.223 Rem 75GR HPBT Reloads

FWIW...

The following formula appears to show promise, and hasn't yet blown up my rifle:

75gr Hornady BTHP
23.6gr TAC (max load, according to Ramshot)
COL 2.263" +/- ~.004" (variation caused by typical variation in projo length)
IMI once-fired brass, trimmed to min length, polished/reamed/chamfered
WSR primers (the old kind)

Was testing over a chronograph, which I shot. :lol: So, will have to try it again next time after receipt of replacement parts from the manufacturer. Will shoot for accuracy at that time. I anticipate velocity to be ~2650 fps (slightly faster than TAP FPD) in a 16" barrel.

No signs of excessive pressure were witnessed. The spent primers looked pristine; no unusual report or recoil noticed. Temp was around 63 degrees or so.

The next range trip will be switching over to the new style WSR primers, and adding a collet-type crimp. Few people would recommend WSR primers for this application, but it was what I had on hand. Will be switching over to Wolf SRM's after a few more range trips.

Rifle: Sig 556
Barrel: 16”
Twist: 1 in 7
Bullets: Hornady 75GR HPBT Match
Primers: CCI 400
Brass: Remington .223 fired once
Powder: Hodgdon BLC-2
Grains: 24.7 (max is 25.2)
OAL: 2.250"
Full Length Resize with RCBS X-Die
Data Source: Hornaday Service Rifle 2008 Manual


Okay, I loaded up my first .223 rounds as listed above and am going to try them out tomorrow. My only question is that the Hornady 75 grain BTJHP bullets do not have a channelure and I did not crimp them.

Question is this going to be okay in a semi-auto? I'm hoping the bullets do not get pushed back down into the shell during the loading process.
Overall length is 2.250"

I also noted that my Federal XM-193 5.56mm and Prvi M855 5.56mm cases could NOT be reloaded as the primer hole is too small for the primers I'm using....apparently only .223 cases can be reloaded without reaming out the primer pockets on the mil-spec ammo.

WOW, I am extremely impressed with my very first .223 reloading project.

Here is the load:

Rifle: Sig 556
Barrel: 16”
Twist: 1 in 7
Bullets: Hornady 75GR HPBT Match
Primers: CCI 400
Brass: Remington .223 fired once
Powder: Hodgdon BLC-2
Grains: 24.7 (max is 25.2)
OAL: 2.250"
Full Length Resize with RCBS X-Die
Data Source: Hornaday Service Rifle 2008 Manual

And here is the result of the first Eleven Rounds.

Every one was super smooth and flawless, virtually no smoke whatsoever. The accuracy and power appear to be very good. Only problem encounted was recovering my spent casings out in the woods when the SIG flinged them out 15-20 feet (although none of the cases were bent or banged up and all the spent primers looked fine)

Eleven rounds from 50 yards using Eotech 512 from sitting position in about 1.5 inch diameter (I had the Eotech sight zeroed at 50 yards to be one inch high using Prvi 5.56mm 62 grain M855 steel green-tip mil-spec ammo):



Here is my reloading bench:



All in all I am very pleased and next project will be working this up as a Hog Hunting round and firing it at 100 yards through my other SIG 556 with the Burris 1-4X Extreme Tactical Scope for accuracy. 8)

Most likely I will go to 25.0 grains of BLC-2 and stick with that in the future if all is well..

LebbenB, thank you so much for helping me getting started on this, it took awhile to gather all the componets but now I am good to go for at least another 4,000 rounds or so..... :wink:

Ah Ha, reloading is great fun! 8)

I moved up to 25.0 grains of BLC-2 and it works just perfect. My 556 has never run as fine as this with any kind of ammo before.

I loaded up 250 rounds individually and rezeroed my scope for bullseye at 50 yards ( as it was shooting over two inches higher than the M-855 62 grain ammo I had previously zeroed it in with).

Now it shoots right on the money over and over again like nobody's business.

I'll try some 100 yard and 250 yard targets next weekend if the weather is good. And if a hog happens to be standing adjacent to my target, so be it, another dead zombie swine in the works!

So glad to have such an awesome hunting round dialed in and also functions as a supreme target round too! 8)

Thanks again to all for getting me going, my 556 absolutely loves these rounds.....

I just wanted to leave a comment about the new RCBS "X-Dies".

So far, I really like this rifle die.

You first deprime the cases and then clean the cases in the vibrator. Then you set the die to full-length resize each case.

Then, instead of trimming the cases to 1.750, you trim them to 1.730 and then resize them again and set the die down onto the case and keep it that way.

After doing this on my first 30 rounds, I have shot them three times and reloaded again without any further case trimming!

The reason is works is after the initial trim to standardize case lengths, the X-Die allows repeated full-length resizing without the case length exceeding the maximum ANSI specification. Routine trimming after each sizing is eliminated. A precision mandrel in the X-Die limits growth of the case without shortening it or causing metal build-up in the neck.

http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/XDieProductInstructions.pdf

I didn't know if this was going to work for me, but after loading the same cases four times now, I know it works great!