Load Data for a compromise round for 223 REM & 5.56

[bigedp51]

2 hours ago, Steve RA said:

I use 25.5 H-335 with 55gr Hornady soft point at 2.252 OAL.  That puts the base of bullet at juncture of neck and shoulder and the cannelure out by about .088.  Just fits in magazine without dragging.  This in LC cases with Tula SRM primers.

If you load long you should check if interference with rifling by coating bullet with a magic marker, chamber and check for marks on bullet by rifling

And 25.3 grains of H335 and a 55 grain bullet is a MAX LOAD for a .223 at the Hodgdons site.

I hope the OP is not planning to load for his buddy with mixed .223/5.56 chambers.

I'm lucky my AR15 throats are .0500 and my Savage bolt action has a throat length of .0566. Newer .223 rifles must be able to fit the cartridge and the company lawyer in the chamber at the same time.

 

HOLLIGER ON .223/5.56 CHAMBERS

http://www.radomski.us/njhp/cart_tech.htm

[armydad]

Thanks guys. I appreciate all the feedback. I'll report back when he makes a decision. I have a feeling it will be either a new barrel or getting the throat lengthened.

[dauntedfuture]

Ok... getting back on topic, I don't think that the issue has been properly identified "the rifle chambered in 223 REM fails to eject the casing after 2-3 rounds and it is really stuck."  A failure to eject is when the spent case is still in the upper and fails to come all the way out.  A failure to extract is when the case is stuck in the chamber. 

I don't see information on the make and model of the rifle.  I suspect that the chamber is too tight for either .223 or 5.56mm.  Don't get wrapped up in .223 vs 5.56mm.  If this was a bargain gun show special rifle, im even more inclined to say its the chamber.

[Absocold]

I wouldn't worry about function issues just yet since the rifle is being fed the wrong ammunition. The answer has been stated repeatedly and it's a cheap and very easy fix: use .223 ammo in both rifles.

 

If there's problems after that, then you can start diagnosing issues.

[armydad]

Thank you


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[postalpainmaker]

I wouldn't worry about function issues just yet since the rifle is being fed the wrong ammunition. The answer has been stated repeatedly and it's a cheap and very easy fix: use .223 ammo in both rifles.

 

If there's problems after that, then you can start diagnosing issues.

Indeed


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[rustybayonet]

On Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 10:47 AM, Beef15 said:

I usually stay in the .223Rem realm, 

+1

I only have my colt sp1 that is marked .223 my other two are 5.56, but I have been shooting 5.56 surplus in the sp1 since I got it in the 1980's. Never had a problem. When I reload, I stay with .223 specs.

[Teague]

On 12/10/2016 at 9:51 PM, bigedp51 said:

 

I do not have an attitude, I'm posting actual military information and documents. When you pressure test M855 ammunition in a military M16 chamber it is 55,000 psi using American SAAMI pressure taking standards. And if you fire the military M855 round in a short throated .223 chamber the pressure will be approximately 6,000 psi higher.

The same can happen if you work up a load in your rifle .020 off the lands and then seat the bullet jammed into the rifling and get a pressure spike.

The only difference between the 5.56 and the .223 is throat length and not all .223 rifles have the shorter throats.

If the OP wants to fix his problem and be able to fire any ammo then have a gunsmith lengthen the throat.

I understand this is an old thread, but your logic is flawed. One could come to this conclusion simply by looking at load data. If pressures between 223 Remington and 556 NATO ammunition were in fact the same, there'd be no issue firing NATO spec ammo in a 223 Remington chamber. But that's simply not the case. NATO Chambers have longer throats to accommodate higher pressure ammunition. Just look at load data for each using same powder and bullet weight. The NATO load data starts off somewhere near max for 223 Remington. 

[Steve RA]

Get a barrel with Wylde chamber, that is what I use and you can shoot .223 or 5.56 without any problems.