What mold to buy and why for the 5.56 AR Platform

[sparkz]

Part #2 of 2 (Quest for the "Right Stuff")

Continuing to add to the collection of needed tools for reload of the Colt AR 5.56 Platform,

Looks like we will invest in a RCBS die set and most likely will be the RCBS X-Die as most seem to bend to that die for this platform given the least issues in long run, so now We need to start to look for A KNOWN WORKING mOLD FOR IT,,

Ours is a 7 x 1 twist 16" mil profile barrel in 5.56 as i had mentioned

what are you guys happy with or what do you wish you had gotten first?
Brand, Wight & Vendor?

I see lots are happy with the JT Knives mold (I have a 00 Buck mold of his and its nice)
as I read I guess we can handle a 50 to 100 gn Boolit with this twist but liking idea of about 60gn for all round plinking
but what about a HP? who makes one, and does it load well?
Is it easy to reload with?

Please chime in with some eduction for me here so I can try to buy the best mold the first time for this AR and save some money for now,,
Later I can buy cool stuff but for now we want to shoot and want to avoid any dogs,,


Let me know what your using and why and if ya had druthers what would you had bought,,

also PM us if you would like to sell a hand full so once we are up we can see what the rifle seems to like,
the rifles a Colt 6920, 5.56, 7-1 in 16" bone stock.. If you have one what did it like or not like?



Thanks guys you had been a big help on the die set, Hoping for just a bit more help for this mold buy



Sean & Patrick Campbell
Lost Creek, Kentucky

[Jupiter7]

The HM2(JTknives) 225-62 is a very good mold. For price and availability, it's hard to beat. I'd have it over any production mold from lee, rcbs and Lyman. As of now it's my only 225 mold. So at this point, I'm biased. But it casts easily and to proper size and weight, can't ask for much more. A hp'd 22 sounds like an exercise in frustration waiting to happen. The JT mold has a decent flat meplat. Not sure what your intentions are, mine were for shootin, not hunting. Keep an eye out, miha is cutting a 75gr NATO mold as we speak, there might be extras.

[Moonie]

I do like the 221 clone by NOE that I have. Granted I haven't shot it much as the only 5.56 upper in the family is the middle sons and we both have 300BO uppers we have been playing with much more than the 5.56.

[millerwb]

I have the RCBS 55gr mold. Cast easy enough. I am waiting on the arrival of my sizing die for my bullet sizer which should arrive in a couple if days. Then I can size/lube/GC and finally reload to see how it does.

[dunkel]

How fast are you pushing these through an AR??