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reloading for semi auto..............

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bobaldoo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bobaldoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: reloading for semi auto..............
    Posted: December/02/2011 at 14:23
is there a max fps on reloads for a mini 14(223). wasn't sure if the added pressures would effect the gas system...and if so where does a person find that info......thanks......
"I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you and the people who knocked these building down will hear all of us soon."   g bush....
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BeltFed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BeltFed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/02/2011 at 14:45
Sounds like your new to reloading. If you haven't got a reloading manual, you need to go to a gunshop that sells reloading equipment and pick one or two up. Read them carefully, they should be able to answer your question and you will NEED the manual for reference.
If I'm wrong; what is your experience?
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jonoMT View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/02/2011 at 14:56
It's a good question to ask though. I've always been careful to load my semi-auto (M1 Garand) to not be hot. Otherwise you'll risk bending the op rod...same would apply to the M1A/M14 or the mini. Also, you need to always full-length resize. Check out the manuals at your local store as Beltfed advised. There's like some starting loads specific to .223 for the mini.
Reaction time is a factor...
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Urimaginaryfrnd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/02/2011 at 20:59
With  .223 and 5.56mm NATO the semi auto actually is a tad hotter than the bolt guns.  The Horniday manual is the best refrence. Note 7.62 mm NATO vs .308 the military rifles load lighter bullets with lower powder charge than bolt guns so just the opposite holds true.  Buy the Horniday manual.
Also it is very important to measure case length and trim and to measure over all length.  

69 gr Sierra (overall length 2.25")

Powder Type
Grains
Notes
Reloader 15Thunbs Up
24.0 to 24.8
This is my favorite load with the 69 grain bullet. It is extremely accurate and consistant. Very good velocity.
Varget
24.0 to 25.0
Very accurate. You may have trouble obtaining the velocity of faster burning powders. Also, Varget powder burns dirtier than Reloader 15.
AA 2460 23.5 to 24.0 Very accurate and excellent load. It is a ball powder, so it measures very well. No chronograph data.
Hogdon 4895 24.0 Shoots very well, but it does not meter very well, as it is a medium stick powder.


Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - December/02/2011 at 21:01

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bobaldoo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bobaldoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/02/2011 at 21:40
my point exactly, i load 23 gr of benchmark powder that pushes a 55 gr bullet 3050 fps(nosler #6 book) its the smallest load from benchmark but was told recently if the load is to hot it can damage the gun...so was looking for a happy medium between accuracy and not blowing up....
"I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you and the people who knocked these building down will hear all of us soon."   g bush....
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bobaldoo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bobaldoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/02/2011 at 21:56
Originally posted by Urimaginaryfrnd Urimaginaryfrnd wrote:





With  .223 and 5.56mm NATO the semi auto actually is a tad hotter than the bolt guns.  The Horniday manual is the best refrence. Note 7.62 mm NATO vs .308 the military rifles load lighter bullets with lower powder charge than bolt guns so just the opposite holds true.  Buy the Horniday manual.
Also it is very important to measure case length and trim and to measure over all length.  
<table border="1" cellSpacing="0" cellPadding="4" width="610" align="center">
<t>
<t><t><tr vAlign="middle" align="center">
<td colSpan="3">

<h4>69 gr Sierra (overall length 2.25")</h4>
</td></tr>
<tr vAlign="middle" align="center">
<td height="32" width="139">
Powder Type
</td>
<td height="32" width="98">
Grains
</td>
<td height="32" width="365">
Notes
</td></tr>
<tr vAlign="top" align="center">
<td height="52" width="139">
Reloader 15Thunbs Up
</td>
<td height="52" width="98">
24.0 to 24.8
</td>
<td height="52" width="365" align="left">This is my favorite load
with the 69 grain bullet. It is extremely accurate and consistant. Very good
velocity.
</td></tr>
<tr vAlign="top" align="center">
<td height="32" width="139">
Varget
</td>
<td height="32" width="98">
24.0 to 25.0
</td>
<td height="32" width="365" align="left">Very accurate. You may
have trouble obtaining the velocity of faster burning powders. Also, Varget
powder burns dirtier than Reloader 15.
</td></tr>
<tr vAlign="top" align="center">
<td height="2" width="139">AA 2460 </td>
<td height="2" width="98">23.5 to 24.0</td>
<td height="2" width="365" align="left">Very accurate and
excellent load. It is a ball powder, so it measures very well. No chronograph
data.
</td></tr>
<tr vAlign="top" align="center">
<td height="16" width="139">Hogdon 4895 </td>
<td height="16" width="98">24.0</td>
<td height="16" width="365" align="left">Shoots very well, but it
does not meter very well, as it is a medium stick
powder.
</td></tr></t></t></t></table>


my case length are all 1.750 to the letter, and my oal are all set by a competition seater die so they are all the same....was just wondering if to hot of a load will damage the gas driven system .....           thanks for all the help fella's.............
"I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you and the people who knocked these building down will hear all of us soon."   g bush....
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bobaldoo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bobaldoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/02/2011 at 22:15
Originally posted by bobaldoo bobaldoo wrote:

my point exactly, i load 23 gr of benchmark powder that pushes a 55 gr bullet 3050 fps(nosler #6 book) its the smallest load from benchmark but was told recently if the load is to hot it can damage the gun...so was looking for a happy medium between accuracy and not blowing up....
"I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you and the people who knocked these building down will hear all of us soon."   g bush....
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Alan Robertson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alan Robertson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/06/2011 at 15:25
Howdy bobaldoo,

"...was just wondering if to hot of a load will damage the gas driven system..."

Yes
You will want to load for your Mini-14 using .223 data as milspec (5.56) is loaded to quite a bit higher pressure. 

Your given load looks ok... Hodgdon (online) lists 23.4- 25.6 gr. max load .223 for Benchmark with 2 different bullets, so you can see that different bullets require different powder charges. 

Also as example, Ramshot lists .223 charges of TAC powder from 24 gr. - 25.8 gr. depending on which  55gr. bullet is loaded.
Other mfg.'s would do us all a favor by following  Ramshot's testing/publishing methods for load data as Ramshot does a great job of presenting load data.
 http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ramshot_handgun_rifle.pdf 


You could ladder- test to find what's most accurate for your rifle and also determine where your fired cases start to show pressure signs.

It would be very useful to you to study the reloading pages at:
http://www.ar15.com/forums/f_6/42_Reloading.html 

"Garg'n uair dhuisgear"
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bobaldoo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bobaldoo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/06/2011 at 22:36
Originally posted by Alan Robertson Alan Robertson wrote:

Howdy bobaldoo,

"...was just wondering if to hot of a load will damage the gas driven system..."

Yes
You will want to load for your Mini-14 using .223 data as milspec (5.56) is loaded to quite a bit higher pressure. 

Your given load looks ok... Hodgdon (online) lists 23.4- 25.6 gr. max load .223 for Benchmark with 2 different bullets, so you can see that different bullets require different powder charges. 

Also as example, Ramshot lists .223 charges of TAC powder from 24 gr. - 25.8 gr. depending on which  55gr. bullet is loaded.
Other mfg.'s would do us all a favor by following  Ramshot's testing/publishing methods for load data as Ramshot does a great job of presenting load data.
 http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/ramshot_handgun_rifle.pdf 


You could ladder- test to find what's most accurate for your rifle and also determine where your fired cases start to show pressure signs.



It would be very useful to you to study the reloading pages at:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/f_6/42_Reloading.html 

i loaded all three nosler loads from benchmark and found that the 23 gr is the most accurate and shows no signs of pressure what so ever, i can shoot under a 2 inch group from that load and thats the best this gun has ever done, factory or handloads..so i was kinda hopeing to keep it....thanks for the links of thoughs sites i will be reading through them..........


"I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you and the people who knocked these building down will hear all of us soon."   g bush....
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tjtjwdad View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tjtjwdad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/14/2011 at 00:22
With my experience;
 
-The Hodgdon "Extreme" line of powders are more consistent (velocity) than the Alliant powders as the temperature changes.
 
-The Alliant powders are no better or worse than other powders of it's class (temperature effects).
 
Here's an interesting article:
 
HTH
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