.223 loading/bullet questions

[brian24]

I am planning on buying a "Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Kit" to start. I will be loading for precision accuracy not bulk plinking. For now the two guns i'm loading for are a 26" 1/12 twist remington (55 gr vmax) and 16" 1/8 twist Lothar Walther.

1. Is this kit a good value vs. the more expensive kits from RCBS,Lyman, and Redding?

2. Do I really need to buy the more expensive dies to make high quality loads?

3. for the LW 16" gun, which bullet would you recommend and why? (paper punching, varmits, and zombies...)

-Berger 75 Grain VLD Hollow Point Boat Tail
-Hornady A-Max 75 Grain Boat Tail (worried about the ballistic tip in an AR)
-Lapua Scenar 77 Grain Hollow Point Boat Tail
-Nosler Custom Competition 77 Grain Hollow Point Boat Tail

Thanks,
Brian

[ocabj]

Any 75/77gr BTHP will be fine.

The 75gr (or 80gr) A-Max won't work in your gun unless you single load. The A-Max has a very shallow secant so you can't seat the bullet to mag length. If you try, the ogive will go below the neck of the case and there won't be any neck tension.

Avoid the Berger 75 VLD. While it'll probably handle the jump, VLDs are very seating depth sensitive. And I'm not sure if that bullet will seat to magazine length either since the VLD and A-Max share a similar ogive profile.

So of the 4 you listed, stick with the Lapua or Nosler. I actually use both and both perform well, though I'm migrating to using Lapua more often in competitions (I have three 1000ct boxes of Lapuas). I'm almost finished shooing up the 6,000 Nosler 77s I bought back in 2005. I think I have 1500 left.

If you want a good, inexpensive heavier weight 22cal bullet, the Hornady 75gr BTHP 'match' bullet is good.

[ar15barrels]

I will be loading for precision accuracy not bulk plinking.

2. Do I really need to buy the more expensive dies to make high quality loads?

If you want to squeeze out the best accuracy you can with those premium quality match grade bullets, it would be really short sighted to go cheap on the dies.
Cheap dies won't align the bullet in the case nearly as well as a quality benchrest seater die like the Redding Competition die I recommend in my "match ammo is too expensive" thread.

If you are just making blasting ammo, then $30 die sets are fine.
The press won't matter.

[foxtrotuniformlima]

1. Is this kit a good value vs. the more expensive kits from RCBS,Lyman, and Redding?

I found the the Redding presses are more rigid and feel better.

2. Do I really need to buy the more expensive dies to make high quality loads?

Yes. Tighter tolerances for one. Secondly, many use only a neck die when resizing the brass from and for a bolt action rifle. The good thing is the better dies, like the Redding Type-S dies will work for all of it, not just the "good" stuff.

3. for the LW 16" gun, which bullet would you recommend and why? (paper punching, varmits, and zombies...)

-Berger 75 Grain VLD Hollow Point Boat Tail
-Hornady A-Max 75 Grain Boat Tail (worried about the ballistic tip in an AR)
-Lapua Scenar 77 Grain Hollow Point Boat Tail
-Nosler Custom Competition 77 Grain Hollow Point Boat Tail

Thanks,
Brian

Any of them will be fine. Problem might be in OAL and a standard AR magazine. You may need to go to a single shot adapter magazine to achieve the desired result. you will probably find that something like a 69gr SMK will work in a standard magazine and shoot very well in that gun.

[brian24]

Well I couldn't wait, so last night I ordered the Lee kit and RCBS competition dies, nobody had the Redding type S dies in stock. I ordered the 77 grain nosler's and SMK's. Now, will I get my stuff and develope some test loads before my spinal surgery on the 13th?

Thanks for the responses.

[ocabj]

24.0gr RL15 with a 77 BTHP (Sierra, Nosler, Lapua), CCI BR4 or Wolf SRM, LC Brass. 2.260".

That's been my 200/300 yard line load (standing and rapid fire stages) since 2005.

[problemchild]

Lee is not going to get you top accuracy. Its a cheapo chinese press.

Buy a redding single stage or the rotating head so all your dies stay locked in every time.
Buy redding match dies with the floating carbide neck sizer.
Buy a good trimmer that measure from base of brass to top of neck not off the neck shoulder.

There is so much more that needs to be said. You should team up with a match shooter/reloader to learn the tricks of match reloading.

[WileyWilly]

From the Lee website:

We know that all this reloading enthusiasm has created shortages of your favorite reloading equipment. Lee products are designed, cast, machined and assembled in the United States. While some of our competitors feel it’s okay to have their products made in China, we prefer to keep our production in the states, so we can’t simply order another boatload to catch up. We have expanded our plant and nearly doubled our workforce. Please be patient, your tools are on the way or in the works.



WW

[bohoki]

lee products can be as consistant as the person using it