I'm curious if many if you reload for your AR! Accuracy with factory vs reloads? How exact do you reload these rounds?

I'm curious because I reload for all my Bolt Action rifles but have never reloaded for my ARs. I find that I just go thru way to many rounds when I shoot my ARs that I can't justify the time vs benefits.

Thanks,

Mel

I buy 5.56 ammo 2000 rds at a time

I don't do anything precision with them, just plinking
and hog hunting, not worth the trouble in reloading

I reload when I have a chance. I work overseas most of the time so I end up buying ammo due to the short amount of time I have when home. When I do reload I use 69gr SMK's over 24-24.5 varget and get VERY good results. If its just a plinking or to make a bang sound I shoot cheap stuff. If I want precision I reload.

For the AR you will need Small Base dies, RCBS just came with some called the AR series. I purchased them in 223, 6.8, and 300 but haven't actually used them due to limited time. I had been using just a regular set of Small base RCBS but I like to try new things. Its also a good thing to trim before reloading, most calibers you can get a few loadings out of but with the 223 and small base dies the brass grows. I use a Redding trim die. I found I prefer trim dies over turning trimmers but everyone has their opinion on that. The next thing is a Lee Factory Crimp die. Not needed as you can get a taper crimp in the RCBS die but the Lee Die works great and worth the $10.

I use H335 for my FMJ loads, but I do not intend to hunt with that ammo. For hunting I load 60-grain Partitions with H4895. During testing I fired a 10-shot group that had lateral dispersion of over an inch, but eight shots hit in a little over 3/4-inch and I am sure I pulled the other two rounds out myself. Velocity is 2900 fps. That is my hunting load.

I load for all of my AR shooting.

WC844 or similar for plinking ammo.
H335 for my target / hot loads.

I have a DD 10.5" SBR w/ an Aimpoint CompM3 w/ 4MOA dot. So, no magnification, and a 4MOA point of aim.

At 50, I have been able to keep it to an inch easily. That means I have a 2" dot in my scope I am aiming with, but can keep my group to half that size with my handloads.

At 100 (only shot this gun at 100 twice), I can keep it to 3". At 100 yards, my 4MOA dot is 4". Seeing 100 yards with no magnification ain't easy, either. I can just keep my group inside the 4" dot.

It is a lot easier to see at 50 than at 100 w/ no magnification.

All that to say, yes I reload, and yes I get good accuracy out of it.

Oh, I load plinking ammo on a progressive press.

For my target / hot loads, I still load on my progressive, but I hand measure every powder charge.

This thread may be of some use for you OP

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3413767/1

It will help you choose primers, powders and bullets for loading for an AR

Also use H4895 with 77gr match kings, 1/2-3/4 MOA.

for plinking..I'm using Midways Dogtown Bullets I bought a couple of years back.
55 gr FMJ for .08 cents each.
Powder charge avg 24 gr= .07 cents
primer = .04 cents
thats .19 cents a round

I don't do alot of that style shooting though. I have one AR with a EoTech on it for that. The others are built up for varmints and longer range with nice glass on them
Those get 60 gr VMax's and 8208 XBR and are very accurate out of a 1/7 twist.

Consistent neck tension is what I think is very important to getting an AR accurate, next is a quality bullet. When you can, save the brass you have fire formed for that specific gun and just neck size them.

Concentrate on these things instead of sitting there and worrying about a tenth of a grain difference in powder charge

Sorry, Sparky, I disagree! In order for ammo to cycle reliably in a semi, without question, you need to Full Length size. Heck, even with a bolt gun, you are eventually going to need to bump the shoulder back in order to get it to chamber properly.

for plinking and such, I agree with you for sure. If you look at what I said, I have a process for plinking ammo, in which I run different and I do full length resize them.

for the best accuracy on my varmint ARs, I keep the brass separate and run them differently. I only load about 20-50 at a time for my varmint ARs. most of the time, a quick drop into a case gauge will let you know if they won't chamber right

I treat my AR just like any other rifle when reloading. I make hog ammo using 60 grain partitions. The shoot just like XM193 ammo which is what I use for plinking and testing. Regular RCBS full length dies, but I have two sets of dies. One is set up for my bolt gun, the other for the semi auto.