I found a great deal on norma 223 brass and looking forward to playing around. So I got some general questions but i will be loading for my 223 tikka varmint in this case. Just punching paper and steel with this.

1. I finally learned the cannelure is what I always called the "belt." What is it exactly for? Do i need to do anything special when reloading? I wanna play with this 62 bthp cannelure bullet mostly because it's available and cheap. I'm using the standard Honrday fl die set with the micro seating stem thing.

2. I over thought a situation and have alot more small rifle MAGNUM primers. I got about 800pcs of cci 400 and 2,500pcs of 450. What is the real difference between a standard and magnum? I know they'll both physically fit. Can I just use the 450, magnum, from the beginning and look for pressure signs as I go? Thinking about using it with varget and the 75gr eld and bthp. The plan is to start with the standard but I don't know how long the scarcity will last either.

Any thoughts and comments, especially any safety concerns, are welcome.

The cannelure is there to allow for a crimp to be applied if needed but not mandatory at all.
The 450’s have a harder cup and widely used in 223 for AR’s so that should not be an issue and I wouldn’t worry to much about working up again unless you are running max for your rifle loads.

Oh boy, you just had to open the 'cannelure' can of worms and now the debate about what the cannelure is really for is going to start LOL. Damnit, Korean Redneck!

Ignore it. If you are loading long / based on the lands or the "jam" as you liked to call it, for most bullets you'll probably be seating below the cannelure (as in the mouth will likely be under the cannelure). If you are seating to SAAMI specs, the mouth will likely touch the cannelure and then you'll have some people tell you it's there for crimping purposes and others tell you crimping has nothing to do with it's purpose....And then it will move into the 'different bullet manufacturers have different purposes they add the cannelure for'

I've seen the cannalure cause significant spin drift.

I do not crimp anything, therefore I do not ever run bullets with a cannalure. Only slippery bullets.

Fireman, that’s interesting. I wouldn’t have imagined that the cannelure would impact spin drift a noticeable amount versus a slippery bullet. I suppose that rotational friction is increased by the cannelure imprint. Of course, at the distances I shoot it won’t matter.

Yessir. It was a pretty clear observation.

Three identical ARs chambered in 6.5 Grenedel.
David shooting 123 A-Max
Nathan shooting 123 A-Max
Rob shooting 123 SST (has a cannalure)

Same BC on both bullets, elevation corrections real close on all rifles and scopes. 600 yards and more, the SST spun right. We verified it four times. David shoot and hold wind, Nathan shoot and hold the same wind, Rob shoot and it would roll off to the right. Shots were two seconds apart.

Thanks for the responses.

Bullet availability is an issue right now and just wanted to try something. They were cheap enough I was just going to keep around but I don't really know spin drift is so I'm going to avoid this all together. I still don't know why bullet manufacturers even started with this cannelure thing.

I guess I'm good to go on the small rifle magnum primers.

Don't really know what spin drift is.

Is that what you meant to write?