Reloading for accuracy....Ar15 reloads cant hit the lands?

[Jim243]

Lavid2002

Those are not good results, I had a 1968 Armlite AR-15 that would shoot less than 2 inch groups with Milsup ammo. My Bushmaster Varminter does .40 MOA with 53 and 55 grain bullets.

What are you shooting? And who's bullet are you using (2000??? varmint gernades??)

Better bullets make better groups. You do get what you pay for.

 

[Lavid2002]

I know there not good results. The bullets cost .07 a piece ! I have vmax and nosler. They group up well. But these are suplus cheapskie bullets and im trying to make a 16 cent load as accurate as possible

 

[88KEYS]

I have been working up 600 yard loads for my Match Service Rifle, new to High Power & loading for match 223. Just a couple of things I have been doing, have 25+ years of loading, so have some experience, and have several books on this subject.

I want to go back to the guy who learned the hard way, we all make mistakes and sharing them are helpful for others. I was at the 600 line with my M1A and a guy was having problems grouping his rounds, light stuff like 55-60 grain. This was the live fire required for new shooters beyond 300 yards. Some other guy offered his ammo to help this guy out; he loaded some and lent the bolt slam forward. He was done, jammed the bullet in the rifling took time and a few guys to get it clear.

I use the Hornady OAL gauge and you use it in the gun you are loading for, it has a case and you sit a bullet in then once set in the chamber, push it forward. It will stop when it hits the lands. I do it several times to be sure and then know the Max OAL for that bullet and rifle. I then back them off about 10 thousands. The 77 Nosler fit in the magazine, I know this can be a problem especially with the 80s.

Not to start the Molly debate, I do molly some bullets and like the stuff it has its good and bad. I do not claim this from my loading but have seen in several books that molly bullets can touch the lands for best accuracy. I have backed them off a hair and they shot well.

 

[Lavid2002]

88 keys.... 2 things

1)55-60 GRAINS in a .308 M1A? Really? 55 grain .308 bullets?

2) Do you have a .223 chamber or 5.56? My problem isnt hitting the lands....its the lack thereof

 

[rg1]

For info only: Hornady 55 FMJ's seated to just touch the lands of a Rock River and Colt AR 15 standard nato chamber:
Overall Length
-RR--2.370"
-Colt--2.390"
-Bolt Action Remington XP100R---2.246"
-WOA upper, Wylde chamber
80 gr Sierra BTHP to lands 2.472" oal
77 fr Sierra BTHP to lands 2.316" oal
Loading 55 fmj's to get near the lands is not possible in standard AR chambers. Load to recommended oal by the bullet manufacturer is recommended and trying to seat them longer in my experience provides no increase in accuracy. 77 gr. Sierra BTHP's are designed to be loaded to magazine lengths of 2.260" or a little less. 80 gr. Sierra BTHP's which are loaded directly into the chamber and won't fit your magazine are reported to do best seated 10-15 thousandths off the lands. YOUR RIFLES CHAMBER MAY BE DIFFERENT and these are just numbers from mine and for info only.

 

[Jimro]

Lavid2002,

If you have a good powder charge worked out, keep playing with the seating depth. A 3 3/4 MOA ten shot group isn't bad for a cheap plinking load IMHO, but I am curious if the trend would continue if you backed off the COAL five thousandths at a time.

Jimro

 

[Lavid2002]

wow 2.370....My longest 55 grainer was 2.280 not even CLOSE. : )

Shot again today.... 2.260 took the cake : )
31 rounds vs 31 rounds


Jimro....you think I should keep going? Like 2.240 2.230?

 

[bfoosh006]

http://radomski.us/njhp/cart_tech.htm....note the various chambers freebore..