My early reloading ignorance...

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nemesiss45

New member
I have been upgrading my AR lately with a flatop upper, free float forearm, scope (old spare 3-9x bushnell for now,) and a bipod.

So i go out to put it through its paces, and all i have in my 5.56 can is 3 boxes of remington and 2 bricks of my early reloads. So i grab a brick of reloads and hit the road.

Well now, in the first months of my reloading for my AR, I didnt really work up loads, so much as i picked a low charge weight and confirmed on the range that it would cycle well. That bit me in the but today splattering holes on my target in the 2 or so MOA range. Now i have ro put together some of my newer loads (at least i have the better part of a 1000 pack of bullets for my good load.
 
I've never had luck running ar's on the lower end of data. The best is sometimes even a bit over max for the heavies.
 
I use my simplified version of OCW.

1) choose bullet based on experience, best factory load, gelatin performance, other performance....consider light flat base bullets for max accuracy or long VLD's for long range consistency or premium hunting bullets for mid range hunting.

2) choose powder: I typically choose based on experience, match results, other's results, temp stability, database extrapolations, manual recommendations, powder profiles.

3) use cases which are appropriately fit to the chamber for the desired level of accuracy.....consider: headspace, primers, neck sizing, flash hole debuting, weighing cases, neck turning, starting with new brass and fire forming,!

4) load the entire "manual" powder range as 5 loads from min to max. I load rifle loads -0.030", pistol off the lands, revolver to the groove, etc....5 rounds times 5 loads + 5 more sighters at the mid load

4) place 5 test targets and a sighter target at your development range....15yds for SD pistol, 25 for accuracy pistol, 100 yd rifle and so on

5) shoot the sighter until reasonably sighted in with extra 5, then shoot 1 round per target until you have shot one round from each load. Each target should have 1 hole in it. Repeat until you have 5 5 shot groups for each charge weight.

6) with your most accurate load, make the load #3 and make 2 above and 2 below it....change your increment to half of the first round

7) shoot and repeat until your goal is reached or you get repetitive results.....then try a new variable. I like: 1) charge weight; 2) seating depth; 3) better case forming tech like changing FL die setting
 
I run my 5.56 AR loads at or, very near max according to load data, for the 55 grain bullets I shoot in my 1:8 twist barrel. It is accurate. I have shot 5 different loads through it and, some factory stuff too. They are all lights out. It has turned out to be the easiest to shoot, most accurate firearm I have ever owned after a trigger job. And, it isn't that I'm that good, I just got really lucky with this gun. What that means about your gun is nothing. But, regardless of the popular idea among AR plinkers, don't be afraid to run them on the hotter side if you are checking for best accuracy.

I haven't tried heavier bullets but, I assume due to the barrel twist , I'll have no problems with them when I do. And I'm going to lean towards the hotter side to start. God Bless
 
I also run my ARs at or near max with 55gr bullets. I worked up all my loads, but found that nearly every powder that I try works better at or near max data. This goes for my Colts, and my BCMs. The only .223 loads that I down load are for my kids ARs. My 9yo daughter, and 7yo son shoot 55gr bullets over 23.4gr of H335. It's an ok load out to 100yrds, but they mainly shoot 10-50yrds at IDPA cardboard targets with Primary Arms Red dots. All they care about is seeing holes in the 6" -0 circle.
 
OK lets hold the boat here a minute.
Not every bullet, powder combo works well in a given gun.
It takes some tinkering with different powders, bullet weights, bullet designs and chg weights and you can and will find a load that works in your rifle.

One load I use all the time in one of my 1:8 twist YH stainless barrels is Varget
55 gr SPR SP - 23.5 gr Varget
This is under the staring load.
It shoots 1/2 in groups 150 yards and opens up to 1in at 200 yards.
That same round in another 1:8 twist barrel shoots 2 in groups at 150 yards and all over the paper at 200 yards.

So don’t think you can’t tailor a light plinking round that will not shoot tight groups at a given range.

That said if I load that same bullet with Varget at 26.2 gr it shoots well out of all my 1:8 twist barrels at 200 yards.

That’s the fun of loading your own ammo; the ability to tailor the round to the gun and it’s use.
 
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