40 minutes ago, MartyZ said:

Ok, just got back from the range, and here is the story.

With OAL at 2.210, I still did not get lock back with my SPR, however, it did lock back ONCE, and ONLY ONCE, at 26.2gr, so it's right there.

Now the SPR is a 20" rifle length barrel with a rifle buffer tube.

I also tested all loads in my other 2 ARs, and in both I got lock back consistently with ALL LOADS. My other 2 ARs are:

16" Mid-length with carbine buffer tube

and

16" Carbine length piston  with carbine buffer tube

So I guess my only choices are keep my 68gr with 8208 loads for my SPR and load the 55gr with CFE223 for my other 2 ARs.

Or

Swap out the buffer or buffer spring, not sure which one, on my SPR.

Suggestions???

By the way, I also made up some .308 loads for my AR10 with CFE223 and Hornady 150gr spire points (got 900 free last year with my press purchase), and got some real nice loads at 47.6gr.

Where you at range 14  

14 minutes ago, silverado427 said:

Where you at range 14  

Yep. And had the whole family with me

On 8/11/2019 at 4:24 PM, Longranger said:

Ok. 68gr @ 2900fps is the same energy as 55gr @ 3224fps. So, the question is are you at 3200fps with your loads. Hornady 9th is showing 2.200 COL for the 55gr FMJBT w/c. Is that what yours are measuring?

-Longranger

Just my 2 cents - Velocity and pressure with different powders are not a direct correlation.  

2 hours ago, MartyZ said:

Yep. And had the whole family with me

Where you in lane 15   If so I was the guy with the red silverado in lane 14.

27 minutes ago, silverado427 said:

Where you in lane 15   If so I was the guy with the red silverado in lane 14.

Never would have guessed a Silverado 

40 minutes ago, silverado427 said:

Where you in lane 15   If so I was the guy with the red silverado in lane 14.

Yep, that was me. And thanks again for the keychains

Question... why don't you use 8208 with the 55?  8208 is GREAT powder... for both 308 and 223... 

Was looking over burn rate charts and forgot how slow CFE223 is. wow.

 

2 hours ago, Maksim said:

Question... why don't you use 8208 with the 55?  8208 is GREAT powder... for both 308 and 223... 

Was looking over burn rate charts and forgot how slow CFE223 is. wow.

 

Problem is I want to load them in volume on my progressive press and I haven't had much luck getting an accurate load with 8208 out of the powder drop.

And anyway, I have 4 pounds I need to use up

10 minutes ago, MartyZ said:

Problem is I want to load them in volume on my progressive press and I haven't had much luck getting an accurate load with 8208 out of the powder drop.

And anyway, I have 4 pounds I need to use up

Ah. Yes. 8208 and metering. It is pretty good out of my electronic dispenser butbhave not tried in hornady or Lyman powder measures.

How doesnCFE223 measure?

16 minutes ago, Maksim said:

Ah. Yes. 8208 and metering. It is pretty good out of my electronic dispenser butbhave not tried in hornady or Lyman powder measures.

How doesnCFE223 measure?

Not sure yet, just going off reviews for now. But it's similar to titegroup as far as size and shape. And I love the way titegroup meters.

6 hours ago, Maksim said:

Ah. Yes. 8208 and metering. It is pretty good out of my electronic dispenser butbhave not tried in hornady or Lyman powder measures.

How doesnCFE223 measure?

CFE 223 measures very well out of my Dillon + -  .1gr out of Ideal 55 as well.

1 hour ago, Old School said:

CFE 223 measures very well out of my Dillon + -  .1gr out of Ideal 55 as well.

Wow. I have a lb... Will have to try it.  I have everything to reload 223 on my progressive but generally loaded rifle on the single stages. 

10 minutes ago, Maksim said:

Wow. I have a lb... Will have to try it.  I have everything to reload 223 on my progressive but generally loaded rifle on the single stages. 

PM me and I'll give you a pet load that pushes a 55gr FMJ about 2800fps fully cycles and is good for plinking.  Under 1 MOA too.

@Maksim  BTW where are you moving to after PA puts in all their new firearms restrictions?

 

Just now, Old School said:

PM me and I'll give you a pet load that pushes a 55gr FMJ about 2800fps fully cycles and is good for plinking.  Under 1 MOA too.

@Maksim  BTW where are you moving to after PA puts in all their new firearms restrictions?

 

Lol. Kentucky chaptwr of PA will rise before any new gun laws pass. 

2 hours ago, Old School said:

CFE 223 measures very well out of my Dillon + -  .1gr out of Ideal 55 as well.

Once I dial in my volume on my Lee Deluxe Perfect Powder Measure, I'd agree with this. I'm still doing small batches so I check every round to verify it and so far it's been extremely precise.

15 hours ago, Old School said:

Just my 2 cents - Velocity and pressure with different powders are not a direct correlation.  

I agree 100%.  I'm only saying that a 55gr @ 3224fps has the same kinetic energy as a 68gr at 2900fps.  Same amount of work was done on the bullet.  Different powders, different burn rates, different length of time in the barrel (before and after the gas port), and different pressure/time curves.

-Longranger

Ok, so I tried to get the OAL to 2.200 as per the load data. I trimmed the case down to 1.731 and the cannelure is still sinking all the way down. As an FYI, these are Berry's 55gr FMJBTs.

6 minutes ago, MartyZ said:

Ok, so I tried to get the OAL to 2.200 as per the load data. I trimmed the case down to 1.731 and the cannelure is still sinking all the way down. As an FYI, these are Berry's 55gr FMJBTs.

Forget that cannelure.. Neck tension baby.  Sure you want to check you're not getting set back.  But don't worry about it.

BTW trim you case to spec.  The more neck the more neck tension

MartyZ,

You did say in your original post that you had checked the gun. Did you test or check the gas rings?  Are the BCGs in all your ARs the same weight?  I wonder if the SPR BCG is a touch heavier than the others and maybe a little swapping around will get you all guns working with all ammo. 

-Longranger

Actually the BCG in the SPR is a cryptic coatings mystic black BCG. Which is a tool craft BCG with an extremely slick coating. The mid-length AR uses  a PSA nitrite BCG and the carbine AR uses a nitrite Adams arms piston BCG. Out of the 3, the SPR has the smoothest action.

If the Tool Craft and PSA are both full auto spec, they're probably the same weight. Oh well.  If the SPR gas rings test ok, no leaks in the gas system, gas block is properly aligned to the gas port, and the gas port is not undersize or partially clogged, I think you're down to lightening the buffer or running the 55gr ammo with a heavier charge than the recommended max.  I'm curious to hear what you decide to settle on. 

-Longranger

I loaded about 300+ .223 and 150 .308. Dumped about 2.5 pounds of cfe223. I'll use these on my other 2 rifles and load the 68gr with 8208 for the SPR. Then I might try the H335

Plinking ammo shouldn't be this hard to make. There are some weird things that happen though. I'd just try a little bit faster burning powder. I wouldnt push seating depth or trim length too far. You also want something that will drop into your other guns 

So try a different powder

 

Ok, i'm resurrecting this extremely old thread, haven't done much shooting in the last 1 and a half due to other priorities. But i'm back to shooting and reloading. And I have playing with some new loads for 55 gr plinking ammo with H335. And now I finally got a chrono.

Here is my next dilemma. I called Range 14 to ask about their policy on using chronos and they said it was fine as long as it's right in front of the station. The directions for the chrono however state that is has to be at least 10 feet away. would shooting thru the chrono from about a foot away be a problem? Has anyone had issue at range 14 with putting their chronos 10 feet out?

18 hours ago, MartyZ said:

Ok, i'm resurrecting this extremely old thread, haven't done much shooting in the last 1 and a half due to other priorities. But i'm back to shooting and reloading. And I have playing with some new loads for 55 gr plinking ammo with H335. And now I finally got a chrono.

Here is my next dilemma. I called Range 14 to ask about their policy on using chronos and they said it was fine as long as it's right in front of the station. The directions for the chrono however state that is has to be at least 10 feet away. would shooting thru the chrono from about a foot away be a problem? Has anyone had issue at range 14 with putting their chronos 10 feet out?

Which chrono? 

 

I have the prochrono and while it says 10 feet, it's so you don't blast it over. They said it should still work up close you just have to be careful not to knock it over.

I got the prochrono dlx. I also have a heavy duty video camera tripod that I can use.

19 hours ago, MartyZ said:

issue at range 14 with putting their chronos 10 feet out?

I've seen chronos out a few feet on the dirt, but never 10 feet out.  I wouldn't put one out that far, some numb nuts might shoot it.  Set up off the concrete about a foot away, and you should have four or five feet.

How do you plan on setting up the chrono, on a tripod?  If so, weigh it down with a sand bag hung low ( a few inches off the ground) from the center column.

The chrono has a built in tripod threaded insert. The sandbag is a good idea, thanks.

1 hour ago, MartyZ said:

I got the prochrono dlx

I have the same.  Bought it on sale like five months ago, but have not used it yet.  I keep forgetting that I have it.

I’ve always run 24.5gr of h335 for 55gr fmjbt. I’d ladder up from the min charge on Hornady’s web site and go from there. Good luck!