Hey everyone,

I'm new to the forums and have a few questions, maybe ya'll can answer them.

Let me start by telling you that I have a Colt M4 Carbine witha 16.1" barrel and a 1/7" twist, open sights; and I'm not having too much luck with it.

What are some good loads for this gun? I use it for varmints, deer, and just plinking. I don't really have a whole lot of reloading material as I am just getting started. I currently have the following powders: IMR 4064, IMR 3031, and Hodgdon's H335; and the following bullets: 55gr FMJBT (both pointed and rounded nose) and 70gr Semi-Spitzer SP. I have used 40gr VMAX, but used them all and may order some more. What are good loads for these materials? Also post other loads if you want, and make some suggestions on what bullets and powders I might need.

Hope you can help. Thanks in advance.

BrandonKappel

First off,
Welcome to AR. You will find a lot of strong opinions here. No and then you may even get a useful answer to a question.

Buy a box of longer bullets. Try some 68 grain Hornady or 69 grain Sierra HPBT bullets over 23.0 grains of H 335. Get a Lee factory crimp die. Those are pretty cheap, and often help AR accuracy.

The most popular powders for the 5.56/.223 are Varget, RL-15, VV N140 and TAC. Competitors will use one of those four powders over 90% of the time.

The Tech Line at Sierra will give you some good loads to try with their bullets.

There are two main ways to increase the accuracy of an AR: Put in a better trigger and float the barrel. All the competitors and serrious varmint shooters do both. You can get away with not floating the barrel if you don't use much sling pressure to help steady the barrel. Even with heavy profile barrels you can change the point of impact of bullets by almost six inches with variable sling tension.

A great drop in target trigger is the Rock River Arms Match two stage trigger. You can get those already tuned up by John Holliger at White Oak Armament for about $125.00. That alone will cut your group size in half. The issue trigger on Colt AR-15's is great for reliability in combat, but not very good for accuracy.

There is another shooting board called AR15.com. Those guys fight and bicker so much that they make us crabby old codgers here on AR seem like veritable Angels in comparison. There is a lot of good information over there. Just poke around and read some.

23.0 grains of H 335 should also give you good results with the 55grain FMJBT bullets that you have. With Iron sights and a crappy trigger that means 3.0 - 4.0 inches at 100 yards.

The first thing to do is buy a box of Black Hills target ammunition. If your rifle doesn't shoot well with that, then the problem is in the rifle, or your technique.

lawndart

The Colt AR-15s are very well made rifles.

Lawndart is right you first want a new trigger. I have a Bushmaster AR-15 that has a floated barrel, but the trigger is a mess. I just need to take it in and get a new one installed.

As for a powder, I have been very happy with Varget. I use it in my AR, my .22-250, .30-30, and sometimes my 300WSM. I can get Varget in just about every sporting goods store at about $18/lb.

The bullets that I experiment with are 40gr Hornady Vmax, 55gr bulk soft points, and the occasional 55gr FMJBT. Behind them I am using 26.0 grains of Varget. To be honest I have not noticed much of a difference in POI, but I am guilty of plinking and have yet to really develop the ultimate accuracy load for my gun.

Brandon,

Welcome to AR. You didn't say how you're dissatisfied with your AR-15. And what your expectations are.

There is no other weapon that is as customizeable as the AR platform. I've got three and they are all different weapons. The free float forends with Picatinny rails at all four sides are great for accuracy and attaching the required 40# of gadgetry. If your rifle has the detachable carry handle you can easily put a scope on it. The stock trigger never slowed me down too much but there are several match type triggers that don't take a rocket scientist to figure out.


I use Varget, W748 and WC846 surplus powder in my rifles with bullets ranging from 55gr fmj to 69gr Sierra MatchKings to 77gr SMK's. I've shot three deer with the 20" rifles and all those deer died right where they were hit.

Lawndart's right you have to be careful with tension or pressure on the forend as it's easy to flex the aluminum upper reciever.

Hornady makes a 68gr match load that's very accurate and Winchester has a white box 45gr load that also shoots under 1" from my flattop.

Thanks for the replies guys.

@Lawndart:

I need to get longer bullets? Would 62gr. FMJ be OK for plinking and just having fun? This is the standard US military (M855) round, right? So the rifle is designed for these bullets, correct? What would be best for varmint hunting? I have had 40gr VMAX in the past, but should I get some 60gr VMAX or something? I always liked the VMAX bullets.

I always thought H-335 was supposed to be excellent in the .223. Am I wrong? I may try some of that other powder.

I'm not sure I want to replace the trigger or float the barrel, at least not now. First off, I'm notthat concered about accuracy I just want to be able to do some plinking and do half decent with coyotes and deer. Second, I'm just a kid (16 years old) and don't really have the money to do all of that, I seem to have spent it all on the rifle, LOL.

And I already have the Lee Factory Crimp Die, came with my Lee dies. One question though, how much of a crimp do I need. Should it be extremely noticable? Have any pictures to demonstrate?

@Rick R

It's not that I'm dissatisfied with my rifle, I just would rather shoot a little better with it. I know it'll take time to get used to the sights, I'm just not very patient, LOL.

I do have the detatchable carry handle, but I'm not sure I want to put a scope on it yet. I hope to join the Marine Corps after high school, and know I will see the iron sights again very soon, so I better learn to shoot with them.



I mostly want three types of bullets: a cheapish one for plinking, one for varmints, and one for deer. If some of these are the same, then great, if not then thats OK also.


On a side note, what powders and bullets would be good for both .223REM and .220 Swift. My dad has a .220 Swift and I'd like for the reloading components to be the same for both.

Thanks for all your help.

You're kinda hampered by the sight system of the M-4. Sight radius is short and that front sight is too wide for precision shooting at real long range. You can do some amazing shooting with the little gun, it's just harder than shooting the 20" gun or a scope sighted rifle.

The barrel is designed for the 62gr military bullet which is fairly long ( I know it's really designed that the longer tracer bullet, but you won't find many in your local store).
I've had good luck with simple 55gr soft points for plinking and varmints. 55gr fmj ammo from Winchester, Federal and Remington can be purchased so cheaply that handloading is a waste of shooting time.

I've shot deer with the 69gr and 77gr Sierra Match King (SMK) but never found a bullet, they just blow up. Made venison but I think I was lucky not to lose a deer. I had good results with the 62gr Sierra soft point years ago, but I don't know how well they're made today.

Can't help you with the .220Swift reloading as I've never owned one. Any powder that works in that big case would be a compromise in the little .223.

Get some cheap 55gr fmj ammo and go shootin'

You have young eyes. Enjoy focusing on the front sight while you can. When you are our age it will be just a blurry blob.

Rick is absolutely correct. With your present rifle set up trying to dial in a precision load is an exercise in futility. 55 grain blasting ammo is cheap, and will do a fine job for plinking. Avoid the Wolf or Brown Bear brands though.

Again, buy one box of precision ammo from Black Hills or Federal. That will tell you what that rifle is capable of in your hands.

The Swift was traditionally loaded with lighter bullets. 50 grainers should do fine. you will ned slower powders than you have right now for that rifle.

Just make the crimp on your handloaded ammo look like the crimp on your store bought ammo.

lawndart