Can I reload for .223 and .308?

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Lavid2002

New member
Im setting up to reload for .308, while im at it, I figure why not order some brass, and bullets for the AR, since some recipes will use the same primers and powders correct?
P.S. My local gun shop has old old bullets in plastic containers with the labels falling off. Some kinda newish, anyways. Could I buy some of these for my .308 or .223 if I see a good price?
Thanks
Dave:p
 
J

jimbob86

Moderator
Do you have a manual?
Click to expand...

If not get several. Read first, "Understand the Problem"........

DO NOT violate the Golden Rule of Tool Use: "If you don't know what you are doing, DON'T." Violating this rule can lead to inadvertant death or serious bodily harm to the user and others.
 
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Unclenick

Staff
You will need:

Small Rifle Primers for .223. See if you can get some CCI #41 primers for the AR? They are formulated alike to the military primers the gun was designed for. If the .308 is an M1A or other military rifle, the CCI #34 is the large rifle version. Regular primers will work also. These are just a little harder to help resist slam-fires from the military floating firing pin designs. They are also magnum strength which helps ignition in both very low temperature conditions and with ball powders, which are harder to light.

You will need different dies and different shell holders.

You will need different diameter bullets, of course. .308" and .224". Old bullets are fine if they aren't corroded and if you can figure out load data for them? Consult an experienced reloader if you are unsure. Don't exceed 180 grains in the .308 and don't exceed 80 grains in the .223, even if it has a fast twist barrel (8" or faster for that weight). Otherwise, performance will suffer from lack of adequate powder space under the bullet.
 
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Lavid2002

New member
Im putting in an order. Im purchasibng everything I ned to reload at once, then Im buying the ingredients after some more reading. Ive read a couple of books, but dont have a manual yet. Im buying lymans 48th edition.
Also, It is for an ar15 and slam fires are not my friend. Ill just wait to look up some recipes.
Thanks!
Dave
 
U

Unclenick

Staff
The Lyman 48 is a very good go-to manual for starting. I don't believe the military hardness primers I mentioned were available when it was done. Where you don't find them, keep their magnum strength in mind, and start your loads a little lower than the recipe's show for standard primers. Maybe a grain or two for starting loads. Also, for gas guns, the gas port pressure matters. You will want to use slightly faster powders among those listed for a bullet weight you are looking at. The slowest ones raise the gas port pressure a bit and also have more unburned material moving down the tube with the bullets. as a result, they foul gas ports more rapidly. If you use a heavy bullet in the AR, like the 77 grain SMK, Winchester 748 is about as slow as you want to go, IMHO. It and Varget both do fairly well with the heavies and both will work in the .308 just dandy.

For lighter bullets in the AR, the IMR 4198 is what Stoner designed the gun to use originally, and it is very accurate with 50 grains bullets and below. Hodgdon Benchmark and Reloader 10X are other possibilities, and in the middle bullet weight range may be better performers for you?
 
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BigDog454

New member
Hey! How's a guy gonna lear if he dosen't try. But; llike was said get a loading manual; and find a local guy that's been reloading for a while. He'll probably be happy to show ya the ropes. Try the local gun club. DON"T find a guy that tells you to reload everything to the MAX, go for accuracy.
 
C

crowbeaner

New member
K.I.S.S.- buy some BLC2 and you can load both cartridges without a bunch of 1/2 empty canisters sitting around. H335 will also work for both.
 
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