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aklaunch
25 October 2013, 10:36
I just loaded a bunch of these as per the Sierra reloading manual. Started at minimum and worked up to just under max and am quite happy.

I used twice fired LC 2008 brass, Remmington 7.5 primers and 26.2 grains of Winchester 748.

Three groups of 10 where fired. 2 where 1.3 MOA and 1 was 1.7 MOA.

The groups where that big because flyers where included.

The thing i like about the 55 grain Game Kings are that i can get my C.O.A.L. within .005

With the 69 grain SMK's i feel lucky to get the C.O.A.L within 10 thousandths.


Does anybody here have any secrets to bullet seating to tighter tolerances?

I use an RCBS rockchucker press and the the regular 223 dies.

Seems i get a good run on the 69 grain bullets and then get a few that are way over and way under, then back to normal again....

I am guessing this is due to the bullet ogive and not the reloading equipment?

aklaunch
31 October 2013, 13:55
And the new guy just learned about Redding and Forster competition seating dies designed for lower drag bullets.

Computalotapus
31 October 2013, 16:43
I want to reload just gotta start getting the equipment

aklaunch
31 October 2013, 22:00
It is a vast hobby.

Was very overwhelming at first.

Jerry R
1 November 2013, 11:42
I have stayed with 62 or 55 grain projectiles for the 5.56 because of bullet length. I use a RCBS Small Base Sizing die (assorted rifles, including a Remington Bolt rifle) a Redding Competition Seating Die (I use a Hornady OAL Gauge (was Stoney Point when I bought it) to seat .005 off the lands of the bolt rifle - fits all AR Magazines too) I also use an RCBS Precision Micrometer Bullet Seating gauge, and a Lee Factory Crimp Die. For the 55 grainers I use 25.9 grains of W748 with CCI Small Rifle Primers to get 3,071.4 FPS out of a 24" bolt gun, 2,874.0 out of a 16" DI AR (Colt 6920) and 2,504.8 out of a 10.5" Piston AR (LWRC M6A2). These are "utility" loads for use in any of my rifles.

For Prairie Dogs (or other thin-skinned varmints) I use a 55 grain moly-coated Hornady V-Max over 27.6 grains of W748 and CCI Benchrest Primers with no crimp - all rounds chambered singly. This load averages 3,369.8 out of the 24" Remington 700 Varmint barrel. This is a very warm load with slight primer flattening, but no swipes or smudges. The (non-military) cases receive a full prep - trimmed, deburred, chamfered, primer pocket depth uniformed, and flash-hole uniformed. I really lucked out on the Remington - an RCBS Chamber Gauge says the chamber is only .001 over minimum (chamber cutting tool must have been almost worn out) - very tight - and turned out to be very accurate.

I use a Dillon RL-550B these days, but still have a Pacific single-stage that I teach with.

Standard caveat: These are my (thoroughly tested) load developments for my firearms and should not be used by anyone else. All load development should be tuned to an individual's personal firearm starting with a loading manual's minimum powder charge recommendation.

aklaunch
3 November 2013, 21:47
Great tips Jerry, thanks!

I have not tried much of the equipment listed above. I am working on learning more about how it works.

At this time i am considering getting out of the small base die set and getting into regular base dies with the Redding S type bushing dies and the Forster competition seating die.

Brownells has a 3 piece Redding die set that i am looking into right now.

The thing that is so attractive about the competition bullet seating dies are how much they minimize runout.

The more i learn about this hobby the more i learn there is more to learn.