Reloading Questions

[ColdDeadHands]

Hi all, my buddy is getting another reloader...probably the Dillon 1050 with all the bells and whistles to load 5.56 Ammo. I want to find out from you guys if we can use 223 dies to load 5.56?

[goodoleboy]

You can use .223 dies to load 5.56mm NATO. The problem is that you need 5.56mm brass (slightly thicker internally, to handle the higher pressures). When acquiring 5.56 brass, remember that if it is once-fired military surplus, then the primer pocket has been crimped and needs to be "processed." Some suppliers offer this type of brass tumbled with processed pockets (to remove the crimp). The brass hasn't been resized or trimmed, so you'll need to do that. I've seen advertisements for military primer pocket decrimping tools, but I've never purchased one, but may do so soon. The going rate on processing pockets goes for about $20.00 per 1000. So, depending on how much you shoot, it may or may not be economically efficient to purchase one of these machines.

Have fun

[herd48]

Most of the once fired brass from large suppliers is military 556. It will be stated. Also, with the 1050. Crimped primer pockets are not a problem. They are taken care of in one of the stations. The 1050 has a primer pocket swager. The 1050 is a reloading machine. Not a press. LOL You will be good to go.

[Hound_va]

The problem is that you need 5.56mm brass (slightly thicker internally, to handle the higher pressures).

Please see the following thread for actual data on brass weights/case capacities:

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?p=290492

or

http://www.6mmbr.com/223rem.html

or

www.ar15barrels.com/data/223weights.xls

[ColdDeadHands]

That's good news. I hope he goes for the 1050, which would be the best one considering what herd48 said...and because we do have a bunch of MKE once fired brass with the crimped primer pockets.

[goodoleboy]

Please see the following thread for actual data on brass weights/case capacities:

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?p=290492

or

http://www.6mmbr.com/223rem.html

or

www.ar15barrels.com/data/223weights.xls

Very eye opening!

[Hound_va]

The myth that 5.56 brass is thicker than .223 brass is because at one time mil brass was thicker than its closely related commercial counterpart. That was with 7.62x51 vs .308 Win, not 5.56 vs .223. People have mistakenly transferred the 7.62x51 (Mil) is thicker than 308 Win (Comm) over to the 5.56 vs .223 which simply is not the case as shown by all of the data presented showing case weights and case capacities.

[hammonje]

NATO headstamp brass is much the same as commercial .223 Rem cases.

I have been handloading for over 10 years and have been a service rifle competitor for some time now and have reloaded extensively for .308 Win (7.62 NATO), .223 Rem, and .30-06. Reloading for .223 Rem is by far the easiest with H335, TAC, and Win 748 being good for 55/62/64 gr weights and Reloader-15 for 69/75/77/80 gr pills.

.223 Rem and 5.56 NATO cases have the same dimensions. It's the chamber that is different. Same goes for .308 Win and 7.62x51mm NATO. Identical rounds, but the chamber is different. The 5.56 chamber is more generous than the .223 Rem.

Use a Lyman cartridge case gage to set up your .223 Rem ful-length resizing die (all you need is Lee pacesetter dies to make sub-MOA loads). Get a good trimmer, dial caliper, and you are GTG.

[Hound_va]

Just curious if you have looked thru any of the links provided. What you are saying, that Mil 5.56 brass is heavier and has less capacity, does not go along with any of the data shown in any of the 3 linked items. It also does not fit with any research I've done with .223 and mil 5.56 brass in the last 15 years of handloading for that particular cartridge. It would be very interesting if you could provide some weight and case capacity measurements you have done on the 223 / 5.56.

[hammonje]

5.56 mm Case Comparison
Brand Case Wt. (gr)

Winchester 88.8
Federal 90.25
PMC 91.3
R-P 91.5
LC 92 NATO 91.7
LC 89 NATO 92.5
TW 68 92.5
WCC 85 92.7
WW Nickel 92.8
WW 92.9
IMI 93.0
WCC 87 93.2
US Specification for the
5.56 mm cases are 94 -5 gr for M193 cases and 95 -6 gr for M855 NATO cases

Yeah...must have missed my own data.