Help with my first .223 reloads

[lee84101]

Last week I received all the components needed to start reloading .223 on my Dillon XL650. I've been loading 9mm for about a year now and I'm wanting to develop a load for training with my AR-15. I loaded some test rounds and went out yesterday to record data with my chrono.

My loads were....

- Hornady 55 grain FMJ

- PMC Brass trimmed to 1.750"

- CCI Small Rifle No. 400 Primers

- CFE223 (test rounds loaded at 24.0, 24.5, 25.0, 25.5, 26.0, 26.5)

- 2.245" OAL

* shot out of 14.5" barrel

I searched the forum and web for CFE223 load data and found most used 25.0 grains - 27.0 grains so I loaded my test rounds at 24.0, 24.5, 25.0, 25.5, 26.0, 26.5. All the cases gauged correctly in my Dillon Case Gauge.

I started off shooting some Federal .223 55 Grain FMJ which had an average of 2,763 fps. and ejected towards 4:00.

I then went to my reloads and started with 24.0 grain loads which had an average of 2,381 fps, 4:00 ejection pattern and had light felt recoil.

Next was 24.5... averaged 2,414 fps., 3:00 ejection pattern and had just slightly more felt recoil than the 24.0 grain loads.

I went to 25.5 grain loads which averaged 2,551 fps, had a 2:00/1:00 ejection pattern and the recoil was strong. The ejection pattern of the brass and the felt recoil make me think there may be too much pressure but the velocity was 200 fps. lower than the Federal that I shot. I didn't try the 26.0 or 26.5 loads because of the signs of high pressure with the 25.5 loads.

I moved my chrono around a couple of times, changed my distance slightly and had the same fps results. Even if the reading wasn't exactly correct, all the results were recorded at the same time, in the same conditions and my reloads had lower velocity & more recoil than the Federal. Can anyone give me some advice on why I had signs of higher pressure and more felt recoil with my reloads that were 200 fps. lower than the Federal rounds I shot?

[RDA]

Can anyone give me some advice on why I had signs of higher pressure and more felt recoil with my reloads that were 200 fps. lower than the Federal rounds I shot?

Different powders (and different primer, bullets and brass). What did the primers look like in the rounds you shot? CCI400 are pretty soft for use in an AR-15 as well so they would show pressure signs earlier than a military grade primer.

[Vlad]

Felt recoil is not a valid unit of measure. No one knows what your shoulder feels or how good your comp is or how you hold your rifle or how much it weights.

The chrono is important, but so are your signs of pressure. What signs exactly were you seeing?

[lee84101]

Felt recoil is not a valid unit of measure. No one knows what your shoulder feels or how good your comp is or how you hold your rifle or how much it weights.

The chrono is important, but so are your signs of pressure. What signs exactly were you seeing?

I understand that nobody would understand if I had just said the ammo has strong recoil but I was comparing it to Federal factory ammo. The recoil was significantly stronger than the factory ammo. That along with the ejection pattern were the signs that I am seeing.

Can anyone give me some advice on why I had signs of higher pressure and more felt recoil with my reloads that were 200 fps. lower than the Federal rounds I shot?

Different powders (and different primer, bullets and brass). What did the primers look like in the rounds you shot? CCI400 are pretty soft for use in an AR-15 as well so they would show pressure signs earlier than a military grade primer.

Thanks for the advice. I'll look at the cases when I get home from work this afternoon and check the primers.

[Vlad]

What does the brass look like? Do you have any pictures of the brass, including the primers?

[fdbyrne79]

Powder has a lot to do with felt recoil. All other components equal, my weakest H335 loads feel a lot more harsh than my strongest BL-C(2) loads, for example.

You obviously know the rough velocity of the factory rounds but you don't really know what powder is used.

[SilentWind]

Can't answer your question just yet but i was wondering, what chrono are u using? But i agree with fdbyrne79. I normally load with h335. So who knows what was in the factory load for comparison

Do let us know if u figured it out.

Edited February 17, 2015 by SilentWind

[EC803]

I use 27gr CFE 223. I've used CCI 400 primers among others with oak 2.220. Im not home right this second to give any data but I shoot it out of my 18" competition rifle and have never had any signs of high pressure.

[dauntedfuture]

You can't use felt recoil as any kind of comparison between loads. Different powder and bullet combinations yield different recoil impulses. You are also asking yourself the wrong question .."Why is my ammo slower then federal...." What you should be asking is "Is the velocity that I am getting across my chronograph CLOSE to what the reputable loading book says it should be when I take into account the loss of velocity of a 14.5" barrel vs. the 24"-26" test barrel that was used.." If available consult .223/ 5.56 pistol load data.

You should also not search forums as the first and or final place to start when working on or up a load. You should always consult a loading book to check or verify a load. Imagine what would happen if someone fat fingered in 27g of RL10 vs RL 15 and you loaded it into a case.

What you can get from the forums is some subjective and objective information that you cant find in the books like...Lack of smoke with lead, mild perceived recoil, clean, dirty, will not cycle etc.