Trouble loading 223 with range brass

[kwarw1]

Thanks guys thats why I posed the question here. I figured you guys had run into this before. Load for 5-6 different rifle calibers and just about every pistol caliber there is. Never had any problems. I admit I didn't take my usual care and kind of mass produced these ones. Looks like I'll be breaking down some of these and getting resetup for the 223!

 

[kwarw1]

Thanks Guys. That's why I posed the question here.I figured you guys have been here done that.
Looks like I'll break all these down and start over. I have about 40 that cycled through my upper good the rest a total redo. Another rainy day project (dread).

 

[kwarw1]

Duh didn't see page 2 lol Sorry

 

[old codger]

Try one last thing:
See if a resized but not loaded cases will chamber. If they do then you have a bullet seating problem and not a sizing problem. I have seen instances where the shoulder of the case gets slightly bulged during the bullet seating and that will cause sticking or failure to chamber.

 

[kwarw1]

Took your advise Old Codger. The resized primed ones are giving me problems as well,even some of the ones that passed the case gauge,much to my dismay. I tried everything in my upper as suggested. Looks like I'm in the market for small base dies and a collet puller set!

 

[ebb]

Do you check the cases for OAL? If you get necks too long, they may load but cause an over pressure. Lock your reloading calipers at whatever number you decide is the max length you will accept with our cutting and check them. load the ones that make it trim the rest.

 

[kwarw1]

Just checked I found several that where over by a little.
I resized some that I fired on Friday and darned if they aren't hard to extract! In both guns. I trimmed all of these and gonna load using very close attention to detail.I have about 30 of them .I'll report back. Thanks to all.

 

[kwarw1]

Update:
Okay I had 24 once fired in this gun cases.I full length resized them touching the shell holder. trimmed to 1.745. All of them passed the case gauge test before and after loading. I loaded to 2.25 with no crimp THIS time. I have been crimping. I don't think that's a factor but it's a variable. didn't try them in the upper first. Shot 6 (25%) worked perfect. After firing none pass the case gauge, catching near the base. Which I did not expect them to.

I bought a small base die on flea bay. now I'm wondering if I need a modified shell holder to get the base fully resized?

I think the hard to extract thing is in the bolt,extension,or parts related to the locking and unlocking of the bolt. I tried all 3 of the bolts I have with the same stubborn to unload results. One of which is out of my 300 Blackout which has never failed me. I use the same brass modified of course in it. Not one problem,go figure.

My plan now,depending on ya'lls advise is: If it falls in and out of the case gauge,shoot it.If it don't redo it.

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

You say die is touching shell holder. Run a case in the die and leave the handle down. Now take a close look at the die shell holder interface. I bet you will see a small gap that you can measure with a feeler guage ! If so turn the die down 1/8th turn and check again. If still a gap turn the die down another 1/8. Repeat til no gap. When you load the linkage with a case going into the die any slack in the linkage will keep the die from touching the shell holder hence not really completely sizing the case.

Frank

 

[kwarw1]

Will do Frank.
When my new die gets here I'm gonna do the redo on the primed cases and do a couple hundred more of the range brass with it. I'm then sticking to using only ones fired in my guns. Any that don't pass the case gauge are getting tossed! The bullet pulling project will have to wait a while. Thanks

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Lyman ammo checker is your friend for generic rifle(s) ammo. I have not needed a SB die for any range brass,yet. Cross my fingers, I will sample some from the last pile I picked after a carbine class at the club, 10 rifles/shooters. I set sizing die so brass fits the Lyman AND chambers without FA.

 

[243winxb]

no crimp THIS time. I have been crimping. I don't think that's a factor

To much roll crimp can bulge the shoulder. More so when brass is not trimmed to the same length. Makes extraction of unfired ammo, hard to do.

RCBS makes 223 dies just for AR autos. Small base & taper crimp.

I have loaded for M16, Mini 14, Ar180, bolt guns, and contenders with RCBS standard die set. No crimp needed.

Try reducing your powder charge, if loading near maximum. Less case head bulge.

 

[243winxb]

reload with 24.5 grains of H335 with Hornady 55 grain soft points

Reduce the Powder charge.
When using mixed brass, it's a bad idea to load at maximum or above.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I have never crimped any AR rounds, 17 rem,20p, 223 rem I currently load for. I would make sure the brass is all in a .003 range and use a light crimp set with the mid length brass, if I did. And load to a mid range charge.

 

[asquared19]

don't the Lee Pacesetter dies also operate similar to a small sizing die?

223 Remington Dies

223 Remington Dies

leeprecision.com

 

[old codger]

If you end up pulling those loads I can recommend the Hornady collet puller. Over time I have used mine recover components.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I random sampled 20 fully processed 223 range brass from about 150(pickup over 1000 haven't needed them yet) from last summer(multiple rifles and shooters). All fit the Lyman ammo checker again. Universal decap, wash no pins, standard RCBS 223 sizing die/rcbs shell holder(Hornady one shot). Die set so brass drops clean in Lyman ammo checker and chambers without FA. On my ammo checker brass is 1-2 thousandth below lower ring(step) on the checker. I use the standard seating die, no crimp, brass from my sizing die is 4-5 thousandth smaller than seated bullet diameter. I have expanded necks with a .222 mandrel before seating, but saw No group or function benefits so I quit that extra step. There is a slight cam over(die about 1/16 turn lower than touching shell holder) when I set my die for AR brass.

 

[Colt 45]

Are you using a head space gauge to set your resizing die?

 

[HandgunHTR]

You say die is touching shell holder. Run a case in the die and leave the handle down. Now take a close look at the die shell holder interface. I bet you will see a small gap that you can measure with a feeler guage ! If so turn the die down 1/8th turn and check again. If still a gap turn the die down another 1/8. Repeat til no gap. When you load the linkage with a case going into the die any slack in the linkage will keep the die from touching the shell holder hence now really completely sizing the case.

Frank

As Frank says, for sizing brass used in an AR, it should do more than "touch the shellholder". Your press should cam over. Not significantly, but enough where you definitely notice it is camming over. This is how I set my dies for all 4 of my AR cartridges and by doing so I have never had to use a small base die.

 

[243winxb]

Range Brass- My 223 FL die does not size below this line. If brass is first fired in a gun with a LARGE chamber, with a MAXIMUM load, the brass may not fit a different rifles chamber that is SMALLER. Case gauges are not made all the same. Read the instructions 223 brass in photo.

Tags: Add Tags