So I bought some 223 shell shock cases and started doing some loads with AR Comp to see what kind of velocities I could get.
All the following were from a 20” BHW 1-8 twist bull barrel, heavy buffer and spring AGB.
70 gr RDF 2.268 coal , 65 deg 26.1 gr AR Comp CCI #450 10 shot avg 3,117 fps No pressure signs at all , I have some loaded to 27.0 gr I am projecting around 3,190 fps
75 gr Hornady HPBT 2.262 coal, 65 deg 24.6 AR Comp CCI 450, 3,020 fps.. There is still a little more I can go
Then I decided to see how much I could push a 88 gr ELD M , out of this rifle as a single feed on a sled, so I ordered some and started loads, COAL of 2.495 25.6 gr AR Comp CCI #450, 25.6 gr AR Comp, 2,932 fps, and it stabilized but this was indoor range 25 yds.
Rifle functioned flawlessly, in all the above loads. Shell Shock says cases are one and done. I did meticulously inspect cases and did firings through 3 total cycles on several. What was happening was were the main shell casing is press fit into the case head some cases (25% -30% ) exhibited spreading by 20 thousands or more. I did not reload these cases, neck sizing with a collet . However every firing saw the same spreading at the case head body juncture.
While the ones I reloaded functioned, the more I thought about it, the more convinced that these are one and done. In particular when you consider these rounds are in the high 70,000 to 80,000 psi range.
The SD’s were 12 fps or less in all loadings
Just some food for thought
All the following were from a 20” BHW 1-8 twist bull barrel, heavy buffer and spring AGB.
70 gr RDF 2.268 coal , 65 deg 26.1 gr AR Comp CCI #450 10 shot avg 3,117 fps No pressure signs at all , I have some loaded to 27.0 gr I am projecting around 3,190 fps
75 gr Hornady HPBT 2.262 coal, 65 deg 24.6 AR Comp CCI 450, 3,020 fps.. There is still a little more I can go
Then I decided to see how much I could push a 88 gr ELD M , out of this rifle as a single feed on a sled, so I ordered some and started loads, COAL of 2.495 25.6 gr AR Comp CCI #450, 25.6 gr AR Comp, 2,932 fps, and it stabilized but this was indoor range 25 yds.
Rifle functioned flawlessly, in all the above loads. Shell Shock says cases are one and done. I did meticulously inspect cases and did firings through 3 total cycles on several. What was happening was were the main shell casing is press fit into the case head some cases (25% -30% ) exhibited spreading by 20 thousands or more. I did not reload these cases, neck sizing with a collet . However every firing saw the same spreading at the case head body juncture.
While the ones I reloaded functioned, the more I thought about it, the more convinced that these are one and done. In particular when you consider these rounds are in the high 70,000 to 80,000 psi range.
The SD’s were 12 fps or less in all loadings
Just some food for thought
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