Getting started - got questions.

[2ndChildhood]

I'm getting into reloading 223.
A friend gave me a good deal on 2 reloaders with a few accessories.

1) looking around it seems CCI #400 primers, Hornady 2267B bullets and Accurate 2230 powder is a good set of basic ingredients.
Any suggestions or alternates to these?
Any good local sources for ingredients?
2) Natchez has a sale on tumblers, these are the choices:
Lyman 1200 Pro turbo, Lyman turbo 600, RCBSX Vibratory Case Cleaner, Frankford Quick-N-EZ Case Tumbler .
Any experience/feedback on these?
3) Case trimmer - is it needed?
How many times can 223 cases be reloaded?

Also - it looks like I'll have a set of 45ACP dies for sale cheap.

Thanks! -2C

[7idl]

midway and brownells will get you dealer pricing if you have an FFL
(a C&R works as well) :D

you can 'make back' the costs of your C&R with these discounts alone. ;)

[car-15]

I use the cci#41 primers in the white and black box, for my ar reloads they are a little harder to prevent slam fires, I've never had one one but for $1.00 more per 1000 primers its cheap insurance.

I have the lyman 1200 pro tumbler and it works well, its over a year old and has tumbled thousands of rounds of brass with no trouble.

I would say a case trimmer is a necessity, I usually have to trim every 2-3 times I reload the same lot of brass. on my big game and hi-power rifle loads I check them every time on the trimmer.

as far as how many times on the same brass, there is to many variables such as how hot, and what brand of brass you are using, I would estimate 7-12 times.
I'm no pro, and this is just my .02 take it for what its worth. [Beer]

[HunterCO]

If you want a great load that will destroy varmits in .223 let me know. :D

Reloading is a game of hit and miss one load one gun likes the next gun don't. Just do it safe always start low on your powder charge and work your way up looking for signs of over pressure.

[2ndChildhood]

So can someone give me the powder weight for 2230 using 55gr FMJ's?

[HunterCO]

So can someone give me the powder weight for 2230 using 55gr FMJ's?

I will look when I get home and edit this post with the info.

My book shows 22.5 as a starting point and 25.0 as max load this is for a 55 grn. soft point not fmj. That is the only book I have that even lists loads for 2230. I would go with what car-15 posted.

[car-15]

So can someone give me the powder weight for 2230 using 55gr FMJ's?
I have limited info on accurate powder but my book shows with 2230, 24 grains is the most accurate amount to load for the .223 rem. and the 55 grain fmj.

[2ndChildhood]

Thanks guys!
Now if anyone is coming to the north shoot who can bring a chrony...
-2C

[HunterCO]

Thanks guys!
Now if anyone is coming to the north shoot who can bring a chrony...
-2C


I can bring mine just don't shoot it like I do every time. [LOL]

[2ndChildhood]

Thanks Tim.

Finding FMJ bullets is tough these days.
Hornaday said they aren't taking backorders at present and look like they are going to be sold out til March!

I looked online and got lucky at Wideners - 6000 Hornaday FMJBT for $360.

Those will be a pleasure to load after the soft points which was the only thing in stock within 20 miles.

[Hoser]

Finding FMJ bullets is tough these days.

I bought a couple cases from Black Hills earlier this year. Took about six months for them to come in.

[2ndChildhood]

I shot off the 23 rounds I loaded.
No sign of overpressure according to HunterCo.
3 rounds Chrony'd gave between 2760 and 2880 which sounds like a rather large spread to me.

I'm using the Hornady powder measure and 2230 powder, Hornady 55gr SPSX bullets.
I'll try Hunter's suggestion of filling a bunch of shells, then weighing the charges to see how much variance this measure is giving.
I also got an RCBS powder measure - I'll try that one if the Hornady doesn't give consistent results.

The rounds I shot on my scoped AR were almost all flyers - horrible, sometimes several feet off target at 90 yards.
I don't get it - I'm using quality bullets, powder and frikkin new cases!

Must be some sort of learning curve type of thing.
-2C

[Hoser]

I don't get it

Are you crimping the bullets? If you are, dont. There is plenty enough neck tension holding that bullet in place.

[2ndChildhood]

No crimping Tom, I only have a RCBS 2-die set.
I'll try again now that I have the seating die set so that it guides the bullet straight before it starts seating it.
Maybe when I get the boat tail bullets this problem will go away.

About half of my first 23 rounds I had the seater plug set too low in the die.
Then I raised it up so the die centered the bullet before the seater plug started pushing it into the case.
Is this the correct way to set it up?

Some of my rounds got the bullet a little deformed because of that, but almost all of them were flyers.
Out of 23 rounds I think only 2 or 3 even got onto the paper.

[car-15]

below is a link to reloading step by step, when I started I prinited it out and followed it every time, for quite a while.
http://rcbs.com/guide/printsteps.html

[2ndChildhood]

Thanks! I see my dies and press didn't come with instructions on how to set up the dies.
I think I got pretty close to correct, but My seater die may be putting a tiny crimp on. I'll have to go check.

Edit:
I checked the seater die and it looks good for no crimping. About the thickness of a nickel above the shell plate.
I ran a new case through and looked at it - no marks where the crimp would be.

[HunterCO]

It could be a multitude of things start at one point and work your way down. I gave you my opinion and others have also don't do it all at once try one thing at a time to pin point the problem.

Plus it gives you an excuse to go to the range more. ;)

[2ndChildhood]

Got my bullets in 6 days from Wideners[UZI]

Postman was wondering what the hell he had that weighed 47 pounds in that small of a box.[LOL]

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i45/jvnn/00001a.jpg

[2ndChildhood]

It looks like the new bullets may have solved my accuracy problem.

I took a handful of reloads to the local indoor range, along with some reloads with the SPX bullets.
The FMJBT's shot very nicely - a half inch group - which was similar to the 2 different types of commercial ammo I brought.
The SPX's had 2 in a close group, 1 flyer 12" away, and 2 didn't hit the paper.

Another question - I am going through my saved up brass.
Is it ok to mix different brands of brass?
How much will it hurt my accuracy?

Thx! -2C

[2ndChildhood]

The problem with those bullets (Hornady 55 gr soft points), I think is the 1:7 twist in my Sabre barrel.
The 55 gr FMJBT's tolerate it ok and yield decent groups.
I need to shoot a few of them through my RRA with the 1:9 twist and see how they do.

I guess for best accuracy with the 1:7 barrel I need to go to something like 68 or 75 gr BTHP's.

Sound right? -2C

[aloharover]

I use the cci#41 primers in the white and black box, for my ar reloads they are a little harder to prevent slam fires, I've never had one one but for $1.00 more per 1000 primers its cheap insurance.



How much are you paying for them??

Pete

[car-15]

How much are you paying for them??

Pete
they have been harder to find latley, but the last box I bought was $24.90 otd/1000 that was last month.

[2ndChildhood]

Can somebody describe to me how low you set a resizing die?
thx - 2C

[HunterCO]

You set it so that with out a case in the die your shell holder should bump the bottom of the resize die. It should push against it enough that you feel resistance when it contacts.

[2ndChildhood]

Thanks guys!
Now I gotta get out and see how these shoot before I can roll off 1000 rounds.
-2C [UZI]

[2ndChildhood]

Would you guys use these cases or toss them?
I have several dozen like this.
-2C
http://www.filefarmer.com/jvnn/shooting/00003.jpg

[<MADDOG>]

Toss em. They aren't worth a ruptured case down the line.

[HunterCO]

The ones with the real small dents I would use them the others I would toss.

[2ndChildhood]

Thanks guys - I take that to mean only the 2 smallest dents in that picture - case #2 and #6.
-2C