.223; CFE223 & Berry's 55gr FMJBT

[M3Stuart]

Just started reloading .223. Not finding any info on Berry's 55gr FMJBT, so thought I would add this thread.

This load works fine:

26.0gr CFE223 and the Berry's 55gr FMJBT.

The CFE223 load data on their website shows 24.7 to 27.8gr depending on the 55gr bullet (BAR TSX FB, or, SPR SP). Not sure which the Berry's bullet resembles more, but 26.0 gr is more accurate than me.

I used 2.260(ish) as OAL. CCI 400 SR primers.

If you're new to reloading .223, I've found it to be a PIA for the following reasons (vs. pistol calibers like 9mm):
1. You have to use case lube.
2. If using mixed brass, you have to ream all the primer pockets every time - or at least check them with your reamer or you'll have problems.
3. You have to measure and, most likely, trim the cases every time.
4. The case lube has to be wiped off, or you'll gum up the works.
5. Powder metering: CFE223 and H335 meter like pistol powders. All the others I've tried were problematic with my Lee gear.

I'm sure there's more issues, just can't think of them right now. Personally, I find it to be a PIA and I might just buy the stuff instead of reloading it. I just wanted to be able to reload it in case ammo dries up again for some reason.

Anyhoo, this load works.

 

[ChiefStealth]

1. Absolutely. True with many rifle cartridges.
2. Not if you separate them after you shoot them.
3. Same as 1.
4. Not in my experience. The lube wears off through handling. Maybe you use more lube than I do.
5. And Win 748, and BL-C(2), and AA2230, and a few other spherical powders. The "stick" powders don't meter well in gear from any company.

Yep. Much more work than pistol cartridges. .223/5.56 is a bit different than many other rifle cartridges. We tend to shoot 223 a lot more than other rifle cartridges. Shooting 100 rounds of 223 seems like nothing. But who shoots 100 30-06, or 45-70 in one range trip?

 

[M3Stuart]

Ok. I guess I'm using too much case lube...

Anyhoo, that CFE223 load with the Berry's 55gr bullets works for me!

 

[AtomHeartMother]

It is true if you're used to reloading pistol, rifle will seem more time intensive. Case prep eats most of my time. I really like cfe223.....meters great and I'm getting good accuracy. I run lower end loads with x-treme bullets of the same design. Getting about 1.5 moa out of my lowly m&p sport.
I don't get hung up on case length really. Anything under 1.750 I don't mess with. Same goes for primer pockets. I don't sort brass and try to eyeball those cases that look crimped on the primer pocket. I miss some on occasion, in which case I ream them quick like while reloading. Light on the case lube and I just wipe them off from the press and into the ammo box. Just guessing, I average about a hundred rounds an hour on my Lee turret. As you stated, I like the independence of loading my own 223 incase things get stupid after the election.

 

[MichiganScott]

If you're new to reloading .223, I've found it to be a PIA for the following reasons (vs. pistol calibers like 9mm):
1. You have to use case lube.
Part of the process. When I first started handloading, there were no carbide dies and even pistol brass needed lube.
2. If using mixed brass, you have to ream all the primer pockets every time - or at least check them with your reamer or you'll have problems.
Never had problems. Why would you have to ream every time? Once brass is removed, it never returns
3. You have to measure and, most likely, trim the cases every time.
Buy RCBS X-Dies. Trim once and you are set for the life of the case.
4. The case lube has to be wiped off, or you'll gum up the works.
Use RCBS Case Lube II. It's water soluble. Rinse the cases in the sink and lay them in the sun to dry.
5. Powder metering: CFE223 and H335 meter like pistol powders. All the others I've tried were problematic with my Lee gear.
Stick powders can be a problem but are necessary for the best velocity/accuracy combination in many instances.

I will say I prefer CFE223 over H335. It's more temperature stable and I find that I get higher velocity with better accuracy.

 

[ageingstudent]

Some things I do to keep .223 from getting monotonous and overwhelming...

I treat my brass prep as a whole separate operation. I sort my brass by headstamp and inspect it while listening to a radio program I like or a book on tape. I decap/trim/chamfer/swage/clean in large lots (like at least 500) at a time. I try to do most of this after work an hour or two at a time here and there. This way I always have prepped brass when I get the itch to load a bunch on weekends and it doesn't make the actual loading part hurried or tedious. I have enough prepped brass now that I can sort of just prep brass when I want to.

I don't shoot in competition or anything though, that would up the workload for sure. I usually shoot around 2-300 rounds in a month just for fun. I probably have 3-4000 cases ready to load and try to keep 500-1000 finished cartridges on the shelf. It helps to do a little at a time that way I don't get sick of it. AR's have large appetites.

 

[foxeye]

And if you turn them into 300AAC there is more steps. I get into a rythmn and in no time have a few 100 of 223 or 300BO.Keeping 3 ARs and 2 Mini 14s appetite full is just about a full yime job. On all 223 loads we use.the Berry FMJBT and they are fine. Better than Winchester bulk. For.hunting we use the Hornady JHP in 55 grains.

 

[fyimo]

I sort of take the lazy mans way by buying 1000 sized, cleaned, and primed military brass for 20 cents a round so all I have to do is drop the powder and seat the bullet.

 

[muddocktor]

Like MichiganScott, I use the RCBS Case Lube II and it's a simple cleanup. And for trimming, I use a Little Crow Gunworks WFT and after the initial trimming I find very little case growth on subsequent loadings. As for powder, I've used AA 2230, 2460 and LT-32 and they meter well. I've also used IMR 3031, which is a stick powder I bought back when it was so hard to find any powder. I had to set my measure light, then trickle to the right weight because stick just doesn't meter well enough in my Lyman 55 measure for me. All 4 of those powders have given me very good accuracy out of my Windham and my self-assembled AR, which has an Adams piston upper. For range bullets, I really like the bulk Hornady 55 grain SP w/cannelure. They give me great accuracy for cheap bullets and can be used for hunting if need be. They were just a little more expensive than the X-Treme 55 grain FMJBT bullets if I remember correctly.

 

[Nevada Ed]

There are specialty tools out there to remove the primer crimp in brass.
However I just file down a old screw driver to where it will bottom out
and remove the crimp and primer powder in one move.

I also sort my rifle brass on times fired and by make. Brass fired
more than three time goes from a hunting load to a target load.

Safe loading.