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Duplicating 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. -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) grains Projectile Weight - 56 grains Chamber Pressure - 52,000 psi Velocity - 3250 fps, 15 feet from muzzle Cartridge, 5.56mm, Ball, M855 Use: Machine Gun, 5.56mm, M249E1 Rifle M16A2. The cartridge is designed for use against personnel and 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 - 62 grains Chamber Pressure - 55,000 psi

Velocity - 3025 fps, 15 feet from muzzle (ocabj)

Right now I'm using in a 20" 1-7" twist service rifle barrel: 200/300 yard line: 77gr Nosler BTHP, 24.0gr RL15, CCI BR4 primer, and LC brass 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 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, 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 fac the Nosler has a shorter base to ogive length and thus has less bearing surface with the bore.
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So if you want to stay within published max loads for safety looks like you might need a different powder. I get slightly hig 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" a 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 ther 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 load = 27.5c gr velocity = 3384 fps H4895..............max load = 26.0c gr velocity = 3315 fps 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. The max velocity listed for W748 is 98% of the mil spec velocity, IMHO that last 2% really doesn't mean shit

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 loa

correct weight bullet to the velocity specified. If you don't have a chronograph (shame on you!) some suggested loa using military brass and bullets are listed. ALL LOADS USE MILITARY BRASS (except the 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 M41 .38 M882 9 mm M1911 .45ACP M193 5.56 mm M855 5.56 mm M80 7.62 mm M118 7.62 mm Special Ball M118 7.62 mm Special Ball LR (Sierra MK bullet) M852 7.62 mm MATCH (Sierra MK bullet) M2 Cal .30 M72 Cal .30 MATCH M1 Cal .30 carbine Bullet Weight (gr) 130 124 230 55 62 149 173 175 Velocity f/s 95045 Suggested load(s) 6.3 gr PowerPistol, 5.2 gr Unique or Universal

123050 6.4 gr Accurate #5, 8 gr BlueDot 82025 5.2 Bullseye

325040 26 grs. of H335 302040 27 grs of 748 or BallC2 275020 42.5 IMR4895, 46 grs. 748 or Ball C2 255030 43 grs. of RL15 or 748 258030 42.5 grs. of Varget,

168 152 173 110

255030 41.5 IMR4895 274030 48 grs. IMR4895 264030 46 grs. of RL15 190030 14 gr 2400 or 14 gr H-110*

* Do not reduce H110 more than 3%

5.56mm Ammunition Ballistics Chart

Cartridge

Weight Length

Propellant Type WC844 or CMR170 IMR4475 WC844 or IMR8208M WC844

Propellant Weight 28.5 or 26.5gr

Bullet Chamber Weight Pressure 56gr 52,000psi

Velocity 3250fps at 15' muzzle 140-165fps at from muzzle 3200fps at 15' muzzle 3025fps at 78' muzzle 2870fps at 78' muzzle 3324fps at 78' muzzle

5.56mm Ball, M193 182gr 5.56mm Grenade, M195 5.56mm Tracer, M196

2.26"

126gr

1.9"

25gr 28.5gr, 25.3gr or CMR170 26.5gr 26.1gr

56gr

 

177gr

2.26"

54gr

52,000psi

5.56mm Ball, M855 190gr 5.56mm Tracer, M856 5.56mm Armor Piercing, M995

2.26"

62gr

55,000psi

191gr

2.26"

WC844

24.7gr

63.7gr 55,000psi

180gr

2.25"

WCR845

27.5gr

52gr

50,250psi

7.62mm Ammunition Ballistics Chart

Cartridge Weight Length 2.8" 2.8" Propellant Type WC846 IMR4475 Propellant Bullet Chamber Weight Weight Pressure 46gr 41gr 150.5gr 150.5gr Velocity

7.62mm Ball, M59 393gr 7.62mm Armor Piercing, M61 7.62mm Tracer, M62 7.62mm Grenade, M64 7.62mm Ball, Special, M118 7.62mm Dim 393gr

50,000psi 2750fps at 78' from muz

50,000psi 2750fps at 78' from muz

383gr

2.8"

WC846

46gr

142gr

50,000psi 2750fps at 78' from muz

295gr

2"

WC8:30 WC846 and IMR4895 WC846

45gr

142gr

50,000psi 160fps at 5' from muzzle

390gr 381gr

2.83" 2.8"

44gr 46gr

172gr 140-

50,000psi 2640fps at

50,000psi 2750fps (CMRS), 2680f

Tracer, M276 7.62mm Armor Piercing, M993 -362.6gr 2.8" Bonfors NC1290 45gr

150gr 126.6gr

(GM) at 78' from muzzle

55,115psi 2985fps at 78' from muz

I've been working on a duplicate m193 round for awhile now using accurate 2230. I got some federal xm193 a 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 th muzzle.

The only way I can duplicate with accurate 2230/CCI 5.56 primers/fed brass is to go about a half grain over th max listed load. They list 25gr max on a 55gr bullet. With 25.2 grains I get somewhere around 3160fps out of 20" barreled AR with a mil spec surplus upper. I've taken this load up to 25.5 grains in .1 grain increments and pressure signs in the brass at the 25.5gr level on a hot 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. M19 loaded right at the limit, from what i've seen.

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Currently I reload 55gr Hornady SP and 75gr Hornady BTHP. I use Both rounds in my AR-15 with 1:7 Twist and my Savage 1:9 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 the powder charge. --

I exactly duplicated the M262 load with TAC, but it is very hot and I changed to N540.

It was 26 grains of TAC driven by a Magnum 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 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, triggertime 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 62 grain with cannelure --