[Jeff Higgins]

Well, I just got through assembling some starting loads for this thing. While doing so, it occurred to me that I have not loaded for a .223 in over a decade. I have lots of .22 caliber bullets on hand that I use or have used in the .220 Swift, and apparently plenty of suitable powders on hand from the myriad of other calibers I reload.

I'm starting with once fired Federal brass, all trimmed to 1.750" and all primed with CCI 400 small rifle primers. I have three loads with H4895; 26 grains under both a Nosler 40 grain Ballistic tip and a Hornady 50 grain V-Max. I dropped the charge to 25 grains with a 60 grain Hornady V-Max for my third load with H4895. Two more loads with the 60 grain V-Max use 25 grains each of Reloder 15 and H335. All bullets are seated to an O.A.L. of 2.60", the maximum that will fit in the magazine. This conveniently works out to right on a .010" jump to the leade into the rifling when chambered.

I'll be heading to the range this weekend to give these all a go. I've mounted an old Leupold VX-2 3-9x scope for load development work. I'm not sure if that's going to stay, or if I will revert to the express sights (or maybe a peep) once I have found a good load for it.

So, any of you handloaders have any favorite .223 recipes? The rifle has a 1:9" twist, so it should like the heavier bullets (hence the focus on the 60 grain V-Max). I may have to actually go heavier in the end, but my Swift features a 1:12" twist, so the 60's are the heaviest I have on hand.

It's going to be fun to shoot an "express rifle" in the total absence of recoil. I normally only get about a dozen rounds down range before I cry uncle... I should be able to shoot this one all day long.