Reloading for AR-15

S

Swifty

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Hey guys, i'm planning on doing some reloading for my AR15. I have done alot of reloading but not for autos, so the question I have is do I need to crimp my rounds for it? I plan on shooting 52 gr Sierra MatchKings and I neck size all my brass before reloading.
 
I'd suggest f/l sizing your brass for a semi auto to set the shoulder back a couple thou(.002") to simplify cycling.
IF,your expander ball is sized correctly,crimping is not required.
Try 23-24gr of AA2460,throw,seat,shoot.
 
Amen to FL sizing ALL cases for an autoloader. The cases have to chamber easily or it's possible to have slam fires when the case stops before it's fully chambered. This stops the bolt, but the floating firing pin keeps on going. I've never had one and don't ever want to experience one.

Crimping is not necessary if the expander is the right size, if it's not crimping isn't going to help. Crimping an uncannelured bullet will not do it any good at all.
 
Be sure to buy a small base full length sizing die, I use a Redding S-die so I can use bushing to size the neck.
 
Unless your AR has a smaller than usual custom chamber a normal FL die will size the cases enough. A small base die will only overwork the cases if it's not needed. The Redding S (bushing neck sizer) FL die is what I use for my AR, and I've had no problems with chambering.
 
I use Lee dies and Redding S bushing FL dies for .223.

I tried to do neck sizing with lee Collet die, but the case body needs to be put back into shape or it wouldn't chamber.

Bushing dies are great, you can play around with different size bushings and the amount of the neck you resize if you use separate neck and body dies.

I went with imperial sizing wax and it is great too. I prefer it to Hornady One shot or the Lee stuff.

The Redding die is delicate on the decapper pin and collet, so I use the Lee universal decapper for all brass, crimped primer or not.

I've gotten my best groups with AA2230 and 52gr Sierra. I prefer ball powder for .223 and smaller bullets. With 60gr+, Varget and R15 do pretty well. But I have good loads up to 75gr with AA2230.

R10x wasn't bad, but it didn't fill the case much even with max load. It is very clean and consistent.
 
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i agree that there is no need for a small base die, unless you have an extremely tight chamber, or are trying to use brass that was fired in a full auto.
 
I've either got tight chambered Colts or a sloppy full lenth RCBS die, the reloaded ammo wouldn't go in. That's why I got the Redding small base die.
Now I have something else to look at, thanks for the heads up.
 
Thanks guys- I think I will FL resize with my RCBS dies for now....maybe experiment with others later. I have been using Win 748 and 52 gr Sierras in my other .223's so I'm going to try that out first and go from there.
 
Loading for AR

I have a couple ARs and I buy nothing but used brass for them. I bump the shoulder back about .002" on the shortest chamber as the chambers are not the same and I see no need to have multiple settings or dies for ARs. I do not use the expander ball unless the brass mouth is bent something nasty.

Redding Type S Full Length Resizing Die.
The neck bushing is .003" smaller than the loaded round.
Wilson Bullet Seater Die.
Wolf Small Rifle Magnum Primers.
Hodgdon H4198 Powder.
Bullets 40 grain VMax.
 
Adrian

So you take the expander ball out of your FL die when sizing for your AR?
 
Swifty said:
Adrian

So you take the expander ball out of your FL die when sizing for your AR?
Click to expand...

I do, but run the ones with dents throught a K&M expand thing first. I use a Redding S type that has been modified so that the bushing sizes the entire neck.

Jim
 
Swifty said:
Adrian

So you take the expander ball out of your FL die when sizing for your AR?
Click to expand...

The expander ball over works the brass and the necks split. If I have a piece of brass that has a bend mouth I then will use the expander ball. But, just a little to straighten it out. I normally just remove the dent from the mouth with a small punch or screwdriver.... it doesn't take much. Then I run it in the Redding Full Length Type S die.
 
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