Reloading for Service Rifle - 223 (New Guy question)

[Shamr0ck]

I'll note, the charges are with a Chargemaster 1500. The dies are LEE dies. Loaded on my Dillon 550B using a powder funnel for individual weighted charges. I use Forster dies for my bolt guns. So to those who think LEE aren't good, my AR rifles show otherwise. I use lots of different projectiles so I mark my LEE seating die with a fine tip sharpie and abbreviate the projectile on the marks so I have a ballpark range to get them dialed in, then adjust using my base to ogive measuring tools.

Fantastic group and information! Thx for the details...

I’ve been doing a lot of reading and found ‘Konrad’ from a thread on the us rifle team sight. He shoots a lot of service rifle matches in IL and he has shared a good deal of information on both YouTube and a site he maintains

http://sw-hearing.com/reloading/relo...procedure.html

If I read his loading procedure correctly, it seems that he doesn’t crimp and relies on neck tension alone. Is this common in a gas gun loaded for competition? Creative solution to hand make a powder check in die position 3 on his 550B. Sliding seating to position 4 makes for some awkward mechanics though...

Which die position do you seat the bullet in? And if position 3, do you crimp in 4 or simply not use?



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[SouthernCoyote]

My setup on my 550B for my precision AR is as follows:

1 - LEE collet neck sizing die in case there is a neck that is out of round, and it does happen when you store brass already prepped.

2 - powder die with funnel on top for pouting individual weighted charges from my Chargemaster 1500.

3 - LEE seating die marked with positions for different projectiles.

4 - LEE factory crimp die. I'll use it for different projectiles since I do my varmint loads on the same tool head. I've experimented a lil with each projectile and going some like a crimp and others don't.

I highly recommend AR Comp powder because it's extremely temp stable and produces insane consistency. It may not be the fastest velocity, but consistency beats all other things in my opinion.

[Shamr0ck]

My setup on my 550B for my precision AR is as follows:

1 - LEE collet neck sizing die in case there is a neck that is out of round, and it does happen when you store brass already prepped.

2 - powder die with funnel on top for pouting individual weighted charges from my Chargemaster 1500.

3 - LEE seating die marked with positions for different projectiles.

4 - LEE factory crimp die. I'll use it for different projectiles since I do my varmint loads on the same tool head. I've experimented a lil with each projectile and going some like a crimp and others don't.

I highly recommend AR Comp powder because it's extremely temp stable and produces insane consistency. It may not be the fastest velocity, but consistency beats all other things in my opinion.

Thank you sir for the details.

Will start reading up on AR Comp!


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[SouthernCoyote]

You are welcome. I like it enough that I buy it in 8lb jugs, usually 2-3 at a time.. works excellent in both bolt action and AR. A fellow shooter uses it exclusively in .308 as well.

[Shamr0ck]

You are welcome. I like it enough that I buy it in 8lb jugs, usually 2-3 at a time.. works excellent in both bolt action and AR. A fellow shooter uses it exclusively in .308 as well.

Do you see any consistency issues from one jug (lot) to another? BS laws here in MD prevent me from purchasing more than 4 - 5 pounds at once but MD law doesn’t govern behavior outside its borders and WV and PA are both easy drives with good vendors





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[SouthernCoyote]

Never had any consistency issues at all. It and RL16 are the most consistent powders I've ever tried.

[Sgt Greybeard]

Do you see any consistency issues from one jug (lot) to another? BS laws here in MD prevent me from purchasing more than 4 - 5 pounds at once but MD law doesn’t govern behavior outside its borders and WV and PA are both easy drives with good vendors





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Is the limit something recent for MD? I mail ordered an 8# jug of H335 right before Christmas with no problems.

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[Shamr0ck]

Is the limit something recent for MD? I mail ordered an 8# jug of H335 right before Christmas with no problems.

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Fire marshal only wants you to have 8lbs of powder at any one time and the retailer I use will only sell 4 or 5 pound jugs at a time - he tells me he is restricted from selling 8lb jugs to a md resident. His house, his rules so rather than argue, I convert raw powder to loaded rounds as quickly as I can.

I pay only cash and only with a few vendors I trust so I minimize the big data footprint.


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