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Duplicating NATO NATO cartridges (cloning)
* This page has a lot of misc info found throughout the web on duplicating military cartridge performance. This wil you a TON of time as I have collected all the relevant info in one place. p lace. -Cartridge, 5.56mm, Ball, M193 Use: Rifles, M16, M16A1, M16A2. The cartridge is designed for use against personnel and unarmored targets. Description: BALL. the cartridge is identified by a plain bullet tip. Weight - 182 grains Length - 2.26inches Primer - Percussion (Crimped into case) Propellant - WC 844 or CMR 170 Charge - 28.5 (WC 844)or 26.5 (CMR 170) 17 0) grains Projectile Weight Weight - 56 grains Chamber Pressure - 52,000 psi Velocity - 3250 fps, 15 feet from muzzle muz zle
Cartridge, 5.56mm, Ball, M855 Use: Machine Gun, 5.56mm, M249E1 Rifle M16A2. The cartridge is designed for use against personnel an d unarmored targets. Description: BALL. the cartridge is identified by a green bullet tip. Weight - 190 grains Length - 2.26inches Primer - Percussion (Crimped into case) Propellant - WC 844 Charge - 26.1 grains Projectile Weight Weight - 62 grains Chamber Pressure - 55,000 psi
Velocity - 3025 fps, 15 feet from muzzle muz zle (ocabj)
Right now I'm using in a 20" 2 0" 1-7" twist service rifle barrel: 200/300 yard line: 77gr Nosler BTHP, BTHP, 24.0gr RL15, CCI BR4 primer, and LC brass b rass 600 yard line: 80gr Sierra Match King, 24.0gr RL15, CCI BR4 primer, and Lapua brass. Though, I'm going to switch to Berger 80gr 80g r VLDs since the price on Sierra 80gr is pretty much the same now. If you want an MK262 mod 1 duplicate, try: 77gr Sierra Match King, 25.3gr Varget, Varget, CCI 400 primer, and LC brass - NOTE: THIS LOAD EXCEEDS SAAMI SPECS. USE IN NATO OR WYLDE CHAMBER ONLY. USE AT OWN RISK. - 2780~ fps in an 18" SPR barrel FYI: Nosler 77gr will shoot a little faster than Sierra 77gr with the same powder charge. It is probably due to the fa the Nosler has a shorter base to ogive length and thus has less bearing surface with the bore. --
So if you want to stay within published max loads for safety looks like you might need a different powder. powder. I get slightly hi than max velocity with slightly less than max load in my 20" RRA. My standard 55 gr FMJ load is 25.6 gr of AA2230 which me 3240 fps. The published max load is 26.0 gr giving 3216 fps. So results vary a bit rifle to rifle. The only "Nato Cross" I have ever chronied out of my rifle was 2000 headstamp Guatemalan and I got an average velocity of 3224 fps. If you want to switch to a different powder to easily achieve these mil spec velocities without having to run max loads the several choices, here's a few: Powder............ published max load & velocity for 55 gr FMJ bullet Reloader 15......max load = 28.0c gr velocity = 3390 fps Varget..............max Varget..............max load = 27.5c gr velocity = 3384 fps H4895..............max load = 26.0c gr velocity = 3315 fps BL-C(2)............max BL-C(2)............max load = 27.5 gr velocity = 3313 fps A-XMR-2015......max load = 25.0 gr velocity = 3281 fps A-XMR-2495.....max load = 26.2c gr velocity = 3271 fps V-N135.............max load = 26.8c gr velocity = 3268 fps
I'm sure there are other possibilities as well. I don't think it matters if you want to play it safe. If the data is for a lighter weight case with a slightly larger volume then surely the same charge in heavier case would produce a higher velocity. The problem is it will do so by producing a higher pressure as well. So it might not be the best way to get the "extra" velocity you want. If you like W748 or have a lot of it already or whatever is the reason you want to go with it, I think that is more important then pushing out the pills to some spec velocity. velocity. The max velocity listed for W748 is 98% of the mil spec velocity, velocity, IMHO that last 2% really doesn't mean shi
Q. How do I duplicate US Military ammunition when handloading?
A. The following are the specifications for US Small Arms ammunition. If you have a chronograph you simply lo correct weight bullet to the the velocity specified. If you don't have a chronograph (shame on you!) some suggested lo using military brass and bullets are listed.
ALL LOADS USE MILITARY MILITARY BRASS (except the t he 9 mm), AND MILITARY BULLETS (OR THEIR COMMERCIAL EQUIVALENT). REDUCE ALL LOADS BY 10% (EXCEPT THE LOAD MARK BY *) AND WORK UP Military Ammunition Equivalents
Cartridge
Bullet Weight (gr)
Velocity f/s
Suggested load(s)
M41 .38
130
950±45
6.3 gr PowerPistol, 5.2 gr Unique or Universal
M882 9 mm
124
1230±50 6.4 gr Accurate #5, 8 gr BlueDot
M1911 .45ACP
230
820±25
M193 5.56 mm
55
3250±40 26 grs. of H335
M855 5.56 mm
62
3020±40 27 grs of 748 or BallC2
M80 7.62 mm
149
2750±20 42.5 IMR4895, 46 grs. 748 or Ball C2
M118 7.62 mm Special Ball
173
2550±30 43 grs. of RL15 or 748
M118 7.62 mm Special Ball LR (Sierra MK bullet)
175
2580±30 42.5 grs. of Varget,
M852 7.62 mm MATCH (Sierra MK bullet)
168
2550±30 41.5 IMR4895
M2 Cal .30
152
2740±30 48 grs. IMR4895
M72 Cal .30 MATCH
173
2640±30 46 grs. of RL15
M1 Cal .30 carbine
110
1900±30 14 gr 2400 or 14 gr H-110*
* Do not reduce H110 more than 3%
5.56mm Ammunition Ballistics Chart
5.2 Bullseye
Cart Cartri ridg dgee
Weigh eightt Le Leng ngth th
Propellant Type
Propellant Weight
Bullet Chamber Weight Pressure
Velocit
5.56mm Ball, M193 182gr 2gr
2.26"
WC844 or CMR170
28.5 or 26.5gr
56gr
52,000psi
3250fps at 15' muzzle
5.56mm Grenade, M195
126gr
1 .9 "
IMR4475
25gr
56gr
140-165fps at from muzzle
5.56mm Tracer, M196
177gr
2.26"
WC844 or IMR8208M
28.5gr, 25.3gr or CMR170 26.5gr
54gr
52,000psi
3200fps at 15' muzzle
5.56mm Ball, M855 190gr
2.26"
WC844
26.1gr
62gr
55,000psi
3025fps at 78' muzzle
5.56mm Tracer, M856
191gr
2.26"
WC844
24.7gr
63.7gr
55,000psi
2870fps at 78' muzzle
5.56mm Armor Piercing, M995
180gr
2.25"
WCR845
27.5gr
52gr
50,250psi
3324fps at 78' muzzle
7.62mm Ammunition Ballistics Chart Cart Cartri ridg dgee
Weigh eightt Le Leng ngth th
Propellant Type
Propellant Bullet Chamber Weight Weight Pressure
Velocity
7.62mm Ball, M59
393gr
2 .8 "
WC846
46gr
150.5gr
50,000psi 2750fps at 78' from mu
7.62mm Armor Piercing, M61
393gr
2 .8 "
IMR4475
41gr
150.5gr
50,000psi 2750fps at 78' from mu
7.62mm Tracer, M62
383gr
2 .8 "
WC846
46gr
142gr
50,000psi 2750fps at 78' from mu
7.62mm Grenade, M64
295gr
2"
WC8:30
45gr
142gr
50,000psi 160fps at 5' from muzzl
7.62mm Ball, Special, M118
390gr
2 .8 3 "
WC846 and IMR4895
44gr
172gr
50,000psi 2640fps at
7.62mm Dim
381gr
2 .8 "
WC846
46gr
140-
50,000psi 2750fps (CMRS), 2680
Tracer, M276 7.62mm Armor Piercing, M993
150gr
362. 362.6g 6grr 2.8" 2.8"
Bonfors NC1290
45gr
126.6gr
(GM) at 78' from muzzl
55,115psi 2985fps at 78' from mu
-I've been working on a duplicate m193 round for awhile now using accurate 2230. I got some federal xm193 also some winchester 5.56 m193 spec ammo and chronographed it. WOOOO-WEEEEE, its some hot stuff. The winchester's avg speed for 5 shots was 3285, and the federal was right at 3260. This is about 5-6 feet from t muzzle. The only way I can duplicate with accurate 2230/CCI 5.56 primers/fed brass is to go about a half grain over t max listed load. They list 25gr max on a 55gr bullet. With 25.2 grains I get somewhere around 3160fps out o 20" barreled AR with a mil spec surplus upper. upper. I've taken this load up to 25.5 grains in .1 grain increments an pressure signs in the brass at the 25.5gr level on a hot day. day. No blown primers or split brass, but it was pushin
I'm convinced the military crimps the primers for no other reason than they don't want them to blow out. M1 loaded right at the limit, from what i've seen.
--
Currently I reload 55gr Hornady SP and 75gr Hornady BTHP. I use Both rounds in my AR-15 with 1:7 Twist and my Savag 1:9 Twist. Twist. I played around with my press and found out that i was able to use both and only thing I had to change was th powder charge. --
I exactly duplicated the M262 load with TAC, TAC, but it is very hot and I changed to N540. It was 26 grains of TAC TAC driven by a Magnum Magnu m Primer with the Nosler cannelured 77 grain bullet. This came out at o 2750 fps from a 16 inch barrel. I didn't have a problem with it but bu t some of the primers were flattened. To dup the M262 using available powder I use the much more expensive N540 and Varget. That said I use more TAC than any other powder because there is no reason to load this hot for plinking, triggertim drills, and even shtf with 62 grain bullets. For TAC I suggest 25 grains with a normal primer driving 62 grain bullets. That will more than approximate M855 be easy on your gun. I load 2 different 62 grainer bullets, pull down M855 and Golden West West 62 grain with cannelur --
