5,56/2233 reloading help

[Sisco]

Looking for advice and opinions if this is worth doing. I have 500+ brass that is a mix of 5.56 and .223 of about 5 or 6 different manufacturers. Lake City, PMC, Squires and Bingham 5.56, and Winchester and Remington Peters 223. All the brass is going to be on it's third loading, so I don't intend to load it again after this.  Some dates back to 1978  left over from my old AR180 shooting.

I also have sitting in my cabinet 600 small rifle primers, 5 pounds of Reloader 15, and 600 Hornady 75 gr BTHP's. A really good bullet. I am trying to decide how to mate up all this various brass with the Hornady's in a logical manner.

Option 1, I would measure the internal case volume of each brass type, and use a software program like Quickload  to extrapolate the chamber pressures and performance of each case type with that bullet. Then in a quest for consistency, adjust the powder in each case type so that all types are as close as possible as far as chamber pressure. My goal would be to try to get the same performance as closely as possible from rounds loaded with different brands of brass.

Option 2 Would be to just load a mild to moderate powder charge that would work in all brass with that bullet, but would have significant variables as far as chamber pressure,(although still safe) but probably very variable as to relative accuracy. And just consider it plinking and mag dump ammo. Would kinda be a waste of a really good bullet.

Either option, cases will be crimped

Primary rifle for use is a Colt Pre Ban Match HBAR, 1 in 7 twist. I am considering switching from a red dot on that one to a decent mid range scope. Option 1 would give me ammo I could probably upload safely to use at further distances. If I did Option 2  I would also use the ammo it in my Olympic Arms carbine with a 1 in 9 twist. Otherwise probably not. 

I just don't know if Option 1 would be worth all the work, and if the accuracy would justify it, What do you guys think?

[98Z5V]

For option 1, just weigh the brass, and sort loads by weight.  External dimensions are the same, so heavier weighted brass has less internal volume.

Report back with brass case weights, lowest and highest, and I'll give you a great recommendation on the amount of RL-15 you need for those Hornady 75s. That's my go-to shiit, right there. 

You could even weigh 10 at a time, and average - it's not going to matter that much, brother. 

EDIT - You'll only need about 2.5 lbs of that powder to load all 600...  Get another 600 ready to go... 

Edited May 28, 2017 by 98Z5V

[Sisco]

17 minutes ago, 98Z5V said:

For option 1, just weigh the brass, and sort loads by weight.  External dimensions are the same, so heavier weighted brass has less internal volume.

Report back with brass case weights, lowest and highest, and I'll give you a great recommendation on the amount of RL-15 you need for those Hornady 75s. That's my go-to shiit, right there. 

You could even weigh 10 at a time, and average - it's not going to matter that much, brother. 

EDIT - You'll only need about 2.5 lbs of that powder to load all 600...  Get another 600 ready to go... 

I will do that. I was going to do water volume comparisons for 10 of each brass type, and then average out the internal volume. But this will work too.

The other 2.5 pounds is going into .308.

Edited May 28, 2017 by Sisco

[survivalshop]

  I agree , weigh them & put them into groups of weights , there is not much difference in the weights . these below are a sample group average I got a while back . 

.223 - PMC -        97.2 gr.

.223- Hornady -    92.6 gr.

.223- Norinco -     101.6 gr.

.223 - WW -           97.8 gr.

.223 - Remington - 95.1 gr.

 5.56 - LC -             96.1 gr.

[Sisco]

That is good stuff. See how mine matches up.

[98Z5V]

54 minutes ago, Sisco said:

I will do that. I was going to do water volume comparisons for 10 of each brass type, and then average out the internal volume. But this will work too.

The other 2.5 pounds is going into .308.

You can get about 125-140 per pound of RL15 out o the 308s.  You should easily have another 300 rounds of 308 out of that 2.5 lbs.  What projectile are you loading for the .308?  I can save you alot of time, and just give you a powder charge that borders on pure awesome. 

[Sisco]

33 minutes ago, 98Z5V said:

You can get about 125-140 per pound of RL15 out o the 308s.  You should easily have another 300 rounds of 308 out of that 2.5 lbs.  What projectile are you loading for the .308?  I can save you alot of time, and just give you a powder charge that borders on pure awesome. 

My next load is going to be 175gr Sierra SMK' BTHP. Most likely in Lake City Brass. Just loaded up 205 168 BTHP's with 41.2 RL15 in some Indian M80 spec brass.  Winchester was managing the Indian plant at the time -1975- so the brass is pretty good quality.

[98Z5V]

My last load workup was Hornady 178gr BTHP in Hornady Match brass.  CCI 200 primers and 41.4gr RL-15.

You can up your 168gr charge a little, at 41.2 of RL-15 on yours - unless that's giving you some bitchin' accuracy.  You can probably start your 175s at my 41.4gr, and work up a little. 

My 178s at 41.4gr/RL-15 are scary accurate on the 660 yard targets, man. 

[Sisco]

That was the thought for the powder load41.2-41.4

[98Z5V]

Yep, start it low and check it.  Do 5 of each and see what you get, at 41.2, 41.3, and 41.4.  If you see them getting smaller towards 41.4, you can go up a tenth or two and see what you get - it'll still be safe at that. 

[Sisco]

Update: All my Lake City brass went for 300 Blk. cases. Loaded my 5.56 Winchester Brass with 23 Gr of RL15 behind a 75gr Hornady BTHP. worked very well today. I am close to my optimum load. Just need to do a ladder to find the best sweet spot for my AR15 HBAR. Firefield scope working well for the money.