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I found that very interesting, you learn something new every day even though I've been loading .223 for 20 years. Question: should 556 or military 556, be loaded to a longer overall cartridge length than .223?
 
I found that very interesting, you learn something new every day even though I've been loading .223 for 20 years. Question: should 556 or military 556, be loaded to a longer overall cartridge length than .223?
In the real Mil-Spec ammo, like the Lake City stuff, the cases are generally heavier,, they have a little bit smaller capacity.
With a longer neck and the bullet seated-out to a longer OAL, they can still cram in enough powder to get the velocity they want.
I forgot which loading manual it was, but their were separate sections for .223 and 5.56.
As the 5.56 is a NATO round, it is loaded to higher pressures than .223, and the shorter "leede" or free-bore in .223 chambered guns means you shouldn't shoot 5.56 ammo in a .223 chamber.
But .223 is safe to fire in a 5.56 chamber,, but because of the greater "jump" that the bullet has to make before it hits the rifling some accuracy is lost.
Today, about the only guns that say".223" on the barrel are bolt guns,, the ARs are all marked "5.56",, although their were some early Colt SP-1 guns that said ".223" for their chambering.
For my reloading I trim all my fired cases to somewhere ~1.743>1.745, but load the mil-spec brass to ~2.250, and the commercial brass, wether it's .223 or 5.56 to ~2.210>2.220,, this with the 55gr bullets.
'Course with the longer/heavier bullets they need to be out to ~2.255>2.600.
IIRC, 2.260 is about as long as you can go?,, maybe a few thou more? and still work thru an AR mag?
Another thing,, taking some Hornady and Winchester, and Wolf bullets that were all 55gr FMJ-BT,, the cannelures were not in the same place,, oh well.
Edit: I don't crimp anything, I stoned-down the "ball" in the re-sizing die ~.001, and get ~.003 neck tension,, lots of guys use the "stock" .002 though.
The need for crimping is over rated for semi-auto or bolt gun use.
 
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Not target shooting, correct? Case length is not critical on a case which headspaces on the shoulder. The exception is too long, but you rarely see that. Since the neck is the only difference and powder capacity is not affected, load 'em and shoot 'em.
 
That's definitely a bonus.

My short ones were Federal as well. I'm happy I don't have to trim them for awhile at least.

I sold 2,500 FC 223 last month because there were many of these FC cases that are not suitable for 300BLK conversion but I kept almost all of my LC stash...:p:p:p

DBBF53F2-FD80-420D-9D9E-D9CDC3AC886D.jpeg

I have lrg quantities of 55g bullets of different brands like Hornady, Speer, Weidner's and evergreen. There is a difference of cannelure placement, it is lower on the Weidner's bullets so for COAL specs I use the shorter cases to get the neck centered on the cannelure.

EF30FE18-4D74-48BB-9018-18097B7C620E.jpeg
 
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