What OAL do you load your .223 to?

[Paulinski]

Hello

I'm looking for find out what OAL to load my .223 loads to. Lyman 48th edition states 2.260 with 69 gr SMK bullets.

What do you load yours to. Also how do you determined what OAL so go with, one it has to fit in the magazine any other factors?

Thanks

Paul

[UVvis]

Paul,

It really depends on the bullet. Generally, if the bullet has a cannelure with brass trimmed to 1.750, I seat to that point provided it keeps the round within magazine length.

With longer match bullets, I generally seat to around 2.250, give or take a little depending on the bullet, and how consistent the overall length of the bullets are. The overall length on match bullets seems mostly to depend on the where the jacket ends at the tip, so your overall length can vary a bit. Mag length depends on the magazines.

From there, shorter bullets without cannelures I try to seat as far out as I can, provided I can keep enough neck tension on the bullet.

[jmart]

For 55 grain w/cannelure, I seat at the cannelure. For heavier match bullets, approx 2.250 or a tad longer -- basically the max length the mag allows.

[fourrobert13]

Hornady 7th edition says 2.20 for 55gr fmj & SP. 2.25 for 68gr and 75 gr BTHP.

[m4fun]

I am gave up on the measure of the OAL but seat to the cannelure(sp?) on sized and trimmed brass. OAL comes to approx 2.25-2.26 Brass is 1.755

[fourrobert13]

I am gave up on the measure of the OAL but seat to the cannelure(sp?) on sized and trimmed brass. OAL comes to approx 2.25-2.26 Brass is 1.755

Spire point....SP.


I guess not every one knows that, my bad.:D

[toddackerman]

Spire point....SP.


I guess not every one knows that, my bad.:D

I agree with seating at the cannelure on 55 Gn. FMJBT, and Spire Points (which are a little shorter) For the longer Match Grade Bullets, I seat them to fit in the Mag.

FWIW....If you notice, the 55 Gn. FMJBT has the cannelure so that with trimmed/ factory spec brass, the bullet just fits in side the Mag. with minimal clearance. It was designed this way for the AR15/ M16 platform. This maximum length seating depth will improve functioning especially in rifles that do no have M4 feed ramps, because as the cartridge "jumps" when the bolt contacts it on the forward movement, the bullet has more of a chance of diving into the chamber instead of the receiver, or barrel extension.

[HolyRoller]

Hello

I'm looking for find out what OAL to load my .223 loads to. Lyman 48th edition states 2.260 with 69 gr SMK bullets.

What do you load yours to. Also how do you determined what OAL so go with, one it has to fit in the magazine any other factors?

Thanks

Paul

I only handload match bullets, 77gr Nosler with 24gr Reloder 15 and 75gr Hornady AMAX with 25gr Reloder 15. I can't remember the OAL I use for AMAXes but it's definitely beyond mag length. Overlength match bullets like these are single-loaded and strictly for the 600 yard line at highpower matches.

As for 77gr Nosler or Sierra, beats me what the OAL is--I just put a Black Hills factory 77gr cartridge in the press and gently screw down the adjustment on the seater die until it touches, fine-tune the seating depth until the reloads are the same OAL as the factory rounds, and then check every reload in an actual magazine to see that it just does fit. These loads are accurate enough for match work, they feed reliably, and they're a little warm but they exhibit no signs of serious overpressure. These are the only factors I think are important.

I have two seater dies, one Lee and the other RCBS, and it happens that the Lee die seats the long AMAXes well but unless very carefully adjusted will mash the case when seating 77s. The RCBS works fine with 77s, so I leave the Lee die adjusted for AMAX and I wrote "77" with a Sharpie all over the RCBS die.