Arizona
Rifleshooting
Ammo for Competition
with the
AR-15 Service Rifle
Don't mess with 55gr FMJ bullets. (unless they shoot great in
your
rifle,
and then only at 200 yds) If you are a beginner and have a case, use it
up as you learn the match and course of fire. Don't bother to reload
them to save a few pennies if you are shooting matches,
as much work as reloading is, just use real bullets. But at the cost of
ammo now, it is worthwhile to load 55's for plinking.
Don't mess with 62gr SS109 style bullets at all. They cost more
than
match
ammo/bullets and offer no real advantage over 55's and none over match
bullets, but likely are LESS accurate than even bulk 55gr FMJ as the
inner
2 piece core adds an extra way it can be unbalanced.
Hornady, Federal and Black Hills ammo are
available.
Use
only MATCH bullets. If you don't reload, you can often get Black Hills
remanufactured ammo at a reasonable cost. If you DO reload, it is so
much
work,
just use real bullets for real shooting!
Here's what we use for 200 and 300 yds loaded 2.250" oal for
magazine
feeding.
Here's what we use for 500/600/1000 yds, loaded to just off the
lands
for
single round loading, , you need to check the length. 2.420" in a new
match
barrel to 2.550" oal in a colt military barrel. You can check the
length
by loading dummies to different lengths until it sticks in the lands.
75 Hornady AMAX (fragile
plastic
tips) (they now have an 80 gr AMAX)
IMR-4895 (does not meter as well as H4895, but often available
surplus)
Vihtavouri or others (I cannot offer advice but others might)
don't use Ball powder with heavy bullets, it meters great but
just is
not
accurate for most of us.
If you reload, check the data books, start with a minimum load
and work
up. usual disclaimers apply.
Brass:
Federal is so soft and loaded hot from the factory that it can
be
reliable
on the second loading and have expanded primer pocket and drop or blow
primers on subsequent loadings, use with caution.
Winchester is great and available, buy 1000 and reload it 5
times. It will last as long as the barrel.
There used to be places (Sharch, RVOW) that had deals on fully
prepped/primed once-fired
LC.
Trim to 1.750"
I don't think brand of brass matters much if you are well below
max loads.
Try to use the same batch of brass for each lot of ammo,
especially at 500/600, don't mix headstamps (probably doesn't matter
for offhand tho)
Primers:
CCI BR-4 for slow fire
Fed 205M also works
Rem 7-1/2 was used in prior years by the team
WSR is OK but there are reports of piercing, especially with
the new
unplated
ones
Russian primers
had been imported
by a HP shooter here in AZ. They did fine. Don't know if they are still
available.
Other CCI primers or Rem primers are just as good.
I really don't think it matters much, but you might be careful
before
changing
primers if u use max loads.
Stay below max loads. it might be above max on a hot day or
borrowed
gun.
Some guys adjust the load (charge or oal for slow fire) to keep
constant
velocity during the life of the barrel.
Mark your brass. But if you shoot next to me, don't mark it with
a red
band around the body of the case.
You CAN load accurate ammo on a Dillon 650.
You CAN load enough ammo for every match you shoot on a Rock
Chucker.
The Gracey (with bob jones
blade)
and Dillon Trimmers are the most popular.
You DON'T need to weigh brass and powder charges, but you can if
u want
to for slow fire at 600 yds.
Arizona 
Rifleshooting
