What am I doing wrong???

[Ogre6br]

keep getting cases like this while trying to reform .223 to 20 VT
What am I doing wrong???

thanks

later
p

 

[Eddie Harren]

Since the parent case for the VarTarg is the 221 Fireball, I'd say the brass in the body of the 223 case is too thick to size down to form a shoulder. Hence the deformation. I ran into this problem years ago trying to make BR brass from the small primer pocket Rem URBR 308 brass.

 

[Bobs243Ackley]

From what I can tell from your picture, it looks like lube dents from the reform operation. These should blow out when you do your fire forming. It is caused by the use of excessive case lube on the case.

Cordially,
Bob Blaine

 

[SF340Driver]

I form 221 fireball from 223 brass. What brass are you using? The new Lapua 223 "match" works well as the case walls are thinner than the old Lapua 223. Winchester also works well.

What lube are you using? I would suggest Imperial die wax applied with your fingers -- I have yet to have a piece fail to form properly.

If this doesn't work you may want to get a 221 fireball form die -- it steps the shoulder back in one operation and then you can run it thru your FL die to get the neck down to proper size.

 

[StephenPerry]

Ogre
Can you make the same case out of a .222? This would cut down on the pushing. Looks like you need to trim off a lot to get the .20. Most times with that much pushing an in-between die is used. Try a dry lube, a graphite one.
Stephen

 

[Preacher]

It sure looks like to much lube to me...
Clean the die out really good and use Imperial sizing die wax sparingly and your problem will go away I'll bet.....

 

[SF340Driver]

Ogre
Can you make the same case out of a .222? This would cut down on the pushing. Looks like you need to trim off a lot to get the .20. Most times with that much pushing an in-between die is used. Try a dry lube, a graphite one.
Stephen

I would be careful about using 222 brass. I tried it first for my fireball and found that if the brass manufacturer reams the necks you end up having to turn the new neck. The thicker brass in the shoulder forms only about half of a fireball neck leaving some of the original reamed neck. The 223 brass forms into fireball brass so that the entire 223 neck is trimmed away. If you have thicker brass in the shoulder of the 223 case it just leads to a thicker neck, but no ridge.

 

[ArtinNC]

I use .223 brass to make 17M4 and I use a Redding .221 fireball Form & trim die for the first step and its cheeper than a form die .
Art