Reloading notes from Grammaton76

These are mostly semi-auto experiences. Most of the non-functioning loads would probably work just fine in a bolt action rifle though, given that their only fault is being too light to cycle a semi-auto.

Chambering	Bullet	OAL	Powder Type	Powder Weight	Primer	Recommend?	Results
40 S&W	135gr SWC	1.250"	Hodgdon HP-38	6.5gr	WSP	YES	Test fired 10rds 7/7/07 in a Sig 229, all fine
45 ACP	230gr SWC		Hodgdon HP-38	4.3gr	WLP	NO	Did not cycle CZ-97B; felt really light.
5.7x28mm	50gr PSP		Alliant Blue Dot	5.0gr	WSP	YES, FOR PS90	Cycled PS90 perfectly in slow + rapid fire. Slight pressure signs. Do not try in pistol without extensive research!
5.7x28mm	40gr V-Max		Alliant Blue Dot	6.0gr	WSP	YES, FOR PS90	Cycled PS90 perfectly in slow + rapid fire. No pressure signs. But, do not try in pistol without extensive research!
Above load "feels" and sounds like factory ammo. Have fired over 250rds, no damage to PS90.
7.5x55 Swiss	150gr .308 PSP	2.790"	Hodgdon H335	40.0gr	WLR	YES	No pressure signs, worked fine in a K-31. Felt a tad lighter than surplus.
7.62x51 NATO	150gr .308 PSP	2.800"	Hodgdon H335	41.0gr	WLR	YES	Cycled PTR-91 (HK 91 clone) just fine, no pressure signs.
7.62x39mm	123gr .311 FMJ		Hodgdon H335	30.5gr	WLR/WSR	YES	Cycled AK just fine, no feed issues whatsoever.
Above load behaves normally in an AK, without pressure signs. Compared with Fiocchi factory ammo, much larger muzzle flash and more reliable cycling in an (experimental, new) AK pistol which wasn't cycling Fiocci factory loads at all. Reliability increased from never cycling, to cycling about half of the time.
7.62x39mm	110gr .311 RN		Hodgdon H322	29.0gr	WLR/WSR	YES	Cycled SKS and AK just fine; feed issues on AK.
7.62x39mm	110gr .311 RN		IMR 4198	24.0gr	WLR/WSR	NO	Didn't cycle SKS in semi.
Berry round-nose bullets have issues in feeding from an AK magazine on Romanian AKM's, both hand built and factory. However, they seem to feed just fine with the SKS. At issue is that they're much shorter than the conventional pointy-tipped rounds, which results in major feed ramp issues. Of course, because they're .311 caliber, they're useless for anything in my collection except the SKS.
50 Beowulf	335gr FMJ/JHP		Hodgdon Lil' Gun	36.2gr	WLP	YES	Cycled just fine, no pressure issues
Beowulf is said to require magnum primers. WLP primers are listed as 'for standard or magnum', and seem to work fine.
6.8mm Remington SPC	115gr FMJ		Hodgdon H335	28.5gr	WLR/WSR	YES	Cycled just fine.
6.8mm Remington SPC	115gr FMJ		Hodgdon H335	27.4	WLR/WSR	NO	Failure to cycle. Will try 28.0 and 28.5.
6.8mm Remington SPC	115gr FMJ		Hodgdon H322	26.4	WLR/WSR	YES	Cycled just fine between 26.0 and 26.6; 27.0 had one failure.
6.8mm Remington SPC	115gr FMJ		IMR 4198	23.5gr	WLR/WSR	NO	Even at 23.5gr (stated max load), never once cycled a Stag 16" upper.
223 Remington	55gr BTFMJ		IMR 4198	19.0gr	CCI SR	YES	See Notes Below - not for all rifles!

Notes on my IMR 4198 load

This is the very cheapest load I've seen, heard of, or used for 223. It's light, uses little powder, and doesn't have a lot of recoil. However, various friends of mine have reported that it doesn't work reliably for their rifles. I'm going to chronicle here where this load works and doesn't work, so that folks don't potentially waste time with this load in a rifle that isn't likely to work with it.

My friend Doug says on his tests, it seems that there's a consistent pattern of 20" rifles failing to operate. The bolt carrier moves far enough back to eject a round, but not far enough back to catch the next round and chamber it.

Gun	Worked?	Gas System	Notes
AR upper: Addax ZK Patrol mid-length	No	Piston	My test
AR upper: Armalite 20"	Yes	Rifle length?	My test
AR upper: Colt Match Sporter HBAR	No	Rifle length	Doug's test; 20.0-20.5gr
AR upper: Del-Ton 16"	Yes	Rifle length	My test
AR upper: DPMS 16"	Yes	Carbine length	Doug's test; 20.0-20.5gr
AR upper: Model1Sales 16" Dissipator	Yes	Carbine length	Doug's test; 20.0-20.5gr
AR upper: Retro M16A1 build	No	Rifle length	Doug's test; 20.0-20.5gr
AR upper: Ruger(?) 16"	No	Gas piston	Doug's test; 20.0-20.5gr
AR upper: Stag Limited 14.5" M4	Yes	Carbine length?	My test
AR upper: Stag 16"	Pending	???	My test
FN FS2000	Pending	Piston	My test
Kel-Tec SU-16CA	Yes	Piston	My test
Robinson Arms M96CA	Pending	Piston	My test
Ruger Mini-14	Yes	Ruger	Doug's test; 20.0-20.5gr
Sig Sauer 556	Yes	Piston	My test

Bullet Lookup

If you're trying to make sense of the abbreviations, see RefProjectileAbbreviations. The reason the vendor isn't listed in the table above, is because I may end up buying bullets from multiple vendors. If I end up loading different weights, I'll note the vendor here too.

• 223 Remington: MidwayUSA brand, and Armscor
• 5.7x28mm: 40gr Hornady V-Max polymer tip (red), 50gr Prvi Partisan PSPs
• 40 S&W: Rainier
• 45ACP: Rainier
• 7.5x55 Swiss: Prvi Partisan
• 7.62x51 NATO: Prvi Partisan
• 7.62x39mm: Round nose bullets are from Berry Manufacturing.
• 6.8SPC: Remington bullets.
• 50 Beowulf: Rainier bullets.

Primer Lookup

• CCI SR: CCI Small Rifle
• WSP: Winchester Small Pistol
• WSR: Winchester Small Rifle
• WLP: Winchester Large Pistol
• WLR: Winchester Large Rifle

Powder Lookup

• Blue Dot: Alliant Blue Dot.
• HP-38: Hodgdon HP-38.

-- SeanNewton - 31 Oct 2006