Thread: Looking for advice for loading. (.223 for mini 14)

I've been look at getting into reloading .223 for my mini, but I just don't know where to start. My mini has a 1-7 twist in a 14.5 barrel (16 w/flash hider) and a short barrel strut.

With all the different bullets, primers, and powders available, I'm not sure what to get. I have a general idea when it comes to fast twists and heavy bullets.

I'm trying to go for the tightest groups and still take out the coyotes in my neighborhood. Any formulas that work well for you that you would share?

My 1-7" shoots 55-60gr bullets just fine use a V-max bullet, I run varget powder.

plus 1 for vmax and varget.
are you brand new at it,,,no press or anything yet ?

With any .223, I start with 25.0 grains of H335, and a good 55 grain bullet. Preferences there go to the Nosler Ballistic Tip, and the often over-looked but incredibly accurate 55g Remington Powrlokt. It's "plated" jacket over swaged lead has held a reputation for accuracy for a lot of years.

Having said that, I spent 3 years with a Mini-14 and tried everything under the sun. Never got better than 2 and a half-inch groups at 100 yards. Other guys say the newer ones shoot better. The newer one I recently tried did not. Good utility gun, rugged, reliable and durable.

Pick a winner:


.223 Remington @ www.reloadersnest.com

Yup, i'm totally new. I'm using a friends setup until I get my own.

I've read that boattails arent the best for a mini 14, is that true?

The real problem with most of the mini-14's is they have a very light barrel, and a very aggressive gas system, which makes for a lot of barrel whip. I don't know if you have ever seen it, but there used to be a really good army video of the AK47 firing in full auto under a slow motion camera. You could see the whole gun flex under the force of the gas system. The Mini-14 uses a somewhat similar gas system (as well as gas piston AR's), which degrades accuracy as the barrel may not always flex in the same way.

The most important consideration with any semi-automatic rifle is using a powder which will generate enough gas port pressure to cycle the gun, without creating excessive chamber pressures. While the Mini may be less problematic than some other guns, the Sierra .223 loading sheets for the AR-15 would probably be a great source for information about what powders to use. Primers for semi-autos tend to be less problematic, stick with CCI small rifle, or CCI #41 arsenal primers. You can use Winchester Small Rifle also, I tend to avoid remington primers for the .223.

http://accurateshooter.net/Downloads/sierra223ar.pdf <-- sierra .223 manual for the AR-15.

As far as boat tail bullets.... while there may be some characteristics of the gun which make it less accurate with that style of bullet, they are still safe to fire.