Nosler .223 80 grains in AR15???

[3GunEric]

A friend just gave me 1000 Nosler .223 80 grain bullets. I see in a number of sources that they say these can not be loaded to fit in AR magazine. Others say you can get them to the O.A.C.L. 2.260.

I have zero experience with these projectiles. Can someone explain why you can not seat them so that they fit in an AR magazine.

My AR's 1x .223 Wylde 18" bbl, 1 x .556 HBAR 20 inch bbl.

I have no desire to shoot then "single shot."

Please help.

 

[Reloadron]

Never tried the Noslers but have single shot the Sierra 80 grain bullets HPBT Match. Those I load to a Cartridge OAL of 2.550" out a 1:7 Twist. They shoot great and the downside is single shot as they won't fit i the magazine. They do fit in a NATO chamber just fine, I'll have to try single shot on te Noslers,

Ron

 

[mantawolf]

80gr is a long bullet for an ar magazine. You could in theory start low on your loading and work up to something that works for you.

Seating deeper will cause more pressure to develop inside the case, too much pressure can cause problems and rupture cases

 

[Another_Kelley]

I haven't personally played with that bullet, but I did modify a couple 30rd aluminum mags to run the 75gr A-max at 2.35'' OAL. Been working great for me.

Cut a channel at .5'' wide x 3.5'' long - allows for 20rds and hasn't started to flare out at the top - yet.

 

[Ifishsum]

I think you might have a tough time getting them to shoot well when seated deep enough to fit the magazine. Also going to run out of room in the case with many appropriate powders. The long nose and secant ogive shape of that bullet typically shoots more accurately when loaded fairly close to the lands. I am a highpower shooter and I only use them at the 600yd stage where the higher BC makes a significant difference in the wind -and that stage is always single load anyway.

For magazine length loading the 77gr Sierra MK or Nosler CC and the 75gr Hornady match HPBT are a much better choice as they are shaped differently and are jump tolerant - that is they generally shoot just as well loaded to fit the magazine as they do seated into the rifling.

 

[rg1]

Not a good idea. They will be so deep inside the case that the taper of the bullet nose will be inside the neck. Too much bullet shank inside and won't allow enough powder to be used. Scroll down to see a pic of an 80 grain bullet seated to mag length.
https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=42&t=314342
I'd trade or sell them for some 77 gr. HP-bt's which are designed to be loaded to mag length.

 

[Blue68f100]

The Wylde chamber AR will handle them just fine, mine has a 1:8 twist. Not sure of the accuracy since most 556/223 use a 0.224" bullet. I load the Sierra 69gr HPBT-M bullets at max length 2.260" and have a load that is shooting sub moa with no problems. Have not shot those bullets so I don't know if the profile will work. Just confirm they will fit your magazines, some will not handle the max length. My best groups have been with Varget and CFE-223. At worst case you may have to single load them.

 

[atblis]

Those pics appear to be the 75 gr Amax. They're longer than the 80 gr nosler. You can compare them side by side here
http://www.6mmbr.com/223rem.HTML

 

[waffentomas]

I've loaded a bunch of these for my Colt and they fed and fired without issues.

 

[bfoosh006]

Not a good idea. They will be so deep inside the case that the taper of the bullet nose will be inside the neck. Too much bullet shank inside and won't allow enough powder to be used. Scroll down to see a pic of an 80 grain bullet seated to mag length.
https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.h...&f=42&t=314342
I'd trade or sell them for some 77 gr. HP-bt's which are designed to be loaded to mag length.

This..... And I will add not all barrels will accept the longer OAL of a reloaded 80gr bullet....so before you even consider loading a bunch, you need to know how long the "leade" / "freebore is in your rifles chamber.

Look at the differences from this fairly old table first shown.

http://www.radomski.us/njhp/cart_tech.htm

 

[W.E.G.]

The 80 is too long.

In 99% of the applications you can just as well load 77 grain bullets to magazine length, and do ANYTHING that you might otherwise seek to do with the 80.

24 grains TAC and a 77 SMK, and go shoot high master scores.

The 80 only gives a very small edge in the wind.

Neither bullet will relieve you of your duty to call correct wind when firing at long(ish) distance.

By the time you have to break out the wind charts, it makes no difference in my mind.