First Loads - 223

[pastera]

Received a care package yesterday containing 2 lbs of IMR 4895, 1lb Winchester AutoComp and 2k Tula small rifle primers

Setup the powder measure for 24.9 grains of the 4895 starting load per my load manual (Lee 2nd Ed.) and Hodgdon's site.

Threw quite a few loads before I got consistent weights (shearing powder in measure causing variations in the way I pulled the handle). Once I was getting good weights, I checked my scale by measuring a couple of different load weights from a Lee Dipper set (has a 'calculator' for weight per volume) - everything measured to +/- 0.1 grain

The powder was right up to the bottle neck - This should be correct as the load book puts the volume at 1.81cc in a 1.87cc case.

Topped off with a 40 grain Nosler ballistic tip at 2.285 COAL with no crimp (no cannelure)

Loaded 10 rounds total.

Anything I am missing?

 

[WanMan99]

Shoot 'em.
I have never reloaded the 40gr. Usually stick with 55gr and 62gr and their OAL is around 2.250

It's funny, whenever I reload with a new powder, the first shot I take at the range I hold the rifle far away from my face expecting some catastrophic failure. With handgun loads I never worried much (I am extremely careful for one thing). But rifle loads have so much more powder that even though I triple check everything I am still overly cautious when I fire that first round of a new reload batch.

 

[mac1911]

Shoot 'em.
I have never reloaded the 40gr. Usually stick with 55gr and 62gr and their OAL is around 2.250

It's funny, whenever I reload with a new powder, the first shot I take at the range I hold the rifle far away from my face expecting some catastrophic failure. With handgun loads I never worried much (I am extremely careful for one thing). But rifle loads have so much more powder that even though I triple check everything I am still overly cautious when I fire that first round of a new reload batch.

I'm a bit stunned as it seems more likely to over chatrge pistol rounds than rifle....most of my pistol loads you could double charge easily with out "seeing it" if you don't check vs standard rifle loads that will most often over flow on a double charge.
So the question is........which has more reloading "blow ups " rifle or hand gun ?
I also noticed how quickly preasure jumps in the pistol loads even with just a small change in powder and seating depth.
Be safe use known data and cross reference with several manuals, bullet.,powder manufactures.

 

[WanMan99]

I'm a bit stunned as it seems more likely to over chatrge pistol rounds than rifle....most of my pistol loads you could double charge easily with out "seeing it" if you don't check vs standard rifle loads that will most often over flow on a double charge.
So the question is........which has more reloading "blow ups " rifle or hand gun ?
I also noticed how quickly preasure jumps in the pistol loads even with just a small change in powder and seating depth.
Be safe use known data and cross reference with several manuals, bullet.,powder manufactures.

Good points, I guess I am looking at the relative amounts instead of the cartridge as a whole. 4.5gr of bullseye vs. 24gr of varget is a wide swing. I still use loading blocks for rifle and for pistol I do a quick visual as it indexes and before I put the bullet on for seating. I have seen two different rifle "incidents" at the range from reloads and one pistol from a double charge... I would say the pistol overcharge is more possible due to how much room is usually left in the cartridge from a standard powder load. When I use Varget or 4895 the case barely allows room for the bullet to be seated with a standard charge.

 

[mac1911]

I'm not much for the interior ballistics but it seems the volume of powder seems not to be the big factor but the way the powder burns or generates gases. Ex. I been useing trailboss for light 54r loads. Trailboss pretty much fills the case but from hodgdon web site even if you fill the case this powder will not come near dangerous preasure levels vs a double charge of 2400 in. The same case is dangerous! Volume wise worlds apart.
Play it safe double check and follow manufacture data....so OP how you do?

 

[pastera]

Haven't been able to make it to the range yet but feel better that no one pointed out anything that I was clearly doing wrong.

Went with the 40 grain for two reasons - that was what was in stock and I have an older (183 series) mini-14 * with a slow barrel twist (1:10)

Might just let the neighbors know it's going to get loud and test in the back yard (sometimes this causes large amounts of ammo wastage when several others show up to 'play')

* - cue the minute of barn jokes

 

[Arto]

inspect the primers on your fired cases for signs of high pressure (piercing, cratering, etc)

 

[Larry Legend]

Send me the rest of the 4895. It isn't suitable for 223 loads .

 

[mac1911]

Haven't been able to make it to the range yet but feel better that no one pointed out anything that I was clearly doing wrong.

Went with the 40 grain for two reasons - that was what was in stock and I have an older (183 series) mini-14 * with a slow barrel twist (1:10)

Might just let the neighbors know it's going to get loud and test in the back yard (sometimes this causes large amounts of ammo wastage when several others show up to 'play')

* - cue the minute of barn jokes

dont you mean minute of inside barn?