I was given some reloads and have a question.

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lokidansk

New member
A friend gave me 500 rounds of reloaded mixed brass that he reloaded last year, he sold everything he had that shot 5.56. Please give your oppinions on the load he used. I have used many of his handgun loads and enjoyed them with no problems but can not find this 5.56 load in any books. I will be useing them in either a Colt Hbar 16" 1in9" or a M&P 16" 1in9" both barrels are marked 5.56 NATO

Mixed brass winchester 223 and lake city 5.56
winchester 748 27gn
winchester 55gn FMJ
cci 41 primmers

Thank you for looking
Loki
 
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BigD_in_FL

Moderator
Hornady/Winchester shows one load with a 55 GR SP, and the max is 26.3. Back when I reloaded 223, I do not recall ever having a load that warm, and I used 748 along with others
Hopefully, someone with a little more current experience will comment
 
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jcwit

New member
I shoot NO ONES reloads, no matter how much I trust them.

Furthermore my manuals list 26.2 grains as max.

Your gun, your hands, your face & eyes.
 
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lokidansk

New member
Is it ok for me to pull the bullets and reoad in yalls oppinion?
will reuseing the pulled bullets be ok if so?
 
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LE-28

New member
I won't shoot anyone's reloads either. I can't live with my own mistakes, I sure as hell won't live with someone else's.
 
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Shootest

New member
Is it ok for me to pull the bullets and reoad in yalls oppinion?
will reuseing the pulled bullets be ok if so?
Click to expand...

Yes, that would be fine. Bullets may not be the best but OK for plinking. IMOP
 
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hunter52

New member
The Speer number 11 manual lists 28.5 gr as max for a 55 gr bullet with Win 748.
I have been loading 27 gr of Win 748 under 55 grain bullets, mostly Remington, Hornady winchester SP for the last 20 or so years and shoot them out of a Remington 700 VLS and a TC contender with a Bullberry 21 incher, never have had any signs of pressure, with 1/2 inch or less groups from both rifles.
This works for me, your guns may be different, pull them down, reduce the charge and try them out.
 
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hunter52

New member
Just an add on here, I recently bought 1200+ rounds of .223 /5.56 from a friend of my oldest son for $400, 700+ are new FED or LC 55 gr., the rest are 62 gr FMJ reloads.
I pulled every one of the bullets, dumped the powder on the scale (748) and weighed the charge, put the powder in an empty can punched the primers out, resized the brass with SB dies, then reloaded the whole mess. Crazy? Maybe, but I did not waste anything and I now have no doubts as to what is in each one.
 
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TATER

New member
If you trust that your friend is Consistent, Pull a few and weigh the charge..
A friend of mine, Has Always loaded some calibers too Hot.(In my opinion)
But, Never had any problems in 25+ years…That is…...Until he got a new accurate scale..:D
 
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lokidansk

New member
Why did you have to pull the primmers? Was it just for case resizeing?
What bullet puller do yall recommend?

I know I am asking many newbe questions here but I am just getting started with my reloading. Most of my things have not even arrived in the mail as yet. I had planned on starting with .40 S&W but it looks as if I will start with rechargeing these .223s instead.
 
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rg1

New member
I loaded Win 748 with 55 fmj bullets for a while and the main thing I would add is that it's temperature sensitive. I'd consider that load to be too "hot' for summertime temps. Some data sources list data for 55 fmj's at 27 grains or higher but most data is from 26.2-26.4 grains. I've found 26.4 to be safe in summer temps or when a round is left in a hot chamber in AR's. If you decide to pull those rounds I'd get a RCBS or Hornady collet bullet puller for your press. Definitely wouldn't try pulling that many with an impact puller. The collet pullers are fast and the powder is left in the case without any bullet damage. I'd also check the powder and reuse it making sure it's all the same, I'd measure all the case lengths, would remove the priming punch from the sizing die and partially resize the neck, and leave the CCI 41"s in the case. I'd also check that no primer was left high. My point is that I'd double check everything even though you trust your friend.
 
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oldpapps

New member
I like 'rg1's methods.

If you are certain of the powder (being 748), I would reuse it. Any question and not. Then work out your own loads. Safer for you and your weapon/s and could very well function better.

Always error on the side of safety.

OSOK
 
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hagar

New member
On top of that, the CCI #41 is a very hot primer. I'd pull them down and drop the charge at least 1.5 grains.
 
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lokidansk

New member
I am very confused, I have found data for .223 loads that are very different from each other. Hodgdon max load is 26.3 of 748 and Lyman 49th Ed shows max load at 27.8 in both an AR15 and a T/C Contender & Encore receiver but I can not find anything with refference to 5.56 NATO. Isnt the 5.56 NATO chamber a higher PSI capable chamber? If that is a totaly ignorent question trust me I won't be offended if yall tell me to buy more books and keep reading.
 
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lokidansk

New member
I have not pulled them as yet, I just ordered a puller today. I bought the RCBS hand hammer puller as cost is a very large concern for me. I am going to randomly pull and measure about 50 rounds and post my results. I have been somewhat a student of primitive skills for a while now, "this being the least primitive of them all by far" most of the skills or hobbies are learned and then I move on to another. I am getting a weird feeling this one is going to be a bit different. Thank all of you for your input and please continue giving it, I really do want not only to learn but to understand what I am doing.
 
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flashhole

New member
I agree with rg1 on the temperature sensitivity caution. 748 is the least forgiving powder I have used for 223. I loaded some over the winter months a few years back, worked fine when the ambient air temp was below freezing. Same load durning the summer was WAY too hot and I was in an overpressure situation. Pulled all those and switched to Hodgdon Extreme Powder which is a lot less temperature sensitive.
 
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