New to reloading

So
How do you handle generic bullets where there is no loading data present other than its 223 at 55grains FMJ?
This is how the company i bought them from listed them.
223 55gr FMJ Version 4 Bullets Seconds
 
Is it a cup-and-core bullet? If so, for FMJ designs, the tip is usually solid and the base is what is called an exposed base, meaning you can see exposed lead where it was pressed into the bullet. If it is, you can use FMJ data. Just start at the bottom and work up to prevent unwanted surprises. This is easy to do. I usually load just six rounds, one each at max-10%, -8%, -6%,-4%, -2%, and -0%. I load them carefully so the powder falls back over the flash hole of the primer, which produces maximum peak pressure and velocity in a normal load, and fire them in that order, checking each for pressure signs. If there are none, I start trying to discern which load produces the smallest groups and making adjustments as I identify the need for them. If I find a serious pressure sign, I back down 5%.

Some cup and core FMJ bases are formed by different tooling and, therefore, have somewhat different appearances. These are 30 cal, but the open base is apparent in all as will be the case with 22 cal FMJs.

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New loads

UncleMike

I load them carefully so the powder falls back over the flash hole of the primer.

Can you clarify this statement? I though all powder did this.
 
New loading

Uncle Nick

So my other question is the company I bought said bullets said find a chart somewhat comparable to what I have and they listed a few manufactures.

So is that appropriate to do?

So I found a table for a 55 grain Sierra spa that has the H335 powder i have saying min and max load.
The minimum starting at 23.0 grains and the max at 26.0

I have weighed several of the bullets i bought and most are at 55 grains +/- .2

Would that be an appropriate load data table for the generic bullets i bought?
If not could you recommend one to start on?
 
You'll need to get into further detail on this as you gain experience, but for a start, follow Uncle Nick's advice to begin at 23.0 gr. He suggested 10% from max, which would be 23.4gr, so 23.0 is even safer. You'll need to seat those bullets so use the overall length listed in the table that you have. You'll be measuring from the base of the case to the tip of the bullet. Load 3 to 5 and increase as directed by UNick until you reach max of 26.0gr.
Watch for pressure signs between rounds. If you see any or think you see any, don't shoot those rounds that contain a higher load.
Once you feel comfortable with this, you'll get into procedures that let you discover how each bullet, even of the same weight but different manufacturer, fits in YOUR gun without being pushed against the lands which would raise pressure.
I would recommend that you search for a copy of a book by John Wooters; I started with his book over 40 years ago and it answered all the questions that I had.
 
JLC1073 said:
I load them carefully so the powder falls back over the flash hole of the primer.

Can you clarify this statement? I though all powder did this.
Click to expand...

If you have a load that does not completely fill the space under the bullet with powder, you have some empty space inside. So, if you are flat-firing (shooting over horizontal ground rather than firing up or down a slope) and you tilt the loaded gun's muzzle down and then bring it up to level to take the shot, the powder will fall first forward and that empty space will be between the primer flash hole and the bottom of the powder charge and will not shift fully back when you bring the gun level. This lowers the peak pressure and velocity when you fire it. On the other hand, if you tilt the loaded gun's muzzle up and then carefully lower it to level so the powder first falls over the flash hole and then tends to stay there when you fire, you will get higher pressure and velocity, making that position the worst case for high pressure. For that reason, you want to test loads for pressure with the powder back over the flash hole. SAAMI standards have ballistic technicians handle and load rounds so the powder is back over the flash hole at firing for this reason.


JLC1073 said:
So I found a table for a 55 grain Sierra spa that has the H335 powder i have saying min and max load.
The minimum starting at 23.0 grains and the max at 26.0

I have weighed several of the bullets i bought and most are at 55 grains +/- .2

Would that be an appropriate load data table for the generic bullets i bought?
If not could you recommend one to start on?
Click to expand...

Since I don't know what your bullets look like, that would be a shot in the dark. Sierra makes several 55-grain bullets. The SPT, at 0.690" long, is the shortest and will take up the least powder space for a given finished cartridge overall length (COL). The Tipped MatchKing is the longest, at 0.897", and will use up more powder space, so I would expect higher pressure from it with a given load and assuming the same COL.

Can you post a photo of your bullets, showing both ends (one bullet pointing toward the camera and one pointing away from it)? Can you measure the length and report it? Can you see if a magnet is attracted to the bullets, which would reveal either your jacket is plated steel or that you have a penetrator in the bullet.
 
Everglades Ammo 223 55gr FMJ Version 4 Bullets Seconds These second run bullets have slightly more dimensional and weight variation than the original regular Version 4 but are fine for general shooting.
223 55gr FMJ Bullets for loading 223 or 5.56 brass. New bullets.

22 Caliber (224 Diameter) 55 Grain Full Metal Jacket Boat Tail with Cannelure. Great for general target shooting and plinking.

These are Second Run bullets from the manufacturer.
While they don't meet the same standards of the regular Version 4 bullets,
they are still well made and perfectly suited for reloading.

***PLEASE NOTE - These are reloading bullets, not loaded ammunition.

Made in the USA.
Click to expand...
LINK

First, I would weigh a bunch of these bullets to figure out what “more weight variation than normal” is. Heavy bullets at max charge can add to pressure. That said, they would have to vary by 5gr to sweat it from a safety perspective.

The max on a powder jug is very generic data. You need better data. Yes, you can generally group bullets by weight and construction. To discuss what max means, we need to think about how guns fail.

Guns generally are evaluated in some kind of a fatigue scenario. This means that a gun can accept much more pressure from a single pressure event vs continued use of over pressure loads.

When you see blown up guns, this is not a slight overload, powder measure off, etc. It is a long life failure(fatigue limit), bore obstruction, wrong class of powder, component degedation, etc situation. That said, if you make a habit of loading over book max, your gun will fail at a much lower round count with much more sensitivity to primer changes, bore dirty, crappy brass, etc.

So from a safety perspective, the +/- 0.3gr that almost every powder system can do is fine. If we’re talking 25 auto, 32 auto, etc, maybe we need to use a fine powder to get back to +/-0.1gr. You do need to check your system regularly. A system can clog or get static causing wild variations. You need to make sure that is not happening.

Another thing not clear in most reloading instruction is the importance of OAL on pressure. OAL can greatly affect pressure both in distance from touching the bore and in seated length. While different, they cause the same thing. Shrinking the burn chamber size or slowing its rate of expansion both cause pressure spikes which can be sizeable. So you have to set the OAL to be safe and functional. Some semi-autos are oal sensitive when feeding. You also need to hold that position through the rounds handling by you, the mag, the feed cycle, and previous firings/recoil.
 
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