So... I bought an RCBS Rockchuck Supreme when I was deployed. In 2007. It sat in a box all these years. I had a stash of .308 and .223 bullets, along with primers and powder. Got rid of the AR I had in 2009, finally shunked the .224 bullets and No 41 primers. When i started back in the gun thing a year and a half ago, I sold off the bulk of the .308 bullets, primers, and probably 2/3 the powder. Held onto 500 165 gr Interlock bullets, a thousand large rifle primers, and several pounds of Varget.
Fast forward, the pandemic idiocy is what finally convinced me to bust out the stuff and actually start sorting this whole reloading thing out. I now have an AR and a CZ527 Varmint in .223, figured loading for the bolt gun is a good place to start since I'm meticulous and anal retentive, and it's a good way to sort out what works and what doesn't, and what other stuff I might need (like a shell holder for the case trimmer, I don't know how I don't have one of those).
I'm reloading Fiocchi brass, starting with 55 gr VMax bullets. Rifle does well with Fiocchi factory 55 gr polymer tip, and even their 55 gr FMJ ammo. I have Hornady, Speer, and Sierra manuals, as well as the info that came in the Lee die set. Absolutely none of them give Varget as being a compressed load. I loaded up a few with 25, 25.5, and 26 gr powder. Accuracy improved greatly with the higher powder charges, velocity still low compared to factory (about 3050 vs 3315).
At this point, my knowledge on the subject suggests decreasing increments on powder charges to .2. I loaded up some more at 26.0, and was going to load 26.2 and 26.4, however at 26.2, the charge comes about midway up the neck of the case. The Hornady manual states max charge with 55 gr over Varget at 26.4, the Speer and Sierra manuals say 26.9 and 27.0. So, am I overloading to go to the max charge at 26.4? I need to get back out and shoot what I've got loaded, but need weather, etc, to cooperate.
Thanks in advance. Hopefully that all makes sense.
Also, how imperative is it to crimp for use in an AR? I do not believe I have a die that'll crimp at the moment.