Surprise!!!

[jdgabbard]

So I've been biding my time during this latest craze. But I'd been gathering items to start reloading for my ARs. I had bought dies about 6-7 months ago. And I had bought 4k of 5.56/223 50/50 mix brass back in November for a price I couldn't turn down. (It was so good, I bought it to also cut some of the more dinged up cartridges down to 7.62x25) Well, I was talking with a guy the other day who was wanting to trade some WC844, to got my attention. He wanted primers, and more then what the powder was worth. So the deal fell through. But in the effort of going through my stash and looking at what I actually had I found two bricks of Small Rifle Magnums!!! I must have accidentally purchased them thinking they were Small Pistol Magnums.

Long story short..... Now I just have to find some suitable powder and a good mold and sizing die.

[Wayne Smith]

Congratulations! Are you sure you want to start casting and loading those little boolits??

[dverna]

JG

I just signed up for the GB on the 75 gr NATO bullet. It looks like a good fit for the AR. I think the heavier weight will make it easier to find a load that cycles the action and is not too fast (less leading?). Have a look at it.

It would seem a heavier bullet will be a tad more forgiving of any slight "defects" than the 55 gr pills.

[jdgabbard]

Well, my big concern is the barrels I have on my ARs. They're both 1/9" barrels. So I'm worries that it may not be enough to stabilize the heavier pills. At the end of the day I'm a patient man. And don't mind the wait to find a suitable mold in the 55-60gr area. But it was a very pleasant surprise to find that I did in fact have suitable primers (that I do not believe would slam fire in the action). I believe the thicker cup of the magnum primers should be ok, correct?

[cbrick]

slight "defects" than the 55 gr pills.

?? You shoot pills??

Rick

[runfiverun]

you have some 4895 don't ya?
it works just fine in the 223.
put some loads together and try them.
18 grs is a good start.

[jdgabbard]

Nope... All gone... Down to pistol powder at the moment.... All that cheap russian ammo was too good to pass up!!! lol

[runfiverun]

12 grs of 2400?
it's accurate enough, but won't operate the rifle.

[xacex]

Small mag rifle primer, 21 to 23 Grains H335, and a mihec 225-65 NATO mold. Some water dropped wheel weights, throw on some gas checks, and roll em in 45/45/10 for some steel ringing goodness. These are hitting hard enough at 100 to leave a small ding on AR 500 steel with 23 grains of powder. This is in a 1/9 twist barrel. No chrony to run them over right now. I ventilated it.

[jdgabbard]

12grs of 2400, huh? I have some of that.... 12 grains seems like even considering its a pistol powder.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind having that NATO mold!

[Muddydogs]

Well, my big concern is the barrels I have on my ARs. They're both 1/9" barrels. So I'm worries that it may not be enough to stabilize the heavier pills. At the end of the day I'm a patient man. And don't mind the wait to find a suitable mold in the 55-60gr area. But it was a very pleasant surprise to find that I did in fact have suitable primers (that I do not believe would slam fire in the action). I believe the thicker cup of the magnum primers should be ok, correct?

I have shot a few 1000 CCI small rifle mag primers out of 3 different AR's that I built with no problems.

[jonp]

Nope... All gone... Down to pistol powder at the moment.... All that cheap russian ammo was too good to pass up!!! lol
I know what you mean, I have a dozen sardine cans of russian 223 I bought a few years ago.

[jdgabbard]

I wish I had your problem. Down to about 500 +/- ..... I'll be stocking up when be prices come back down.

[felix]

Prolly never will get low enough to stock up. The Tula company is at full capacity. ATK is trying for a 30 percent increase in ammo to any customer, including the box stores. My son got the 31x39 ammo at 8 cents apiece in 2005 from an importer's Florida docks. He sold any excess a couple of months ago with his worn out AK for umpteen bucks at a gun show here in town. ... felix

[jdgabbard]

I used to buy 1000rd cases back when they were $30 a pop.... Would go out and blast through it with my buddies... Boy I wish I'd known then what I know now...

[Harter66]

I wish X1 would have let me stock pile 15yr ago. X2 wasnt too fussy about it. the latest future Mrs X askes me if Winchester will do in place of CCI. Shes nagging me about going berm mining again,soon,its like shes got cabin fever.
Just like us all ya gotta lay in a oh dukie stash under your "working"invetory, at least thats what I'm doing/have done.