New reloaded problems

[Albany Mountain]

So I'm new to the reloading scene but have read lots of threads and watched many videos but I'm still having some issues.
I'll hopefully get the critical stuff out first.
I just acquired the Hornady classic reloading kit along with the HCBS case prep center, hornady auto charge powder dispenser (I currently have mixed feelings with regards to this as it overthrows most of my charges or gives me a green light to dump the charge even when it's .1 over my target) HCBS trimmer, HCBS swagger and the hornady 2 die kit (full size)
This is all to reload my 5000 .223 brass that I've shot at either the range or prairie doggin in ND. The brass was originally "American eagle" 55 grain .223 that I really liked as I could easily hit a head shot at 500-600 yards with my diamondback AR.
So here lies my problem...
After reading the hornady 9th edition I've cleaned all the brass to a nice polish. Punched out the primer, resized (or at least I thought I did according to the die manual) used Winchester "WSR" primers, hornady 68gn BTHP with a varget load of 24.2gn.
I trimmed the cases to the 1.75 deburred, chamfered, loaded primers, charge and then bullet. My C.O.L. Is exactly 2.25.
I feel like I really took my time on this but when I loaded 5-6 rounds in a mag and tried to chamber a round it wouldn't chamber all the way. Was about 1/4" or so from chambering and wouldn't eject the round.
I also bought the Hornady bullet comparator as well as the Hornady headspace comparator but I really cannot find a site that truly helps walk me through the correct way of using it.
I also am aware they're are gonna be arguments over Better powder, primer, etc. I was just going off of what was in the book so I could keep most of the mistakes off the table at first and work up from there.
The only conclusion I can come up with is maybe I didn't resize properly and the shoulder is wrong?
Please be gentle people!
Id really love to get this right the second time. Any advice and where I can get the info on using these headspace and bullet comparators correctly would be greatly appreciated and a better way of getting the charges more accurate as I'm gonna take this Hornady powder dispenser back tomorrow.
Thanks for the help!

The die manuals are a guide. But to properly size the brass, use the rifle chamber. It should chamber a fired round from that chamber. Then resize one round, clean off the lube, try to chamber it. If it doesn't fit (like your situation), screw the die downwards about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in rotation or 1/30th of a rotation, and try again. Continue until the shell just chambers and then about the 1/30th rotation again. Realistically you should resize the shoulder down about .003 inch from the fired round. You can check this with calipers and a 5/16" socket placed over the shoulder and measure from the shoulder to the base of the shell. 1 full turn of the die is .072" of adjustment so 1/72 of a turn is .001".

Your issue at this point is strictly improper sizing and the "setback" of the shoulder is not approx. .003" less than a fired case in your rifle. All rifle chamberings are not the same.

 

[Bigdaddydean]

Thank you gentlemen. So I think I have found my issue. As I stated In the first post that my reloads were not going into the chamber all the way. So I took the bolt carrier group out and slid a factory made American eagle 55 grain .223 into the chamber. It slid right in. I then took one of the bullets I reloaded and did the same. Again. Slid right in. I then decided to put the bolt carrier group
Back in. I then slid a reloaded round, one that I was originally concerned about. And slid it right into the chamber. I then "lightly" released the carrier and it stopped just short of fully seating. This is where I thought my problem was. A little backstory as to why I was doing it this way is because I have heard horror stories with the Remington primers firing when the carrier is slammed. I was in the house in my bedroom and I didn't wasn't anything to missfire. This was my issue. This is what was making me think I wasn't sizing correctly. I then did the exact same thing with a factory load and it too stopped the carrier group just short (about 1/2") from fully locking. If I use the full pressure from the buffer spring to engage the carrier closes every time.
I understand this doesn't exactly fix my issue of making sure the seating die is setup correctly. After reading some of my previous postings i may have confused a few people.
While trying to set up my seating die I was told to measure 5 or so previously fired brass. This is what I was doing but I wanted to clarify the brass that was previously fired was indeed out of my gun yet NOT a previously hand loaded round. All my previously fired brass has all been fired from my gun and has only been fired once after getting purchased right off the shelf.
My issue is this.
Of the 5 shells I measured, 2 having the same measurement. To get the shoulder back the .003-.004 am I taking that off of the shell with the larger # or the smaller #? And what if there are some brass deep in the thousands that I have that may indeed even have a larger #?
This is my concern at this point as I do think I may have figured out the other. And yes. All the rounds are fitting into the mags.
Thanks again fellas!

 

[carlsbad]

Good luck to the OP. But as for me, I've chosen the ignore option. --Jerry

 

[Langey]

Check this post: http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/shoulder-bump-for-ar-rifle.3895625/#post-36715807
Poster spclark says: First off I'd suggest you remove your bolt's extractor and ejector then set up your sizing die to run some once-fired brass. Does unloaded & unsized brass chamber under recoil spring pressure alone? If it does, you need only size your necks to hold bullets.
If it doesn't, work your die down by 1/8th turns until brass chambers easily. Minimum sizing's what your after, not some arbitrary number.

Also see: http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/resizing-for-ar-15.3873496/
In post #14, bigedp51 shows a method to determine total chamber length (shoulder datum to base).

You would want to resize all your fired cases to this measurement minus .003 to .004. If your cases haven't stretched to this length yet, then do as spclark suggests, size only enough of the case to hold a bullet.

 

[Bigdaddydean]

Albany Mountain....
Thank you.
For whatever reason your post didn't show up until after I had posted last.
This was the info I was looking for.
Carlsbad....
Not sure what I did or said that was bothersome to you but thank you for your input!
I apologize if I drug this out but I thought that's what these forums were for. To help those less knowledgeable and maybe take away something useful so as not to get hurt! I feel like I have learned more than I could have asked for these past couple days and for that....thank you! I hope I can repay the debt in the future!

 

[MGYSGT]

I couldn't tell you why all factory bullets are crimped. More that likely so you can use them in a number of styles of firearms and to keep recoil from moving the bullet. However the .223 doesn't have enough recoil to cause the bullets to move under recoil. The bigger caartridges that generate a lot of recoil are crimped for that reason. Heck, I don't even crimp my .308 cartridges for the M-1 Garand and they don't move.

 

[wholman]

I have been following this thread to see what the problem
was. Wow had to giggle to.

 

[Robert Brill]

Does any one know why my bullets would be tumbling sideways through the target. I loaded a semi hot 22-250 round 33gn. on a50gr bullet. IMR4320 powder velocity at 3529ft/sec.

 

[carlsbad]

what is the twist rate of your barrel?

 

[snert]

Then please explain why all factory rounds are crimped!!!!!

because they may be used in a class 3 firearm.

 

[seymour fish]

It's ok to resize the brass with the live primer in it, I just hold a towel in front of where the spent primer would come out. I have deprimed tons of live primers and never had one go off.
Make sure your resizing die touches the top of the shell holder when the ram is all the way up when you resize your cases and then try chambering a couple to make sure they fit.
Yes, the bullets are reusable.
The OAL for an AR, they must fit in the magazine.
Do you have a scale to weigh a charge every so often after you have the powder measure set, just to double check the accuracy. No necessary to weigh loaded cases.
Tarey

And they don't call him debendictus fer nothin! Just kidding, so have I never know whether to hold my ears or my crotch