First Rifle Reloads - 223 Remington for AR15

T

Tony C

New member
After over eight years of reloading pistol, I put my first rifle loads together this weekend. 10 rounds of 223 Remington to shoot out of my AR-15. Not bad results for a first try.

Rifle
Core15 M4 Keymod Scout
16" Barrel 1:7 twist
Stock Trigger
Vortex StrikeFire II Red-Dot Optic (1x)

Load:
Case = Mixed Brass
Primer = CCI Small Rifle
Powder = 24.0 grains Varget
Bullet = Remington 55 grain FMJ (cheap)
C.O.L. = 2.20"

Avg. Velocity = 2,588 fps
Extreme Spread = 84 fps

200 Yards = Four rounds, 2" group
300 Yards = 3 rounds, 5" group

223%20AR15%20200%20Yards.jpg


223%20AR15%20300%20Yards.jpg


I want to get the velocity up to around 2,800 fps to mimic the factory rounds I tested (Perfecta 55 grain = avg. 2,880 fps) and see if accuracy gets any better, though I am very happy with 2" at 200 yards with a 1x, 4 MOA red-dot optic.
 
You didn't indicate the twist rate of your barrel and the grains of the bullet you are using. If less than 1/9 twist then you will need 55+ grains. If faster than 1/9 like 1/12 you will need less than a 55 grainer.
 
I'd recommend trying another powder if the objective is higher MV. As for the twist, it is what it is, at 1 in 7. I don't have my reloading books right here with me to suggest what powders give max MV, but I use H335 and AA2230 behind Nosler 55 grainers.
 
I agree, Varget is probably one of the best, if not THE best for 69-80gr bullets, not that it's terrible in 55gr, but your running compressed loads to wring out less velocity than other powders. For 60gr and under I like CFE223,H335 and am starting to really like BL-C(2). BL-C(2) has become so abundant around here that every store has it priced about 15%-20% less than other powders, I have only just started playing with it, but it seems to be pretty perfect for lightweight .223, in most cases it runs 100-150FPS faster than H335 with up to 2000CUP less, I am impressed so far. I stocked up on about 10#'s of it, so I better like it regardless.

But if your getting 1MOA and less with a 16" mil barrel, cheap bullet and a red-dot......than I guess whatever your doing is working. it took me three years to finally get a sub-MOA group, and it's only because I got an 18X scope and started playing with lighter bullets, like really light, 40gr in 1 :7...weird. I was always told the opposite and have been trying all the combinations of heavy bullets and was always getting down to about 1.15-1.25, I thought that's just as good as I am going to get wih my mil-spec barrel, I was wrong. At this point I can't say iit is the new scope, or if the 40gr bullets made all the difference, I need more testing. All I know is, something really made a difference, and I have loaded thousands of .223 rounds just to hit that 1.1MOA wall. then one day with a single load of 40gr Vmax(no work-up) with slow powder for weight(CFE223) and this happens. I just loaded these all up shy under max, because I assumed they would be nothing but fun pumpkin-busters, I assumed accuracy would be terrible.
the top two are just sighting in, then the middle and bottom(dot fell off bottom), my first 100yard sub groups. really sub too. day cut short because I had to pickup son from school, I will get out next week to play some more and do things scientifically.




so....beats me. maybe I should just stop listening to the internet all together when it comes to twist rates and such topics, and just try everything regardless. i'll post up more findings next week
 
Last edited:
PA Joe...

It does say in the OP that the barrel is 16", the twist rate is 1:7, and the bullets were 55 gr. FMJ.

I know that heavier bullets than 55 grains is optimal for this barrel, but this is what I had to start with.
 
Skizzums...

Thanks for the feedback and VERY nice groups. I purchased Varget because it was all I could find. I will look for the powders you recommended. I do want to get a wider range of bullet weights to see what they will do.
 
I think those are vey good groups for a 16" with a red dot at 200. I'd be plenty happy with them. You may want to try a consistent (same) brand of brass.
 
Last edited:
1stmar...

I agree, I am very pleased with the groupings. I have some once-fired brass that I fired out of this rifle, and am in-process of getting cleaned up and ready to load now. I want also to see what difference it will make, if any.
 
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