reloading

[jhm]

reloading is a trial and error type thing with any rifle pistol, the best thing you can do at this point is to pick up a couple good reloading manuals and look at the info as to powder selection and the type of bullets used, they also will show the type of brass used in the example.     JIM

[jhm]

v-hunter you can go to this site here http://stevespages.com/page8.htm and see what steve might have for you     JIM

[I am CAL.........]

V-Hunter,I've been loading 223 some 30 yrs. and it is my favorite cal. also.I have probably loaded some of all the different powders that are available for this cal. in search of the best and most accurate load.I have several rifles in this cal.and the best I can tell IMR4198 works best for me.I am loading 21 grs. of this powder behind a Sierra 53 gr.BTHP match bullet no.1410.I have been taking a hull that has been fired and put it in the resizer and size the neck just enough to make a bullet stay tight and load this into the gun I am going to load for with the bullet I am going to use to find out where the bullet begins to touch the rifling.I back the bullet off the lands some .005 of an inch and shoot 3 shots for a group. I keep backing the bullet away 2 - 3 thousands from the lands till I get the rifle to group the best it will do. I find that all of my 223 shoot the 1410 Sierra but at different seating depths. I have FC match brass,army brass,Remington,and WW brass. I like Federal or Remington brass best,it seems more uniform.I full length resize and find that brass trimmed to the proper length is very important.I use WW small rifle primers. I do not load hot loads.I find a load in the middle of the road is much more accurate and safer to use. I am not telling you to load this way,I am only telling you what works for me. I hope some of this information will be helpful to you.Good Luck,I am CAL...........

[The Blade]

V-hunter,

You asked the following in your initial post:

IS most of the brass,primers,bullets,and powder the same?

Brass, primers, bullets, and powders are the same just like all women are the same!  Each brand and style of each has its own personaltiy!

Brass from one manufacturer is different than brass from another manufacturer in many ways.  Most importantly, the thickness of the brass can vary.  With thicker brass comes less case volume, and higher pressures when the fuse is lit!

Primers vary quite a bit as well.  I've known people who have changed the accuracy of a load just by switching primers.  Some are hotter, some have softer metal, etc.

Powders are definately not all the same.  There's one kind soul that frequents this forum who blew a gun to smithereens by accidentally pouring powder into the wrong container.  He eventually used the wrong powder based on the container's label.  (You know who you are!!!  And you know I'm not picking on you, either!)  He's lucky he still has use of his hands.

Some powders burn very quickly.  Some powders burn slow by comparison.  The loads listed in any loading manual will recommend the combination of primer, case, powder, and bullet that you should use when you start loading.

It's just about impossible to use the exact combination of componants that you will find in a loading manual.  Therefore, due to the variations in componants that I briefly touched on above, you should never start at the "Max" load listed in the manual.

Go to MidwayUSA.com or Midsouthshooterssupply.com and look how many different loading manuals are available.  They, like componants, are not all the same.  Get one or more of these books, and read ALL of the introductory material before you purchase any equipment or componants.  Most people seem to recommend the Lyman manual as a first read.

If you're like the majority of the people here, pretty soon you'll wonder if you load to shoot, or if you shoot so that you can load!  It can be downright addicting...

BTW, the folks on this forum will answer ANY question you'll have (and you'll have a BUNCH of 'em.)

Enjoy!

[deerhunter]

The nice thing about reloading the .223 is that most of what you need is inexpensive.

The load I use in my Mini-14 and my Contender Carbine is:

20 grains of  H322
Standard primer
55 grain Winchester FMJBT
Win or Military case.

This is a light load, it cycles the action on the Mini-14 slowly, you can actully feel the bolt clack back then forth, but it has been 100% reliable.  And its pretty accurate too.   It goes 1/2 inch at 100 yards from my contender carbine.

You should pick up atleast 2 good manuals.  One of which has to be the speer manual.  I have an old copy, and it is great.  It lists in the back all the ballistics of various bullets by ballistic coefficient.  you can calculate out the line of sight trajectory and the remaining energy at extended ranges.