5.56x45 NATO in a .223 rifle (sort of long)
I reload my buddy's .223 ammo from our varmint trips for him. Nothing fancy. I neck size or full length size each time with my Lee .223 Remington dies, trim to length, usually load 55 gr bullets and only use one of two different powders he buys (IMR 4064 and Varget). If it's stuff he fired through his .223 CZ bolt rifle, I usually neck-size only and label BOLDLY the boxes to be fired in CZ ONLY (and indicate how many reloads the brass has gone through). His other rifle is an AR variant with a Wylde chamber. So, that gun gets full length sized every time. It has, so far, fired all my .223 reloads without issue. Up until now he has only supplied me fired .223 brass. His last batch of 75 rounds was a mix of 5.56 and .223, but I didn't note the headstamp until I had full-length sized all the brass with my .223 Lee dies. The brass may now be the same on the outside as my normal .223 brass, but on the inside there is less volume due to more brass (or, so I have read). Thinking about holding back a half grain or so from the load with these 5.56 brass pieces. Does this seem reasonable? And, if so, should the 5.56 headstamped brass be designated to fire in one of these rifles only? In my thinking, I would lean towards the AR for firing these since the Wylde chamber can handle higher pressure rounds. Or, do I tell him to stick to .223 ammo purchases from here on out and scrap the brass (40 pieces). I feel I have created .223 profile brass that has a built-in chance of having higher internal pressure when fired than is normal for a .223.
I know I'll get wrist-slapped for this, but the education will be worth it.
Last edited by Liam; 06-08-2017 at 10:27.
Reason: clarity
"Wars are, of course, as a rule to be avoided; but they are far better than certain kinds of peace." - T.R.