Reloading for Gas Guns?

Kevin Thomas · #1 03-03-2011, 01:15 PM

Okay, now that we've started here, let's talk a bit about the difference between loading for gas guns and loading for bolt guns!

ICANHITHIMMAN · #2 03-03-2011, 03:30 PM

Well I dont get the case life out of my autoloaders that I do out of my bolt guns. Powder selection is very very important as well as primers. Most guys I have spoken to dont relize that and Im not sure all belived me after I told them the dangers of powders in gas operated sytstems.

Kevin Thomas · #3 03-03-2011, 03:47 PM

No AS bad a problem for the ARs as it was for the M1s and M14s, but yeah, there needs to be some though put into the correct burning speed of powder that are used in such guns. I've frequently had a hard time getting through to people that too slow a powder in some of these guns can damage them, even if the pressures are perfectly safe and below max. Port pressure. Just one of the many things bolt gunners never have to worry about.

Still, just makes me cringe every time I hear someone say that there's no difference between loading for a gas gun and a bolt gun. That's an injury looking for a place to happen.

eyeballjr · #4 03-03-2011, 09:09 PM

Anyone have any tips, or links for a good place to get started reloading for an ar15 223?

ICANHITHIMMAN · #5 03-03-2011, 09:23 PM

Well when Im doing rounds for my AR I use LC brass, CCI #44 primers, H335 powder and standard COAL for the bullet I'M shooting.

My hunting bullet is either a Barnes or Nosler BT. Range fodder is anything thats on sale at the time not to concerned with "OMG that thing shoots accury" just something that will put holes in man sized targets out to 200 yards.

Kevin EURO babes would be nice I just love the industry you work in is all.

HighKnob · #6 03-03-2011, 11:38 PM

I've been working on 75 gr. Hornady bthp with Varget in a 1-8 twist heavy barrel. Still a work in progress, but looking pretty good so far.

Kevin Thomas · #7 03-04-2011, 10:16 AM

eyeballjr,

I'm sure the's some stuff that will appear here that will get you started. There's already some good advice on the thread. The LC cases are very good for ARs, as is the advice for the CCI #41 primers. They're made specifically for autoloading guns with floating firing pins, like the ARs. Highknob mentioned the Varget with 75 grain bullets, and that's a top choice for heavy bullets (anything over 69 grains). That or RL-15 are probably the two top choices for competitive shooters using these rifles.

Beyond that, I strongly recommend the use of chamber gages to set up your dies, and remember that these rifles ALWAYS REQUIRE full length sizing. No excepetions, no exemptions, unless you just really want to have some problems. You might check over on 6mmBR.com or usrifleteams.com for more along these lines. Asa Yam pinned a chapter from a previous edition of the Sierra manual on reloading for gas guns that may be informative for you. There's several other good books specifically relating to the ARs, and several of them have some very good info on reloading for them. John Feamster's Black Magic, Derrick Martin's The Accurate AR, or Glen Zediker's Handloading fro Competition are all really good sources for this info.

And of course, you're always free to ask questions here. Always glad to help.