getting in to the reloading caper

Reloading equipment, methods, load data, powder and projectile information.

getting in to the reloading caper

Post by Jon79 » 23 Apr 2019, 5:35 pm

Well have decided to get off my backside and get the last few things I need to start reloading, going to be reloading mainly .223 but also 243 & 308... picked up some cheap 55gr Sierra super roo gameking projectiles for $139 per 1,000 and the dies I was missing so will have a play around on the weekend


Was looking up the ADI load data to find a starting point for the 223 but also bought the Nick Harvey 10th edition manual but was disappointed that he doesn't list any load data for AR2206H for the 55gr projectiles
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by in2anity » 23 Apr 2019, 5:51 pm

Work up from 23.5 to 25.5gr AR2206H looking for pressure signs (which I doubt there'll be any in this range). 26gr if you're feeling adventurous :drinks:
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by Apollo » 23 Apr 2019, 6:29 pm

I doubt that Nick Harvey has updated anything in the last 10 years and never will in the future. If he lists AR2206 (which hasn't been made for many years) that is roughly it and not much different to AR2206H.

Use the ADI Data, that's done by Hogdon in the USA and more likely to have been updated than anyone else. Just look at the bullet weight and don't worry about bullet style or manufacturer will give you a very good idea. Just be a bit careful if you want to push the load a bit.

Personally, I have found that Benchmark 2 works the best for me in any number of .223R I have reloaded for with the 55gr Bullet. I use 24.8gr BM2 and that is about mid range in the load. Never got better accuracy going higher or lower. About 4 different rifles I now have got to work very well around that load.

I don't believe in buying cheap bulk run bullets. I buy bullets that I know will perform and I want my reloads to be better than anything else. My preferred bullet is the Berger 55gr Flat Base Varmint for the .223R and I want a kill from every shot I make for it to be worth the effort. General shooting range is 100-300 metres.
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by SCJ429 » 23 Apr 2019, 6:44 pm

A bit harsh Apollo, the Sierra Super Roo has worked pretty well for me. It is effective on small game and accurate too. Most guys need to practice more and at 13 cents each they are hard to beat for a bit of plinking.
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by Apollo » 23 Apr 2019, 7:01 pm

SCJ429 wrote:A bit harsh Apollo, the Sierra Super Roo has worked pretty well for me. It is effective on small game and accurate too. Most guys need to practice more and at 13 cents each they are hard to beat for a bit of plinking.


Well sorry mate, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.... :friends:

I don't do "plinking" as you call it.... :unknown:

I go out every afternoon or two until dark and take two magazines (10 Cartridges) and I expect 10 kills or I'm wasting my time. The more I go the more shy they get so the range gets further and it gets harder to hit a Grasshopper in the head at 300m the older I get and that seems to be getting quicker. Reminds me I need to renew my permit before it expires for home and nextdoor neighbour's. Wish all these long tail bastards would go visit someone else, permanently.

Some years ago I used to buy the Nosler Shots as they were a bit cheap but even checking sighting in I'd keep getting a few that didn't want to stay at home in the one group so I switched to the Bergers, bugger the cost. I spend enough time reloading without having wasted shots.

Again, sorry.....everyone to their own... :thumbsup:
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by Strikey » 23 Apr 2019, 7:59 pm

Screenshot_2019-04-23-19-51-37.png
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Use the data for Speer Soft Points, its the weight of the projectile not the brand name you need :thumbsup:
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by SCJ429 » 23 Apr 2019, 8:08 pm

All good, I am sure that the OP will put his Sierras to good use. The more shooters practice the more likely that will get the 10 kills from their pock full of reloads.
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by JimTom » 23 Apr 2019, 8:23 pm

Jon79 wrote:Well have decided to get off my backside and get the last few things I need to start reloading, going to be reloading mainly .223 but also 243 & 308... picked up some cheap 55gr Sierra super roo gameking projectiles for $139 per 1,000 and the dies I was missing so will have a play around on the weekend


Was looking up the ADI load data to find a starting point for the 223 but also bought the Nick Harvey 10th edition manual but was disappointed that he doesn't list any load data for AR2206H for the 55gr projectiles



This is off the FAQ page on the ADI website.
Hope it helps.
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by Jon79 » 23 Apr 2019, 10:06 pm

Apollo wrote:I doubt that Nick Harvey has updated anything in the last 10 years and never will in the future. If he lists AR2206 (which hasn't been made for many years) that is roughly it and not much different to AR2206H.

Use the ADI Data, that's done by Hogdon in the USA and more likely to have been updated than anyone else. Just look at the bullet weight and don't worry about bullet style or manufacturer will give you a very good idea. Just be a bit careful if you want to push the load a bit.

Personally, I have found that Benchmark 2 works the best for me in any number of .223R I have reloaded for with the 55gr Bullet. I use 24.8gr BM2 and that is about mid range in the load. Never got better accuracy going higher or lower. About 4 different rifles I now have got to work very well around that load.

I don't believe in buying cheap bulk run bullets. I buy bullets that I know will perform and I want my reloads to be better than anything else. My preferred bullet is the Berger 55gr Flat Base Varmint for the .223R and I want a kill from every shot I make for it to be worth the effort. General shooting range is 100-300 metres.


he has both AR2206 & AR2206H listed under other projectile weights, the only difference seems to be you use slightly more AR2206H

the main reason I went bulk and cheap was I'm totally new at this so I can stuff up and play around with things and it wont be too expensive....once I learn the ropes and I'm confident with what I'm doing I can then move on to the other dearer stuff, I can also use what I learn from my errors on the cheaper 223 stuff when I start loading the higher end ammo for my 243 & 308 for things I really don't want to miss

before buying the bulk stuff though I did a bit of a search on here and most who got them were happy with them, the Buffalo river factory game kings seem to go really well through my 223 and from what I can find they seem to be very similar if not the exact same projectile, also I'll mostly only be using them to knock over roo's as I'm doing a fair bit of that for a few farmers out here who got permits (another reason I have enough ADI 223 brass to sink a ship lol)
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by TassieTiger » 24 Apr 2019, 2:48 pm

For me it was 24.5gns of AR2206H that shot 10mm groupings but 26.0 grains shot the same size group so I settled on the lighter load as my go to. A chrono would have been nice to confirm wtf here as heights remained exactly the same at 100.

I now batch weigh the cheaper projectiles I buy and won’t shy away from roo max and similar until I’ve settled on a load I can shoot...can be an expensive game this one if trial and error.
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Sauer 30-06 - VX 3
Howa 300 win mag. SHV 5-20/56
Marlin SBL 45/70
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by Jon79 » 06 May 2019, 3:06 pm

well started off at 25gr and went up to 26.5gr, found my spot at 26gr which came in at 0.344 for 5 shots at 100m (which I was bloody happy with).... 26.5 was the next best but still nowhere near the 26gr loads...…….hopefully the 26gr rounds weren't a fluke
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Re: getting in to the reloading caper

Post by SCJ429 » 06 May 2019, 7:47 pm

Nice work, that is awesome. Follow it up with reshooting that load and loads either side of 26 to see where the node extends to.
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