Taking the plunge: Reloading 223/5.56

[titanse05]

Originally Posted by ronpaul50

Nice job! Schedule 80 PVC?

Yes. It was the shortest section of 6" PVC at Lowes. I have enough left to make 2 more smaller drums like mine.

[titanse05]

Still on the hunt for 55gr FMJ so I can start to reload some of these rounds. Wanted to save the Zmax initially till I had some rounds under my belt.

Here are the results of my first two batches of stainless steel wet tumbling. Note that I deprimed the brass prior to tumbling so the primer pockets got cleaned.

[titanse05]

Scored 1k more of the Hornady Zmax 55 gr bullets from Midwayusa this week so I have a nice collection of poly tip bullets. Now if I could only find some FMJ in stock at a fair price I would be set. I'm hoping to grab a case of MontanaGold FMJ when they get some back in stock next month.

[titanse05]

I scored some TAC from a local distributor today. Got enough to reload 10k now. Only need a couple thousand more bullets.

Also need to put my first batch together. Brass is all prepped just need to set my LNL for 223/556.

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[Riverpigusmc]

yeehaw

[TLE2]

PTB, Please make this sticky for a while. I'm interested in the process.

[DrHenley]

Right now is a good time to start reloading .223 and stock up on reloading bullets. When I started reloading .223, inexpensive 55 grain bullets were impossible to find. I finally found a place that let me backorder some and got them 8 months later.

MidwayUSA has all sorts of 22 caliber bullets in stock at the moment. No telling how long that situation will last...get 'em while you can!

Now if they would only get some 22LR in stock

[titanse05]

Xtreme Bullets make some nice 55gr FMJBT. I find them comparable to Hornady's 55gr FMJBT offering.

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[titanse05]

I figured that I would post an update on my progress to reloading 223/556.

I didn't have anytime to commit to reloading last year and only ended up reloading 200 rounds of 45ACP on my LNL in Spring '13. I also only got out to shoot half a dozen times so I just used some of my stash to fuel those range trips. But now, I'm getting back into it and have already reloaded 400 rounds of 45 ACP this year and will be making some more to pad the stash in preparation of setting my LNL up for 223/556.

As far as components go, I had been searching for more Ramshot TAC and bullets throughout last year and both were unobtainable. However, bullets started to come back in stock towards the end of the year and I added to my stash with some Hornady and Xtreme Bullets 55gr FMJBT bullets as well as 75gr HPBT. As I stated a couple posts earlier I hit the TAC lottery last week so now I'm comfortable with what I have on hand to start reloading. After I get some more bullets I will have my stash to the point that I would have enough components to reload 10k rounds.

Powder: Ramshot TAC ($128/8LB)
Primers: Wolf SPRM ($14/1000) Now $23.50 at Wideners
Bullets: Hornady Zmax 55gr, Hornady 55gr FMJBT, Xtreme Bullets 55gr FMJBT and 75gr HPBT from Wideners

I did get all of my brass sorted, deprimed and stainless media tumbled over the course of last year. Now the next step for me is to resize, trim and remove any primer crimps.

After that I just need to setup my LNL press to process the 223/556. I have been considering purchasing a separate LNL Powder Measure to dedicate to rifle rounds.....but I'm still undecided. Will provide additional updates when time permits me.