out of it” stuff too.
 
Question for all. Crimp or no crimp? My experience loading for the AR platform is limited. Most of my loading for the AR will be coyote hunting extending to mid range plinking based. However, I do want to load some FMJ “ shoot the hell out of it” stuff too.

I've never crimped an AR round in my life.
 
Just ordered some PRI mags to get a little longer and looking at getting some windowed ones to take advantage of the freebore. My valk mags from PRI go out to 2.315 so I’m hoping the 223 ones do as well

Measured the chamber in my 223 and came up with the following. 75 eldm was a non option after measuring
 

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Just ordered some PRI mags to get a little longer and looking at getting some windowed ones to take advantage of the freebore. My valk mags from PRI go out to 2.315 so I’m hoping the 223 ones do as well

Measured the chamber in my 223 and came up with the following. 75 eldm was a non option after measuring

ASC SS mags get you out farthest I know of (2.315) I run them in all my precision AR's.. Very well built SS mags

 
Question for all. Crimp or no crimp? My experience loading for the AR platform is limited. Most of my loading for the AR will be coyote hunting extending to mid range plinking based. However, I do want to load some FMJ “ shoot the hell out of it” stuff too.

My hornady die set has a taper crimp built into the bullet seater. Thats all I've ever needed.
 
Does any good 'hider have data for the berger 70 vld's. I have tried a 8208, Varget, and RL-15 but haven't found anything spectacular.
I'm shooting a 1:7 WOA.
THANKS
 
Sorry no data for the 70 vld in an AR. I’ve only used them with varget in a bolt gun

Does any good 'hider have data for the berger 70 vld's. I have tried a 8208, Varget, and RL-15 but haven't found anything spectacular.
I'm shooting a 1:7 WOA.
THANKS
 
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Got the PRI mags in. Can run a full 20 rounder with a coal of 2.300

Waiting on the windowed mags to come in now. The 69 smk and tmk can get quite a bit longer in mu barrel
 
It was pouring out and had some decent result as well as some poor trigger control but happy with the outcome

I’ll measure later after the target drys
 

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New here but is there any reason these loads can not be used in a 223 Wild chambered AR
5.56 loads are safe to fire in a Wylde chamber. When reloading, as always work up slowly and make sure loads are safe in YOUR gun
 
I have crimped every 5.56 round I have reloaded. I would say it depends on what you plan on doing with it. If you are going to leave it in a nice case a bring it out to the bench and load it and shoot it, no crimp would be fine. If you have thousands of them piled in 50 cal ammo cans that get dragged out to the range in the back of a pickup truck, I'd put a crimp on it