Interesting, but why risk a squib load? You'd be better off using a .22 LR conversion in your AR.

 

I paid to much money for my AR's to risk doing anything like that. My light load is using a Ruger 1022. Cheap ammo and fun to shoot. It just seems like a waste of powder, primers, and jacketed bullets for the sole purpose of achieving a light load in a high performance rifle/caliber to duplicate the ballistics of a 22lr. One little mistake on your part could have ruinous consequences. Anyway, that's just my opinion. Good luck and stay safe.

 

I've been through the Obummer years when rimfire was almost impossible to find, so try to find ways to get around it if it happens again!!!!! Besides, where I'm at (Kalifornication) I can't buy factory ammo as I REFUSE to go through all the BS to get it, hence the reloading! YMMV
BTW, did you see that one of the bullets that I used was a CAST GC bullet?

 

Just for you're info, I did find the 4gr Trail Boss load on the HODGDON powder web site. AND like I said, I tried just ONE round of the .3cc/2.8gr Bullseye load, which I tried first in the AR since I could remove the bolt and tap the bullet out from the chamber end if it did get stuck. There was no possiblity of causing damage with that lite of a load with that powder in either of the firearms that I tested it in! FYI, I was one of the contributors in the Lighter loads in 30/30 sticky. Could I suggest using 2.8gr Bullseye with a 45gr lead ball in 30/30? BTW, I don't have a 22LR conversion for my AR. Downloading is cheaper and more fun, AS LONG AS YOU USE YOUR HEAD and use the appropriate powder!!!! Which I do! HTH YMMV :goodnight:

 

Im with ya OP.
Ive made and shot a lot of trailboss load .223's out of one of my AR's for a while. Keeping them subsonic. It was a great way to introduce a few novice and young shooters to the platform. And manipulating the firearm and charging handle as the light loads don't even make the bolt twitch..

after a while, they were ready to jump right into regular loads and were shooting real loads like champs in no time. No one was afraid of the big bad black rifles any more after that.

I also had a lot of fun shooting them suppressed. Of course I have plenty of .22s to plink with, but in that application, it really paid off for others.

The only issue I did have is that it REALLY dirties up the chamber as the case really doesn't have enough oomph behind it to fully expand correctly.

I would say, just keep an eye on your chamber if shooting a lot thru it. We ran over 1000 rounds of them thru an AR in one day and had no issues.
A quick wet wipe with a bore snake and light oil after about 300 rounds and all is good in the world.

 

Using rimless cases for light gallery loads can lead to problems. With loads this light, the brass tends to not obturate well, and the force of the firing pin can push the shoulder back a bit, causing headspace issues. Won't happen with one load, but if you persist, you'll find interesting problems occuring, especially with a semi. I've had this issue using a Model 70 bolt rifle in .222, developed a small game/gallery load and shot several hundred rounds out of 40 brass with it. Sure enough, the shoulders got pushed back. That's the reason I use a Hornet for small game loads, the rim is the headspace datum, not the shoulder. 2.0 gr. of B'eye gives subsonic, regular velocity rimfire speed, and one hole, 10 shot groups at 25 meters.

 

@1894cfan,

During one of my project excursions, I made up a series of low power 223s using 55gr LRF bullets with gas checks cast from a Lee mold. Tested all of the following rounds in an AR15 which were very quiet, and of course required manual cycling of the charging handle:

4.7gr Bullseye - 1650 fps
5.0 Red Dot - 1679 fps
6.4 Unique - 1862 fps
7.9gr Power Pistol - 2060 fps

I intentionally kept the velocities at or below ~2000 fps to help prevent leading and improve accuracy. They shot quite well out to 50 yards using iron sights. I figured these loads might be good for pests and varmints where you need a little more umfp than a 22LR delivers. They are fun and interesting loads that expand the useful range of hoe you can use your AR15.

Marshall

 

My usual practice with loads that light in whatever cartridge I'm using it in is to full power load the first time to expand the case to near chamber dimensions and then just neck size after that to (hopefully) prevent blowback. These days most times I like to keep them subsonic to reduce noise and cost. Never had any problems from .223 on up to 30 Govt 06 (Granddads 1941 M70)! HTH

Marshall Thompson, always did like that actor!

 

Yes I did. I guess for cast bullets, a light load would be in order. I don't and won't shoot cast bullets out of a rifle that uses bottle neck cartridges. But I do see your point for a light load. I wouldn't want to push a lead bullet at over 1600 fps even with a gas check. Anyway, good luck and stay safe when reloading those light loads. AR's can be replaced, fingers and eyeballs can't.

 

mam444, the other bullet I used was a 55gr FMJ with equal results, you might try that? My loads were likely going about 1,000fps, so not much noise and hardly any recoil. Also have a 300blk and have run bullets even slower, about 870fps. Then again those loads were done using 150gr bullets, also cast and jacketed with no problems. Except for having to manually cycle the action of course.

 

Have more Vectan Ba10 than I do Bullseye, so tried .3cc/2.5gr with WSPM primer and had equal success, was even quieter than with bullseye!

 

You people might not think much of this thought, but..... You just might want to work up some light sub-sonic loads for yourselves! There just "might" come a time when you will need some quiet rounds, in whatever calibers you have, to take care of whatever in the near future! :goodnight: