450B data in new Lyman "AR Reloading Handbook"

[pitted bore]

Lyman recently has published a new collection of 450B reloading data, tested to SAAMI specs. The reloading data are in a book, AR Reloading Handbook. The book contains several technical articles that at least some members of this forum are likely to find interesting and perhaps helpful.

The 450B recipes include these bullets:

• 200 gr Barnes XPB (the pointy one)
• 225 gr Hornady FTX
• 250 gr Hornady FTX
• 300 gr Speer Soft Point
• 225 gr Cast Round Nose Lyman #452374
• 325 gr Cast Flat Nose Gas Check Lyman #452651

Powders include:

• Accurate #9
• Accurate 4100
• Ramshot Enforcer
• Hodgdon Lil'Gun
• Hodgdon H110
• IMR 4227
• Accurate 1680

Curiously, Lyman treated Enforcer and AA4100 as different powders, when in fact they are the same. The differences in the data on the two powders is attributable to lot-to-lot and test-to-test variability. The behavior of the powder pair is similar to that of H110 and WW 296.

Interestingly, the Lyman lab employed the CCI #41 primer in building the handloads it tested. Yours truly wrote in this forum a few years ago about using these for the 450B. They are a mil-spec version of the CCI small rifle magnum. I don't believe it produces results that differ much from the Remington 7-1/2 small rifle primer.

I think the writer of the introductory material for the 450B made an error with the following statement:
Since the cartridge headspaces on the case mouth, only a light roll crimp (or no crimp at all) should be used if the bullet has a cannelure. A heavier roll crimp will increase the amount of headspace and could cause problems with misfires.
Handloads with the 450B should be taper crimped, if there is any crimp applied at the case mouth. Proper crimping techniques have been discussed continuously in this forum.

There are two articles by J. D. Jones on suppressed ARs, and an extensive one by Lane Pearce on the 204 Ruger cartridge in ARs. The step-by-step introduction to loading for the AR will be appreciated by persons who are new to reloading, and by experienced reloaders who are new to the AR. Stan Skinner's pages on the confusing AR cartridges will be appreciated by those, like myself, who sometimes cannot tell the players without a program.

Besides the 450B, covered cartridges include the 204 Ruger, 223/5.56, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 300 AAC Blackout/300 Whisper, 30 Remington AR, 308/7.62X51, 7.62X39, 9MM Luger, 458 SOCOM, and 50 Beowulf.

It's a well-written book, thoughtfully organized, with reliably tested reloading data. If you handload an AR for any of the covered cartridges, it's worth while getting a copy.
--Bob


image linked from midwayusa.

[Colohunter]

Looks like a good book to pick up. I have ARs in 5 of those calibers.