Thread: Building a service rifle load

G'day,

I've been shooting ADI 62gr at service matches really just plinking coz I love shooting, but the time has come to serious up.

I've managed to grab a Browe Combat Optic 4x32 at a decent price and I want to start shooting and reloading a bullet that'll work.
I shoot Colt M4 LE6920 bog standard with a 1/7 twist 16 inch barrel.

I'm looking for affordable bullet and load ideas 5.56 FNB cases is what I normally load. Happy to go 55gr or whatever, not convinced the 62gr ADI are all that good due to weight and length differences, happy to be told otherwise.

Any crack shot service rifle guys got some good advice? I did grab a packet of Hornady 55gr SP BT off Gunworks for a tryout. I've been using CFE223 powder but just grabbed some ADI 2206H and some H335 for a try too.


Advice appreciated


Cheers

Greenie

is your service rifle a "service rifle" or "open class"?

Service

*use at your own risk

in my 16" 1:7 open class

25.9grn of ar2206h with a 55gr hornady fmj, (seated mid canalure) i got 1" groups (bench rest)
24.2grn of ar2206h with a 62gr ADI fmj, 57.05mm OAL i got 1.5-2" groups (bench rest)

i got very similar results with my 20" 1:9 Service rifle using the same ammo, (the 62gr improved a little)

I've moved onto Benchmark 2 and xtreme 55gr fmj (copper plated) projectiles, find they perform on par with the hornadys and much cheaper.

Cheers Glycerine

at own risk as well, hornady 55fmj in norinco brass with federal primer 26.1gn 2206h groups well in both my 14.5" and 20" service rifle. loaded to h&k mag length so canalure not used as it just out of the case. light crimp.

Cheers Res, yeah all at own risk.

At your own risk
26gns win 748 and 55gn hornady 55gn fmj's.
Awesome load and the 748 is +/- 0.1 gn through a "lee perfect" powder thrower

Originally Posted by Greenie

G'day,

I've been shooting ADI 62gr at service matches really just plinking coz I love shooting, but the time has come to serious up.

I've managed to grab a Browe Combat Optic 4x32 at a decent price and I want to start shooting and reloading a bullet that'll work.
I shoot Colt M4 LE6920 bog standard with a 1/7 twist 16 inch barrel.

I'm looking for affordable bullet and load ideas 5.56 FNB cases is what I normally load. Happy to go 55gr or whatever, not convinced the 62gr ADI are all that good due to weight and length differences, happy to be told otherwise.

Any crack shot service rifle guys got some good advice? I did grab a packet of Hornady 55gr SP BT off Gunworks for a tryout. I've been using CFE223 powder but just grabbed some ADI 2206H and some H335 for a try too.


Advice appreciated


Cheers

Greenie

I will tell you otherwise, was up a kaitoke today I will post the data as I only just got home, I think I got a good result, need to check.

Cant take a decent snap, need to scan on Tuesday when I am back in work. Bear in mind this is my initial test today, I was just looking for safe limits on a new powder and not best accuracy. Also the scope doesnt have enough zoom so accuracy suffered a wee bit I know.

At your own risk, my spec,

FNB case, 2 twice fired full resize Lee die.
Fed205ARMatch primer
ADI 62gr FMJ not crimped, std max OAL.
BM2 - 21.9grains
1 MOA

21.5grain also looked fairly close, 22.3gr not quite as good as 21.5gr so the node is probably 21.9gr or slightly less.

Stag Model 4 AR15 rifle, 1200rounds std 20inch stag barrel.

My scope is only 3~12 power so I'd expect tighter groups again once I buy a decent scope like a sightron with shed loads of zoom.

I have managed to approach 1/2MOA with 2208 and a 77gr sierra TMK, same case and primer.

I also tested some rasa 55fmjs and they were more like 1 1/2moa so I will spend the 5cents more for the ADI, I buy them per thousand.

I have tried ADI 2208 but couldnt get near 1moa with ADI 62gr FMJs so BM2 looks worth it on my gun.

I do need to do more testing to see that I get repeat-ability. What I do suspect, well see is ADI projectiles have flyers but Ive tried some other 62gr fmjs and they were no better and cost more. I might try weight sorting but in the past I tried it on barnauls and it made no difference.

G'day Steven, cheers for that...I've been using 26.0gr of CFE223 so like you've suggested, it might be in the powder. I'm off to pick up the ADI 2206H and Hodgdon H335 I purchased tomorrow so I'll have a good with that and the 62gr ADI's

Okay, I knocked together some rounds with ADI 2206H to try. Never used it before and it appears to sit high in the case before the bullet is pressed in? Different to the CFE223 ball powder.

24.2gr in FNB case, ADI 62gr bullet AOL 57.20
25.9gr in FNB case, Hornady 55gr SP w/c seated to mid canalure AOL 55.90

Going to compare to: CFE223
26.0gr in FNB case, ADI 62gr bullet AOL 57.06

Steven, quick question...the BM2 sit high on the powder burn rate chart, it that correct?

Cheers

Lots of very good shooters use 2206H so it is one to try.

BM2 is faster than 2208 and a bit denser, its supposed to be specifically designed for the 69gr ish range and not light projectiles which is why I decided to test it. I have tried 2208 with the ADI62grFMJ and got 1 1/4inch moa at best so to get 1 moa with bm2 is pleasing (assuming I can repeat that).

What I did find was with the 77gr and adi2208 the accuracy was improving but at a bit above max load so I am trying BM2 as its denser to see if I can get that node /sweet spot safely (see my note below).

In terms of too full a case bear in mind ADI has not released official loads for the ADI 62gr FMJ so you have to be careful especially with the 556/223 round which is pretty hot. If you are compressing even a little you might well see vertical stringing. eg I found 0.2gr over max load OK, ie 3/4moa but just slightly higher, 0.4gr went 1 1/2moa vertically.

Keep in touch on the 62gr ADI as its darn cheap to shoot, so worth spending a bit of effort on IMHO if it likes 2206H I'll get some to try.

Oh and avoid barnaul FMJ's I think they are really bad. Ancor 62gr FMJs are no better than the ADI and x2 the price so no point.

Originally Posted by Glycerine

*use at your own risk

in my 16" 1:7 open class

25.9grn of ar2206h with a 55gr hornady fmj, (seated mid canalure) i got 1" groups (bench rest)
24.2grn of ar2206h with a 62gr ADI fmj, 57.05mm OAL i got 1.5-2" groups (bench rest)

i got very similar results with my 20" 1:9 Service rifle using the same ammo, (the 62gr improved a little)

I've moved onto Benchmark 2 and xtreme 55gr fmj (copper plated) projectiles, find they perform on par with the hornadys and much cheaper.

Was this with 5.56 or .223 brass?

Cheers

hornady 223 brass