.223 inside neck size for 88 grain ELD match

[writerman]

I have some 88 grain ELD match bullets which measure .223, but loading them into a new Starline brass case, they are way too hard to get to go all the way in, my seating die makes a round mark at the head of the bullet, just under the plastic tip end. I can't find the real measurements of what the inside of a .223 case should have as numbers/I measured the Starline and they are around .215 to .218, which for a small bullet of 55 grains that would most likely work. But not the 88's. I lubed some, and that helped, but not with all of them. Any ideas how to solve this? Thanks. I am in the process of building a 1:7 24 inch .223 match rifle, so any information or advice from experiene would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jelenko]

Expand the necks with a mandrel.

Is there a burr on the inside of the mouths?

From my experience, Hornady bullets have a softer jacket => easier to leave a mark. To lessen the mark, you can 'lap' the inside of the seating stem. In my experience that will reduce the mark a bit.

 

[Jeff Porter]

What Frank says. Starline neck tension is fairly strong in unfired brass. I will run a .223 mandrel and get 1-2 thousandths spring back. I also will hit the mouth with a Giraud triway trimmer to chamfer and de burr.

FWIW. 23.7 N135 and a 88ELDM in a Loooong throated match rifle hammers for me. Start low , work up and make sure you can get the case capacity with a long throat

 

[Walt Krafft]

New cases should be resized to straighten out the necks. If the sizing button in your die is still too tight, get some neck expanding mandrels from 21st Century. I only use about 0.001 neck tension on heavy long range bullets.