New Ruger Ranch 5.56 - newbie ? on 223 Rem & 5.56 NATO reloading

[Tripplebeards]

I’d like one that accepts AR mags myself.

[W.R.Buchanan]

BBB: felt compelled to add my .02 here. I load all my .223/5.56 with the exact same formula. 25.0 gr of W748/BL-C2, Hornady 55 FMJBT overruns they sold for .07 each a few years ago. Cases are mostly LC picked up at the range and I have thousands. I remove the primer crimp either by chamfering it or using a Dillon Decrimping tool, load on a D550B.

Hot tip is to use a Lee Collet Crimping Die as the final stage as it is not overall length sensitive.

The problems with the powders you have is that they all have big granules, and will cause powder bridges in the small case necks. W748 which is identical to BL-C2 is a ball powder and I "believe" the powder that M193 is loaded with?

Any rate this is my Standard Carbine Load (the only one I do) and It runs perfectly in my AR, SCR, Mini 14 and Kel-Tec SU16CA pretty sure it will work in your bolt action rifle. It is running a little slower than M193 ammo but out to 200 yards the drop is virtually
unnoticeable.

I have a used to be friend who will only load his .223's with 4064 which is about like loading the case with rice. I tried to get him to change, but he is set in his way and not capable. I guess he enjoys dropping the powder in with tweezers.

My .02

Randy

[willk]

A thought on reloading .223 rounds. Cross examine at least three, preferably FIVE (5) reloading manuals for this round. I had a beautiful Kimber Predator. Shot great (best score ever in IHMSA half scale, one ram less than a 40x40)

My issue, using loads from a popular reloading manual, the medium listed loads were way too much for this bolt handgun. I worked up from their starting load, and had to shoot on a day warmer than expected. Bolt all but locked up. I rechecked this load (using 748 powder and 55 grain Sierra Game Kings, btsp) and found no less than three different loads in this manual alone. One for bolt guns, one for service rifles and one for Thompson-Center Contender. I was using the TC load data thinking it was the lightest of the three and all three were different.

So, do be wary.