5.56mm NATO reloading dies

[IrishJoe3]

I was unable to locate any other threads on this topic....

I've reloaded before, (pistol ammunition), and I would like to get into rifle ammo for my 5.56mm AR15, and I had a couple questions.

First, will a .223 die work for a 5.56 chambered rifle...(such as Lee Pacesetter dies in .223 Rem).

If that won't work or isn't the best, where could I purchase a good set of dies.

I'm also looking for a good place to purchase FLJ bullets in 55gr + (my rifle is 1/7 twist). Any suggestions?

Thanks,

IJ

[bohoki]

yes the external dimensions of a resized case are equivalent

[radio2]

55 FMJBT

http://www.berrysmfg.com/product.aspx?i=14687&c=50&pp=8&sb=0&p=0

[arfan66]

I was unable to locate any other threads on this topic....

I've reloaded before, (pistol ammunition), and I would like to get into rifle ammo for my 5.56mm AR15, and I had a couple questions.

First, will a .223 die work for a 5.56 chambered rifle...(such as Lee Pacesetter dies in .223 Rem). I use Lee .223 dies and they work just fine.

If that won't work or isn't the best, where could I purchase a good set of dies.

I'm also looking for a good place to purchase FLJ bullets in 55gr + (my rifle is 1/7 twist). Any suggestions? Try here :http://www.berrysmfg.com/product.asp...&pp=8&sb=0&p=0
Thanks,

IJ

Good Luck!

Jeff

[joelogic]

55 FMJBT
http://www.berrysmfg.com/product.asp...&pp=8&sb=0&p=0

3-4 weeks. Try grafs free shipping. Just google .224 55gr fmj. There are plenty of places. Shoot for less than $90 per thousand.

[IrishJoe3]

Great! Thanks guys for the responses....

[cassius]

Take a look around the leading reloading products manufacturers, see if you can find a 5.56 die set. What you'll find (instead or only) is .223 Remington.
IIRC the SAAMI spec for the external dimensions of the cartridges is identical.
The differences come in the internal dimensions / thicknesses of the NATO brass vs commercial, and in the cutting of the chambers and particularly the throat.

[jwest]

5.56mm has crimp in primer area too, correct?

[ar15barrels]

Take a look around the leading reloading products manufacturers, see if you can find a 5.56 die set. What you'll find (instead or only) is .223 Remington.
IIRC the SAAMI spec for the external dimensions of the cartridges is identical.
The differences come in the internal dimensions / thicknesses of the NATO brass vs commercial, and in the cutting of the chambers and particularly the throat.

In 223/5.56, the military cases are no thicker than the commercial cases.
In 308/7.62x51, the military cases ARE thicker though.

[ar15barrels]

5.56mm has crimp in primer area too, correct?

proper mil-spec 5.56 ammo will have primers crimped in to the cases.

[jacques]

In 223/5.56, the military cases are no thicker than the commercial cases.
In 308/7.62x51, the military cases ARE thicker though.

I am just about done sorting some 6-7k rounds of various .223/5.56 brass. There is a distinct difference in the sounds these cases make when clinking against each other. The .223 seems much less dense than the 5.56 crimpped military brass. Even the Berdan primed cases sound different. The weight of the cases also seems to vary a quite a bit between the two.

Why is that if they are all dimmensionally the same inside and out?

[m1match]

Difference in sound doesn't mean anything- you need to weigh them. Lighter cases mean the case head is thicker. Dimensionally, they're the same on the outside, but a lighter case means less brass, which also means more case capacity.

[ar15barrels]

I am just about done sorting some 6-7k rounds of various .223/5.56 brass. There is a distinct difference in the sounds these cases make when clinking against each other. The .223 seems much less dense than the 5.56 crimpped military brass. Even the Berdan primed cases sound different. The weight of the cases also seems to vary a quite a bit between the two.

Why is that if they are all dimmensionally the same inside and out?

Different hardness makes different sounds.
Have you seen my 223 brass weights comparison?

http://www.ar15barrels.com/data/223weights.xls

[jacques]

Different hardness makes different sounds.
Have you seen my 223 brass weights comparison?

http://www.ar15barrels.com/data/223weights.xls

OK, I see. The weights can vary a little, depending on the mix of zinc-copper-(and what ever other alloy they may be adding), this would change the feel also, but dimensions are the same.

[cassius]

somewhere I've seen a photo composition of a collection of .223 cases cut in half lengthwise, showing some differences in thickness in the web area. It was part of a writeup on resizing and case head separations.
But the variations could have been nothing but brand / differences in manufacturing operations and not a deliberate intentional difference between milspec and commercial brass. Wasn't even clear if they weighed the same.