In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Options
223 Resized Brass wants to Stick in AR**UPDATE***
sigarmsp226
Member Posts: 2,457 ✭✭✭
Need some help please.... A buddy gave me about 200 rounds of his once fired 223 Remington brass cosisting of PMC, Remington, and Federal. I took 100 pieces and being new back into reloading I followed the directions to the "T" included in my RCBS die kit.
1> I cleaned the brass
2> I lubed the brass
3> I took the charging hand unit with the shell holder in place and extended it to its highest level on my RCBS Rock Chucker with NO case in the unit.
4> I screwed the die down until it touched the shell holder.
5> I lowered the charging handle and then turned my die 1/8 to 1/4 turn further down and locked the lock ring.
6> I then slowly ran the charging unit up again and upon contact with the die base I carefully bottomed out the charging handle and it made its little thump confirming it had bottomed out.
7> I insured that the decapping pin was 3/16" below the base of the die insuring decapping and proper resizing.
After I full case resized the pieces I decided to take 3 or 4 and drop into the chamber of two different AR's to insure they did not stick in the chamber. In my Colt they stuck just a little, in the Bushmaster I had to get a cleaning rod and go down the barrel while holding the bolt in it unlocked position and carefully drive the shell out of the chamber. Keep in mind these cases DO NOT HAVE primers in them.
What have I done wrong or in the final step of seating and crimping a bullet into these cases the case is resized again. Thanks for any and all feedback.... I have hand loaded pistol ammo for many years but just started back and this is my first pass at Rifle ammo.
Thansk Mark
1> I cleaned the brass
2> I lubed the brass
3> I took the charging hand unit with the shell holder in place and extended it to its highest level on my RCBS Rock Chucker with NO case in the unit.
4> I screwed the die down until it touched the shell holder.
5> I lowered the charging handle and then turned my die 1/8 to 1/4 turn further down and locked the lock ring.
6> I then slowly ran the charging unit up again and upon contact with the die base I carefully bottomed out the charging handle and it made its little thump confirming it had bottomed out.
7> I insured that the decapping pin was 3/16" below the base of the die insuring decapping and proper resizing.
After I full case resized the pieces I decided to take 3 or 4 and drop into the chamber of two different AR's to insure they did not stick in the chamber. In my Colt they stuck just a little, in the Bushmaster I had to get a cleaning rod and go down the barrel while holding the bolt in it unlocked position and carefully drive the shell out of the chamber. Keep in mind these cases DO NOT HAVE primers in them.
What have I done wrong or in the final step of seating and crimping a bullet into these cases the case is resized again. Thanks for any and all feedback.... I have hand loaded pistol ammo for many years but just started back and this is my first pass at Rifle ammo.
Thansk Mark
Comments
Is the length OK?
Yes Sir - I have a case trimmer for the 223 Remington made by Lee that you do by hand with a drill and the 5 I tried were all checked and only one required a very small amount of trimming..... Mark
Well here I go showing my lack of knowledge - What s a small base sizing die and is that a complete new die set or something I can add to my RCBS 223 Remington die set I have?
I don't think I would go with the small base dies. I would try a different standard full length die first. There should be no reason for a regular full length die not doing the job.
Shoff - Thanks for your comment. I have a buddy that has a set of Lee 223 dies. I will try his before buying a small base sizing die... Thanks DCS and 5mmgunguy also for your input.....Mark
SMDies as you found are recommended for the non-bolt camming guns such as Auto's, lever actions and some single shots! You will find the SMD sized hulls cannot be reload as many times as normal die sized hulls, because of overworking the brass, ie, expansion and contraction of the brass is somewhat greater!
RCBS claims that they will make you a die just for your chamber if you will send them a couple of fired hulls from the gun in question chamber and this reduces the overworking of the brass!
For MY own bolt action rifles I use neck sizing dies and therefore I get longer life from the brass if I'm not shooting real hot loads and stretching the brass! After neck sizing the cases and before loading them I take the gun and chamber each hull for fit! (sometimes a tight one will just appear for the same batch of matched brass and I have to go to the full length sizing die, and usually the full length sizing die can be backed off about 1 round and just size the neck and shoulder area of the hull instead of full length!
(I also chamber check the final loaded shells (in a safe area) before going to the field, just to make sure all chamber ok when hunting, etc!