5.56 Nato recipe

[STRAUK]

Would anyone like to share their favorite 5.56X45 NATO reloading recipe?

[Ivan the Butcher]

Originally Posted by STRAUK

Would anyone like to share their favorite 5.56X45 NATO reloading recipe?

Where have you been the last 8 years? The search function will yield you the info you seek.

I like the old 55 grain Winchester FMJBT w/C over 26.6 of WW748 (the similar Hornady bullet just won't shoot that well in any of my guns!), and using a CCI Small Rifle Mag primer. In my 1996 AR-15 this is 1/4 to 1/2 MOA. In my good bolt gun 1/8 to 1/4 MOA. Both guns scoped with Leopold Veri-X III 6.5-20 40mm objective. (out of a Ruger Mini-14 series 180 it was at best 2" like everything else!) Seat this bullet to the Cannalure and heavy roll crimp.

I never found a hunting load using "Varmint" bullets that shot that well in every gun I tried it in! However H-322 and 50 grain Sierra Blitzkings do even better in my bolt gun, a 1999 Cooper 21, seat bullet out to the lands!

Sierra's loading manual has a separate section for 223/5.56 loading for use in AR-15's, this is the must have manual! (I prefer the accuracy loads over the faster hunting loads!)

Ivan

[STRAUK]

Thanks for the tip. I'm relatively new to reloading 5.56. Seems it is much easier to find 223 loads, so thus the question. I appreciate your input.

[WR Moore]

I was never fond of 748 with the 55 gr bullet in the .223/5.56 due largely to the amount used. What I started out with was IMR4198, but I found H4198 to be finer grained, metered better and produced smaller standard deviations. Given the prices at that time, both were more economical than many other powders.

I also found the taper crimp to be less of a hassle than the roll crimp and yes, a crimp of some type is a very good idea with self loading firearms.

[The Norseman]

Welcome to the best S&W Forum. Accept no Substitute.

Please use the Search Function. There is a wealth of information
there.

I suggest the common 55gr bullet, IMR 4198 powder, plinking
cases Military or Civilian cases for accuracy, and use the Lee
Factory Crimp Die (FCD).

The best to you and your endeavors.

[WR Moore]

Originally Posted by STRAUK

Thanks for the tip. I'm relatively new to reloading 5.56. Seems it is much easier to find 223 loads, so thus the question. I appreciate your input.

Just noticed this. Don't beat yourself up about the differences between the two. Most of the load data you'll find for 5.56 x 45 mm will be with target weight bullets 68 or so grains weight and up. In garden variety 55 gr loads, the difference would only be 100-150 or so feet per second, not worth worrying about. Your rifle won't notice the difference, neither will you or any non-paper target. If you just gotta go there, the Hornady manual has 5.56 mm level loads for their 55 gr GMX and 60 gr ballistic tip bullets too.

[zeke]

Originally Posted by Ivan the Butcher

Where have you been the last 8 years? The search function will yield you the info you seek.

I like the old 55 grain Winchester FMJBT w/C over 26.6 of WW748 (the similar Hornady bullet just won't shoot that well in any of my guns!), and using a CCI Small Rifle Mag primer. In my 1996 AR-15 this is 1/4 to 1/2 MOA. In my good bolt gun 1/8 to 1/4 MOA. Both guns scoped with Leopold Veri-X III 6.5-20 40mm objective. (out of a Ruger Mini-14 series 180 it was at best 2" like everything else!) Seat this bullet to the Cannalure and heavy roll crimp.

I never found a hunting load using "Varmint" bullets that shot that well in every gun I tried it in! However H-322 and 50 grain Sierra Blitzkings do even better in my bolt gun, a 1999 Cooper 21, seat bullet out to the lands!

Sierra's loading manual has a separate section for 223/5.56 loading for use in AR-15's, this is the must have manual! (I prefer the accuracy loads over the faster hunting loads!)

Ivan

Another fan of 748 with mag primer for 55 fmj. Set powder measure and check once in awhile.

[HorizontalMike]

Originally Posted by Ivan the Butcher

Where have you been the last 8 years? The search function will yield you the info you seek.
...[snip]...

I never found a hunting load using "Varmint" bullets that shot that well in every gun I tried it in! However H-322 and 50 grain Sierra Blitzkings do even better in my bolt gun, a 1999 Cooper 21, seat bullet out to the lands!

Sierra's loading manual has a separate section for 223/5.56 loading for use in AR-15's, this is the must have manual! (I prefer the accuracy loads over the faster hunting loads!)
Ivan

Bingo!
I use H-322 and 53gr Match Kings in my bolt action 1953 Remington #722 in .222 and just love it. Got way over optimistic when I started reloading this caliber and bought 16lb of H-322 and ~5k Sierra MK's. Long story made short... ...bought my first .223/5.56 AR-15 since I already have/had all the bullets & powder out the kazoo

Only thing I added during the quarantine was .223/5.56 brass, and that was not so over-priced compared to all the other ammo components.

All this worked out so well that I added another AR. Now I have two AR's, a Red-Dot AR PLUS a 1x6 scoped AR. And my one owner #722 has a K-10x Weaver on it (daddy bought it when I was 6-months old)!

Once I started reloading .223/5.56 I had to switch to trickle-charging with a RCBS 505 balance beam.

To tell the truth, when loading for my .222 I got away with using a Lee Adjustable Charge Bar. This load max'd out the adjustable charge bar, but it consistently gave me better-than +- 0.1gr accuracy... with +22.0gr of H-322. That equals accuracy at less than 0.45% for each 1/10th grain of powder. FWIW, +24.gr loads for the .223/5.56 forced me to move to trickle-charging, but that adds to the fun as long as you like the act of reloading.


Can you say "I'm in shooting heaven" ?

[Moe Mentum]

25.5 grains of WC846 under a 55 gr projectile.

[Scharfschuetzer]

Originally Posted by STRAUK

Would anyone like to share their favorite 5.56X45 NATO reloading recipe?

To duplicate the NATO loading of the 5.56X45, you need to use a 62 or 63 grain spitzer boat tail bullet. The 55 grain bullets duplicate the US Military's M193 load used in Vietnam that is now considered obsolete for military use, but that bullet weight remains a great choice for sporting use on paper, varmints and vermin.

A few years ago, Hornady made a 62 grain HPSBT match bullet that made it easy to duplicate the 5.56mm NATO load, although without the semi-armor piercing capabilities of the green tip bullet. I don't know if the bullet is still available, but it has proven to be sub MOA in my 223/5.56 rifles and is quite useful out to 600 yards.

I've used Winchester/Olin 748 powder in the 223/5.56 rounds for almost 50 years without complaint with the 52, 55, 63 and 69 grain bullets. Hodgdon's H335 powder is also a good choice. Both powders measure accurately and roughly simulate the powder used by the US Military and provide good ballistic uniformity and accuracy.

[gregintenn]

The latest edition of Hornady's reloading manual has 556 data separate from 223 data.

[ArchAngelCD]

I like H335 in my .223/5.56mm ammo.

I load:
55gr FMJ bullet
26.0 gr H335
CCI-41 primer
2.260" OAL

62gr bullet
25.0gr H335
CCI-41 primer
2.250" OAL

If the CCI-41 primers are not available you can use the Rem 7 1/2 primer or even the CCI-450 primers in it's place.

****REMEMBER****
Mistakes in writing data can and will happen so always check the data for yourself.

I hope this helps you...

[DWalt]

I don't even have an AR, but, as someone already mentioned, the best performing loads in my Savage bolt action rifle use 50 grain bullets and 22 grains of IMR 4198. The AR was originally designed around using a stick propellant very similar to 4198, but the Army changed to using ball powder as it could be factory-loaded faster. History shows that didn't work out so well. Many bench rest .223 shooters prefer (or used to prefer) 4198. They had a saying to the effect of that if you couldn't get your BR rifle to shoot well after load development with 4198, you should find another rifle.

[Mike, SC Hunter]

556/223. I load both with 26 grs of WW#746 behind a 55 gr FMJ. Shoot "em" in all rifles. 25 years nary a problem.

[AlHunt]

Of course, you'll work up your own load in your guns, but for me it's 24.8 of W748, a CCI 41 primer, a Lee 55 grain cast C225-55-RF bullet (gas checked and powder coated) and mixed 223/5.56 brass.