223 Overall Length

Janes · Feb 20, 2013

Where do most of you set the overall length of 223 ammo when you reload.

Otter · Feb 20, 2013

I have some Hornady tools used to find where the lands start in each of my barrels. I then seat the bullets .010 off the lands and then adjust in or out from there until I get the best accuracy. Here is a link to the tool on Cabelas. Most guns shoot the best with the bullet just off the lands.

Cabela's: Hornady® Lock-N-Load™ OAL Gauges

If you load for an AR-15 you might need to load to magazine length. Also, some barrels have such deep throats you can never get close to the lands, in which case just load the bullet as long as you feel comfortable with. Most people suggest at least caliber depth into the case, but with a single shot rifle or with a load that I apply lots of neck tension to, I will load with as little as .100 bullet in the case.

B Ready · Feb 20, 2013

Most of my loads end up at 2.250". They feed well and shoot well. Depending on bullet type, weight and brand there is a bunch of different published data in the load workups. I'm not sure how you are getting your powder charges? This should help a lot. <broken link removed>

Janes · Feb 20, 2013

I am getting the powder charge from the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center. I am using an AR15. Right now I have some H335 powder and wanted more but, the only powder they had was the IMR 4198. After the weather clears up I will be playing around with different powder charges and then the length.

ma96782 · Feb 21, 2013

As I use .223 Rem ammo in my AR........I am limited to a COAL that will allow me to put my reloaded cartridges into the magazine. LOL.

Aloha, Mark

deadshot2 · Feb 21, 2013

Janes said:
Where do most of you set the overall length of 223 ammo when you reload.

Depends on the rifle. For the most common use I have, a "family" of AR's all ammo is loaded to 2.255" so it will fit and freely load from a standard magazine. For a bolt action it's going to depend on bullet length, chamber/throat, and whether or not I want to feed from the internal magazine.

Janes · Feb 21, 2013

Another question about length. I have measured my brass and a couple of them measures 1.719 in length. Should I discard these brass?

ridnjon · Feb 21, 2013

You should just give them to me! Lol. No there fine

Janes said:
Another question about length. I have measured my brass and a couple of them measures 1.719 in length. Should I discard these brass?

Janes · Feb 21, 2013

Ok Thanks

deadshot2 · Feb 22, 2013

Janes said:
Another question about length. I have measured my brass and a couple of them measures 1.719 in length. Should I discard these brass?

Load 'em and shoot 'em. They'll grow in length, eventually. If you have enough neck to hold the bullet you're good. It's when they get too long that problems arise.

Fishaholic · Feb 23, 2013

Janes said:
I am getting the powder charge from the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center. I am using an AR15. Right now I have some H335 powder and wanted more but, the only powder they had was the IMR 4198. After the weather clears up I will be playing around with different powder charges and then the length.

James, that's the only powder I have used so far and it shoots great! It burns very clean and I have found no residue in the barrel in either of my AR's. I've loaded several different charges with Sierra Blitz Kings, Speer TNT HP's, both in 55gr, and Hornady V-max in 60gr. My rifle seemed to really like the Blitz Kings at 0.89 MOA avg 5 shot group followed by the Speers at 1.0 MOA avg. I've wanted to try AA2230 but haven't been able to find hardly ANY powder. With that type of grouping, I figured I'm in no hurry to try something different. I did find and order another 3lbs of H335 online. I also use the OAL from Hodgdon website and it seems to work fine in my rifles. My view is that if they will fit in the mag, they are the correct length. 2.255 is a good length as a general rule of thumb.

Janes · Feb 23, 2013

I am glad that you like IMR 4198, there are some people say that their gun will not chamber the ammo very good with that powder. I was kind of worried that it wouldn't work very good. I haven't had a chance to shoot any so far. I like the way H335 meters, IMR 4198 doesn't meter as well.

Fishaholic · Feb 23, 2013

Maybe I confused you. Or, maybe I confused myself reading your post. The only powder I've used is H335, not 4198. I'm also thinking of trying the CFE223 powder that came out last year. I don't know whether it's hype or fact about the effectiveness of reducing fowling they advertise about. Maybe if/when the availability is better I'll be more apt to go to the range more to experiment.

deadshot2 · Feb 24, 2013

Fishaholic said:
I'm also thinking of trying the CFE223 powder that came out last year. I don't know whether it's hype or fact about the effectiveness of reducing fowling they advertise about. Maybe if/when the availability is better I'll be more apt to go to the range more to experiment.

I've used about 6# of it so far in my .308 and have noticed a definite change in copper fouling in the barrel. The barrel on my rifle never was a problem as a "fouler" to begin with but at cleaning sessions where I used Sweets, I would notice some "blue". Now cleaning consists of a wet patch with Hoppe's to clean out the "soot". The bore is then nice and shiny. I now use Sweet's every couple of months and their is barely enough blue on the patch to notice.

Yes, I notice more "soot" but it comes out with only one or two uses of a bore snake. No "carbon ring" either. Whatever falls in the gap between case and end of chamber get's "whisked" out by the bore snake.

So far no temperature problems in getting the charge to light off. Waiting for some warm summer weather to see how much it's affected by NW temp swings.

ZMCKNIGHT · Feb 24, 2013

Lee's reloading die set says maximum of 2.26inch/57.40mm

Fishaholic · Feb 24, 2013

deadshot2 said:
I've used about 6# of it so far in my .308 and have noticed a definite change in copper fouling in the barrel. The barrel on my rifle never was a problem as a "fouler" to begin with but at cleaning sessions where I used Sweets, I would notice some "blue". Now cleaning consists of a wet patch with Hoppe's to clean out the "soot". The bore is then nice and shiny. I now use Sweet's every couple of months and their is barely enough blue on the patch to notice.

Yes, I notice more "soot" but it comes out with only one or two uses of a bore snake. No "carbon ring" either. Whatever falls in the gap between case and end of chamber get's "whisked" out by the bore snake.

So far no temperature problems in getting the charge to light off. Waiting for some warm summer weather to see how much it's affected by NW temp swings.

Thanks for the info. I also use Sweets almost every time I clean. Seems to clean the bore a LOT better than any other solvent I've tried. After cleaning, the bore looks brand new. I'm also interested to see how the H335 does in warmer temps. I have some pretty good loads on a couple of different bullets in the 45-50 deg area. Wondering if/how that will change in July/Aug.

AMProducts · Feb 26, 2013

2.26" is the technical "max" for .223 Rem/5.56 due to the fact that it has to fit in AR mags. I find that typically, this length is too long, and have had feeding issues. I prefer to seat to 2.240-2.250" (it's tough to get it exact when you're making a lot of ammo) but anything in that range passes QC. When I load frangible, or some of the really blunt bullets, they typically get seated at 2.18-2.20" in order for feeding to work right.

deadshot2 · Mar 1, 2013

AMProducts said:
2.26" is the technical "max" for .223 Rem/5.56 due to the fact that it has to fit in AR mags. I find that typically, this length is too long, and have had feeding issues. I prefer to seat to 2.240-2.250" (it's tough to get it exact when you're making a lot of ammo) but anything in that range passes QC. When I load frangible, or some of the really blunt bullets, they typically get seated at 2.18-2.20" in order for feeding to work right.

I find that seating deep enough to crimp into the cannelure does a good job of keeping my ammo "magazine capable".

AMProducts · Mar 3, 2013

Yea, most manufacturers do a good job of putting the cannelure in the correct place for this. However there are lots of interpretations as to how much cannelure should stick out of the case, which depends highly on trim length. Also, not all bullets have a cannelure... with the current dearth of components, I'm loading a lot more 55gr SMK's (which I can find for moderately more than 55gr FMJ).