Loading 5.56 for short barrel

[Rumbler]

I'm thinking a little before that. But that is a great example of the first theater wide issuance.

[Capt. mike]

I guess what I'm asking is with just run of the mill FMJ is there really that much difference in a 300 to a 5.56. I love me some 7.62x39. But it suffers all the problems cited by 5.56 haters, it just punches holes too. Any of these will kill someone dead in one shot if its in the right spot but what advantage does the 300 have besides the fact that people love ARs and they wanted them to grow up to be an AK that they could dress up like a barbie doll.

[polebarn]

Check out the wood on this one:

[Rumbler]

As a guy with a well documented disdain for the AR platform in general, I can say what it is for me; the flexibility.

But . . .

1) I don't shoot run of the mill FMJ. Ever. I can't afford that and the performance is substandard.

2) With the same gun I can shoot 230gr bullets that hit like a ton of bricks so quietly you really don't need ears on even unsuppressed, to "AK-47 +P +accuracy".

But . . . admittedly the mechanical issues of the AR platform still exist.

Jafar kinda talked me into giving the AK platform a try - I know this is a coming out of the closet for me - but I like it. It is NOT as flexible, but undeniably it is a solid, reliable, combat effective weapon, one I could afford to feed factory ammo. I used to poo-poo all MBRs that didn't start with an M1 . . . but even closed minded 'ol SOBs like me can learn new stuff.

I guess what I'm asking is with just run of the mill FMJ is there really that much difference in a 300 to a 5.56. I love me some 7.62x39. But it suffers all the problems cited by 5.56 haters, it just punches holes too. Any of these will kill someone dead in one shot if its in the right spot but what advantage does the 300 have besides the fact that people love ARs and they wanted them to grow up to be an AK that they could dress up like a barbie doll.

[Rumbler]

That wood gives me a woody.

The only way that could be prettier is if it was not so shiny.

Check out the wood on this one:

[Capt. mike]

Ok I drug out the press and remembered what a pain in the ass reloading .223/5.56 was. I got a box of barnes 50gr TSX and loaded 10 once shot hornady brass up with a cci400 primer and 22.4 grs of IMR4198 (over max load dont try this at home) and went with the barnes numbers at 2.19 oal with a light crimp. I was gonna push it a little hotter but I figured I would pretend to be safe with these, Ive used close to 23 grains with a 55 grain but the primers were showing so Ill see how these do.

[Rumbler]

4198 is still pretty slow for a long pistol length barrel, but the muzzle flash (or lack of it) and fired primer condition will be the best indicator whether it is too slow, just right, or too fast.


Please do try and remember to post your results, I'm all about learning stuff.

[Capt. mike]

Yeah, I really wanted to load a couple with cfe223 just to compare the fireballs, but TSX bullets are almost $1 per just the bullet and only having 50 right now I just want something I'm comfortable with to have a 30rd mag of them loaded up. I think SR4756 would be a good powder as its on the slow side of the pistol powders and Ive got plenty on hand but I have no idea of a safe starting point. It will probably be monday before I can try them but Ill let y'all know how they do. Ive still got 50-60 cheap 55gr fmj I could play with using the sr4756 but If anybody can get some intel on where to start Id love to start work on some.

[Capt. mike]

Ended up grabbing some 77gr otm gonna try and get close to mk262. Should be able to get out tomorrow and test them out of a 10.5", 11.5", and a 16"

[Capt. mike]

Finally got to touch off my new loads in the 10.5" and didnt blow the gun up.

Both loads are over max so don't try this at home.

Barnes 50gr TSX
CCI 400 SR primer
22.4gr IMR4198
2.18 OAL
Lightly crimped

All I had was some plastic bottles with water but they were explosive, it was slightly overcast but still daylight but didnt have a lot of blast or flash, they felt hot compared to LC XM193
Couldnt find the bullet went though the bottles with a dime sized exit and grazed the 2x4 behind it.
Brass looked fine but the primers were just slightly flattened but I'm comfortable with it.

Next was the 77gr SMK OTM
CCI Mag SR Primer #450
25grs CFE223
2.26 OAL
Light crimp

Just shot these at cans and chased them down to the 50 yard line. I cant say what they would do on impact but they felt authoritative and you could definitely feel the difference in recoil. Brass and primers looked fine and flash and blast wasn't bad either, I really like these and the bullets were half the price of the TSXs. Ill probably load a lot more of these but I really want to run these on a chrono and see where they are at velocity wise.