Getting ready for first re-loads: .223

Hey guys, I'm getting ready to load my first rounds. Cases are prepped. I'm using Winchester small rifle primers, Varget and a variety of projectiles. I have a box of 55grn FMJ BT, a box of Sierra match 69grn HPBT and a box of Nosler 77grn HPBT. I think I am going to start by loading the generic FMJ's first for practice. Start load is 23.5 with a max of 25.1. Does this sounds like a safe, starting point.

I've read the tutorials and think I'm ready to go. Anything wrong with this load? I'm not finding much direct data for Varget with a FMJ 55grn.

Varget will work with 55 grain bullets, but it's better suited to the heavier projectiles.

It's burn rate is on the slow end for .223 and that's why most people use it for the heavier bullets.

As RRR said above, save the Varget for your heavier projectiles. Get a pound of H335 for the 55 FMJBTs and enjoy your new hobby!

I use 24.5 grains of Varget with 69 grain SMK's. You can go up to 25.0 with them.
I use 23.5 to 24.0 grains with 77 grain SMK's. I consider 24.0 to be absolute maximum with them.

55 grain bullets can take just about all the Varget you can fit in a case. I'd start at 25.0 and go up from there.

Thanks guys. I have 8 pounds of Varget on hand. I'm going to give it a try with the 55 FMJ's for the first batch, then I'll try something else. I don't forsee loading that many of those rounds. I'll probably buy factory rounds, then use the brass for my heavier reloads.

Again, thanks. I love this site.

What kinda powder mesure are u using? Varget mesures poorly in a standard powder drop and you'll get frustrated quick trying to get a cosistent load. For fast bulk loading i use h335 as it measures accuratly in a regular uniflow

I have a uniflow and could see where the Varget ccould cause problems. I just got finished with my first 50 rounds. I checked the powder measure every 5-10 rounds. It stayed pretty consistent. Maybe not quite where I'll want it to be for match-type rounds, but within a few tenths of a grain at worst. I'm going to try the rounds out tomorrow to see how they turned out.

Also, out of curiosity, what are you guys doing with a crimp. These rounds are for a AR. Should I go back and crimp, or am I better off without. These FMJ's do have a cannelure. My other rounds do not. I've heard people go both ways with a general consesus toward no crimp for acccuracy. What do you guys think?

I crimp my .223 rounds for my semi-auto rifles with a Lee Factory crimp die.

I don't bother crimping .223 rounds for my 14" T/C.

I always crimp. The last batch of 77 SMKs I loaded with RE15 had an extreme spread of 11 FPS. Which isn't bad for loads made on a progressive press. I use Dillon dies.

Are you crimping the SMKs too?

Yes. Not a heavy crimp. Nothing like the Lee FCD. Just enough to take the the very slight bevel out from my "M" die.

Are you using a Lee FCD?

No, just the standard Dillon crimp die.

So, I added a crimp with the Lee FCD. They instruct a 1/2 turn for the crimp, but that seemed excessive. I ended up doing a 1/3 turn for the crimp. We'll see how it goes in the morning. Once I load some decent rounds I'll try with and without a crimp and see if there is an accuracy difference.

If you are measuring Varget through your Uniflo + or _ .2 grs you are doing very well with your technique. And those will shoot fine.

i too use the Lee FCD. if you don't want a heavy crimp you can just "kiss" the case mouth with the FCD.

set up the die to make a medium crimp on trimmed to spec brass, and from there on out when you pull the lever to crimp don't bottom the ram out. just pull the lever till you feel some tension and give it a bit more pull and it will give you a light crimp. this method works well on untrimmed brass where case lengths are inconsistent too

All of the rounds went bang. I'm pretty satisfied with the first run. I think I'll do some SMK's for my next loads. I'll probably weigh all of the powder by hand for those. All in all my loads grouped better than the BVAC FMJ's that I compared them to. The 25.5 grain was a bit mellow compared to the BVAC. POI was about an inch low at 50 yards, but the group was much more concentrated. I'm totally satisfied. Picked up about 300 more rounds of brass to get my next batch started.

The addiction has started.

Welcome to the reloader club.

don't forget making it for CHEAPER too

You have fallen to the dark side. It's a bad addiction.(reloading) not crack. I use Varget 25.3grains with Hornady 68gr BTHP and get about 2775 FPS. This is using a Rock River arms 16" 1*9 twist. I'm loading them to 5.56 pressures with Lake City brass only. I would recommend buying a Lee perfect powder measure(under $25), it works great with Varget and it very consistent. I was using the hornady standard powder measure before and it was very inconsistent with Varget, great on pistol powder though. I check the weight at the beginning and maybe after 25rds or so. I really like CCI #41 primers for 5.56. I crimp all of my auto loading ammo because i'm scared of a round being pushed in and causing excessive pressure.

According to the Hornady manual 8th edition it shows:
55 grain BT-FMJ w/c
Varget
22.8gr 2800 FPS
23.7gr 2900 FPS
24.6gr 2900 FPS
25.5gr 3000 FPS
26.4gr 3100 FPS

Welcome to the club. Message me if you have questions.

Thanks again guys!

Helping a new reloader through his first fired rounds is one of the things we do here in this forum.

Varget is a hard powder to over charge. 223 cases with. It was what I started reloading with. 1:9 twist with SS109 bullets were grouping identically to M193 with a 26 gr charge. Recently I moved over to IMR 4895, 23.5 gr is what is having similar grouping (and ballistic) properties to the varget. Not crushing as much powder when loading up tracers now. Oh yea, tracers and varget (haven't gotten 4895 loads down range yet) light about 20-30 yd out where M856 lights around 60 yd.

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