.223 Rem reloading question

[gunpoorboy1]

In Hornady's handbook of Cartridge Reloading, 11th Edition, on pages 176 and 177, I find several 73 to 80 gr bullets that show a C.O.L of 2.39.

The internet describes the maximum SAAMI length of a .223 should be 2.26 inches. How can this Hornady load data be correct?

I'm not a pro at reloading but I would like to understand how this would work, especially when it's in the .223 Remington Service Rifle Data section of the book with the book stating that the Max COL is 2.250.

I'm confused. Is there an application for a 2.39 round in an AR15?

[Suck My Glock]

I believe the discrepancy has to do with the OAL that fits inside the interior of a milspec NATO magazine. That is likely what the shorter dimensions are set to. Whereas the longer and heavier slugs were originally designed for use in bolt-action varmint guns and not the AR-15.

Rather than go by what the book says, I would recommend measuring the interior dimensions of a magazine and make that your cartridge length limit.

[knockonit]

best to set some bullets in blanks and find actual aol, .223 remington aol is 2.260, have a couple that can push to 2.285, so its all over the place, i suspect if you start at 2.260 do a few give'm a go on cycleing and if that works, then go for it, measuring the aol, is tough, but you have to start somewhere, you can always go big, or smaller, so many barrels have lands done differently .
good luck, run some samples and letr rip, best on reloads, rj

[Doc]

In Hornady's handbook of Cartridge Reloading, 11th Edition, on pages 176 and 177, I find several 73 to 80 gr bullets that show a C.O.L of 2.39.

The internet describes the maximum SAAMI length of a .223 should be 2.26 inches. How can this Hornady load data be correct?


I'm not a pro at reloading but I would like to understand how this would work, especially when it's in the .223 Remington Service Rifle Data section of the book with the book stating that the Max COL is 2.250.

I'm confused. Is there an application for a 2.39 round in an AR15?

Berger says load em to 2.260”

I load all mine to 2.260” and don’t have any issues cycling Semi auto or bolt. Anyway hope this helps you. Click on the image to enlarge and see more detail.

Load more ammo!

[QuietM4]

The heavier grain bullets aren’t designed to feed from an AR magazine…they are meant for single shot bolt actions.

[Abbey]

I pulled up the Hornady app, and OP is right, their manual is a bit confusing. The caliber description overview lists a different Max COL than the individual load description. But as others have said, some of those projectiles just can't be loaded to mag length. So pragmatically, treat any with a max > 2.26" as "single feed or bolt action only".

My own experience, but I tried some 75 or 77gr Hornady pills years ago (forget exactly which) and quickly realized that if I seated to mag length, they were too deep in the case with a gap between the case mouth and the ogive of the bullet. Quickly scrapped that idea and mostly stick with Sierra for mag-length loads.

[xerts1191]

What QuietM4 said

[Kinked_Chrome]

Pro tip: if you cut the front of your mags out, you can load to 2.36.

This is a 73gr eldm loaded to 2.36 oal over 24.6gr varget and does 2750 from my 18in white oak.