SBR Loads

[Oleshep]

I have a 10.5" 5.56 upper that I was going to try to do some loads for. I was thinking that a faster powder than what I would normally use for my 20" uppers and some light 55grs might work well? I was wondering if anyone else has done some development for SBRs and what did they find that worked well.


Thanks as always..

 

[Donr13]

I use 55gr hornady bullets ( one of those 5000 round bulk packs from wideners) over win748 and am pretty happy with the accuracy out of my 10.5" sbr.

 

[Oleshep]

I use 55gr hornady bullets ( one of those 5000 round bulk packs from wideners) over win748 and am pretty happy with the accuracy out of my 10.5" sbr.

Win748 looks to be about the same burn rate as the Varget, RE15, and CFE223 that I have used on my 20" Service Rifles. Do you still see a pretty large muzzle flash from un-burnt powder? My thought was maybe a faster powder and the lighter bullet I might be able to get more of it burned in the short barrel.

Damn these things have a lot of blast and flash.. I have my can on order for it to help with the blast..

 

[Donr13]

I run a specwar so I don't really have a flash. Part of the reason I chose this powder was availability. There may be a better powder out there but at least you know you can build an accurate load for it if you find some powder.

Also it's a ball powder and meters great for bulk loading which is what it was intended for since it's just an sbr

 

[rjacobs]

My LMT 10.5 runs the standard 25g of H335 under a 55g FMJ all day long.

 

[Oleshep]

I run a specwar so I don't really have a flash. Part of the reason I chose this powder was availability. There may be a better powder out there but at least you know you can build an accurate load for it if you find some powder.

Also it's a ball powder and meters great for bulk loading which is what it was intended for since it's just an sbr

Yeah Powder is pretty hard to come by these days. I may end up just loading what I have and trying to make it work..

 

[reelserious]

24 grains of H 322 works great and is very clean along with being a very accurate powder.

 

[Donr13]

The only thing that's sucks is hogdon powders are so expensive and hard to find just for an sbr load... If it was more available I wouldn't mind trying it though, I think building multiple known loads won't hurt in the next shortage where you have to shoot what you can find.

 

[Oleshep]

The only thing that's sucks is hogdon powders are so expensive and hard to find just for an sbr load... If it was more available I wouldn't mind trying it though, I think building multiple known loads won't hurt in the next shortage where you have to shoot what you can find.

No shit. If things don't improve soon we are all going to be shooting Hogdon 50BMG...

 

[Oleshep]

24 grains of H 322 works great and is very clean along with being a very accurate powder.

Thanks man. I will add it to the list to test...

 

[308sako]

I chronographed some loads yesterday in my 11.5" and found AR Comp to be the best velocity producer. YMMV

 

[Donr13]

No shit. If things don't improve soon we are all going to be shooting Hogdon 50BMG...

Shhhhhh..... Those are 50bmg powder panic of 2014 words in the making....

 

[bmk]

I have a 10.5" 5.56 upper that I was going to try to do some loads for. I was thinking that a faster powder than what I would normally use for my 20" uppers and some light 55grs might work well? I was wondering if anyone else has done some development for SBRs and what did they find that worked well.


Thanks as always..

I've had good luck running my standard 65 grain sierra's and 60 grain nosler ballistic tips over 8208 xbr in my 11.5" ar. I thought about trying to create an SBR custom load, but figured that any increase in velocity would be too minor to make up for the hassle of having different loads.

 

[Oleshep]

I've had good luck running my standard 65 grain sierra's and 60 grain nosler ballistic tips over 8208 xbr in my 11.5" ar. I thought about trying to create an SBR custom load, but figured that any increase in velocity would be too minor to make up for the hassle of having different loads.

Thank you. I will make note of 8208xbr..

 

[brcook03]

Sorry for the slight necro post. I've had really good luck with Ramshot TAC out of a 12.5" SBR. Ramshot publishes data for 5.56 pressure and I've ventured about halfway into that range with 77gr SMK and gotten around 2600 fps. For comparison, a Mk262 clone load chrono'ed at 2500 fps out of the same barrel.

 

[Oleshep]

Thanks. My SBR is a 10.5" and I am only getting 2200fps with a Mk262 load. That is pretty slow.. :-( Maybe I can get it a little faster with the TAC..

 

[brcook03]

You're velocities are probably in line with other 10.5" barrels. I'm wondering if the taper bore aspect of the Centurion barrel might bump the velocity on the 12.5" upper more than a standard barrel. It shoots a measured 130 to 150 fps faster than my Daniel Defense 11.5" barrel shooting the same factory loads.

 

[jaycoux]

What do you want to use your sbr for? Just plinking?

 

[308sako]

Thanks. My SBR is a 10.5" and I am only getting 2200fps with a Mk262 load. That is pretty slow.. :-( Maybe I can get it a little faster with the TAC..

Better velocity with IMR 8208 XBR in the clone style loading, my 11.5" broke 2500 ft/secs... YMMV.

D

 

[DavidAR10]

For 70gr and lighter:

Set your sights on pistol reloading data | Hodgdon Reloading



Still looking for 77gr pistol 223/5.56 data for you.

EDIT:

Someone with QuickLOAD should be all over it.

I should just break down and spend the $152 and get it myself. I've spent more than that on every first 24hrs of liberty
through Europe and Eurasia. Ahh, to be young and a Marine again.

 

[Oleshep]

You're velocities are probably in line with other 10.5" barrels. I'm wondering if the taper bore aspect of the Centurion barrel might bump the velocity on the 12.5" upper more than a standard barrel. It shoots a measured 130 to 150 fps faster than my Daniel Defense 11.5" barrel shooting the same factory loads.

Maybe or a little tighter throat? something that gets the pressure up some more...

 

[Oleshep]

What do you want to use your sbr for? Just plinking?

I built my SBR for a few reasons.

1 - I wanted a lower registered as a SBR before they make some BS law saying I cannot have one.
2 - I Wanted a slightly shorter Rifle that would ride in the saddle bag on my Avalanche easily. My M4 just barely fits
3 - I wanted the rifle with the can mounted to be no longer than my M4.
4 - This is the rifle I take with in the truck when we head up to the Mtns to camp and what not.. I don't like not having a rifle with me out there.

I knew it would produce lower velocities and I have decided I just need to run a lighter bullet and tweak with the powder to get the most out of it.. I don't envision it being used past 300yds. I had some old Black Hills 52gr Reman loads that shoot great out of it. The Federal AE XM193 55grs don't work worth a shit, they could just be crappy ammo..

 

[Oleshep]

Better velocity with IMR 8208 XBR in the clone style loading, my 11.5" broke 2500 ft/secs... YMMV.

D

Thanks you are the second one to recommend IMR 8208 XBR

 

[Oleshep]

For 70gr and lighter:

Set your sights on pistol reloading data | Hodgdon Reloading

Thanks for the link. They use a 15" barrel in testing but that is better than looking at 20"+ barrel data...

 

[brcook03]

Maybe or a little tighter throat? something that gets the pressure up some more...

Possible but they label it as a standard 5.56 chambering so I'm not %100 sure. All I know is that it runs like a raped ape and I never clean it.

 

[brcook03]

Better velocity with IMR 8208 XBR in the clone style loading, my 11.5" broke 2500 ft/secs... YMMV.

D

That's pretty interesting info. I've got a little bit of XBR at home. Maybe I'll have to give it a closer look on the short guns too...

 

[Expert684]

Maybe try IMR 4198 powder. Super fast burn rate. Some thing like 21-22 grains I used to load with 55 gr. FMJ. That fast of a powder would give you better velocity in a SBR application with a short barrel.

 

[BigTex]

My LMT 10.5 runs the standard 25g of H335 under a 55g FMJ all day long.

Same gun, same load here. Even killed a big hog with it last year. That said, I haven't found anything the LMT wont eat.

 

[BigTex]

Thanks. My SBR is a 10.5" and I am only getting 2200fps with a Mk262 load. That is pretty slow.. :-( Maybe I can get it a little faster with the TAC..

I load a 75gr Hornady OTM over 25.1gr H335 which is slightly over max, so work it up yourself.

I get:
3111fps in my 16" gun
2989fps in my 10.5" gun
3047fps in my 10.5" gun with the can

Again, this load is hot so start low and go slow.

 

[Oleshep]

I load a 75gr Hornady OTM over 25.1gr H335 which is slightly over max, so work it up yourself.

I get:
3111fps in my 16" gun
2989fps in my 10.5" gun
3047fps in my 10.5" gun with the can

Again, this load is hot so start low and go slow.

That is a good number for a 75gr. Thanks.. I will add it to the testing list...

 

[brcook03]

I load a 75gr Hornady OTM over 25.1gr H335 which is slightly over max, so work it up yourself.

I get:
3111fps in my 16" gun
2989fps in my 10.5" gun
3047fps in my 10.5" gun with the can

Again, this load is hot so start low and go slow.

That is smoking fast out of a 10.5" barrel. Are the 75gr projectiles substantially shorter than a 77gr SMK?

 

[BigTex]

Ok guys, I re chrono'd the loads with the chrono at 30yds and bullets colored black as suggested by a member of another forum. The numbers are as follows, the original numbers I posted were likely elevated due to the chrono being too close and reading the gas jet.

75gr load (difference between 10.5" and 16" -229fps)
10.5- 2716 @30yds = 2787@ muzzle
14.5- 2835
16- 2941 @ 30yds = 3016 @ muzzle
22- 3040