Reloading 5.56 and .223 cases

[rlewpolar]

Just getting started reloading rifle cases so I'm a newbie at the rifle game. Fair amount of experience with pistol reloading so not starting completely from square one [emoji6]

I have a big box of 5.56 and .223 cases that are mixed together. I resized them, polished them and they are ready for next steps.

Question: do I need to treat the 5.56 cases any differently than the .223 cases from here on in?

I understand the outer dimensions of the cases are the same but the inner dimensions of the 5.56 are smaller due to the thicker brass. Do I have that right? And does that mean there will be higher pressures in the 5.56 cases than in the .223 cases with the same amount of powder, bullet, seating depth, etc.?

Assuming I load at the minimum charge for a given bullet and powder for the .223, will I be ok loading this same amount of powder in the 5.56 case?

Finally, most of my 5.56 cases are Lake City M855. Will they have a primer pocket crimp and how do I deal with this? Will I have problems when it comes time to seat the primers?

Thanks for the help.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[seabee1]

Just getting started reloading rifle cases so I'm a newbie at the rifle game. Fair amount of experience with pistol reloading so not starting completely from square one [emoji6]

I have a big box of 5.56 and .223 cases that are mixed together. I resized them, polished them and they are ready for next steps.

Question: do I need to treat the 5.56 cases any differently than the .223 cases from here on in?

I understand the outer dimensions of the cases are the same but the inner dimensions of the 5.56 are smaller due to the thicker brass. Do I have that right? And does that mean there will be higher pressures in the 5.56 cases than in the .223 cases with the same amount of powder, bullet, seating depth, etc.?

Assuming I load at the minimum charge for a given bullet and powder for the .223, will I be ok loading this same amount of powder in the 5.56 case?

Finally, most of my 5.56 cases are Lake City M855. Will they have a primer pocket crimp and how do I deal with this? Will I have problems when it comes time to seat the primers?

Thanks for the help.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For the primer pocket, get ya one of these http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/235...allic+Reloadin

[rlewpolar]

Excellent, thanks for the recommendation. Just ordered


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[highpower790]

Any differences will be small unless you load hot.Stay in the middle of the load spectrum and you'll be fine.

[Foebia]

Treat them the same. For reloading just forget all about 5.56 and use 223 recipes. The projectiles are standard .224 55 grain IIRC. Size them up and reload. You going to do an extra step with the primper pocket. They have tools to help the process. I gave up reloading 223, I didn't have the patience.
Buy the special CCI primers for AR also, forget what they are called.

[Paseclipse]

I'll add, loading rifle rounds requires a lot more checks to keep things safe.

Make sure to run them through case gages after sizing- http://www.midwayusa.com/product/456...-223-remington

Check the primer pockets with a go/no-go gage and the neck tension with a gage- https://ballistictools.com/store/exc...hree-gage-pack

Last thing, check for incipient case head separation using a paper clip- http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/...spot-problems/

This should help keep your reloads safe.

[Divernhunter]

I have the RCBS one mentioned above.
I also have a lee and Lyman hand cutter.
I also have a Lyman prep center and use it to chamfer cases. Sometimes when I only have a free primer pockets to do I also use it for that.

The best one I have is a Dillon Super Swager and it beats all the others big time. Well worth every cent it costs.

[Eat Dirt]

Tagged

[rlewpolar]

I'll add, loading rifle rounds requires a lot more checks to keep things safe.



Make sure to run them through case gages after sizing- http://www.midwayusa.com/product/456...-223-remington



Check the primer pockets with a go/no-go gage and the neck tension with a gage- https://ballistictools.com/store/exc...hree-gage-pack



Last thing, check for incipient case head separation using a paper clip- http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/...spot-problems/



This should help keep your reloads safe.

Thanks, good tips. Going to order these gauges as well [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[M1NM]

People overthink the .223/5.56 differences thing far too much. Don't even bother seperating the brass. The military stuff will have crimped primers. Just run them all through a primer pocket swager and be done with it. 223/556 also only needs to be trimmed every 5-10 loadings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHJVy4NnfRE

[milotrain]

I don't use primer pocked gauges, if a primer slips in it's too loose, if it has to be pressed it's fine. Primers are all different sizes anyway so it's a bit academic.

I've never had a commercial case gauge that was helpful in relation to 5.56 and .223. I guess if you are taking range brass from unknown sources and sizing it to saami spec then a case gauge is exactly what you need but otherwise it will just be telling you to oversize your brass.

[ironhorse1]

I have read the 5.56mm vs .223 debate for decades. I have weighed and measured both types of cases and sometimes it is the .223 cases which weigh more than the 5.56mm cases.

I have loaded both types with the same exact load with out any problems.

I have never achieved the velocities of 5.56mm ammo with any reload using published data.

I do wonder sometimes in the case of a company like PMC which loads both 5.56 mm and .223 if the same machines and loads are used for both.

I did try some 1980's vintage PMC 5.56m in a .223 Winchester model 70.

Nothing bad happened, the case looked normal and the bullets hit high and right an indicator of velocity higher than my reloads.

irh

[huckberry668]

If you're loading to 'plink' then cases don't matter besides the case prep. Trimming is important if you're shooting out of 223 chambers. I use a $6 steel countersink chuck up on a drill the remove the primer pocket crimp for cheap.

If you're loading or shooting for groups or accuracy, separate them by headstamps. Or separate them at the range.

[ar15robert]

If you're loading to 'plink' then cases don't matter besides the case prep. Trimming is important if you're shooting out of 223 chambers. I use a $6 steel countersink chuck up on a drill the remove the primer pocket crimp for cheap.

If you're loading or shooting for groups or accuracy, separate them by headstamps. Or separate them at the range.

I also use a counter sink tool on a drill.Been doing it like this for years doesnt take much for me just a quick pul of the drill trigger and its done.

[BrotherBee]

With LC (Lake City) Brass just be careful with max loads. The case volume can be 1-2 gr less and can result in a fairly hot load. I just normally work up to within 1 gr of max recommended load and fire for effect. LC & WC brass is all crimped unless previously processed and swagged. I load about 400 5.56/223 rounds a month.