223 Reloading Problem-Help

[bill 2390]

I have 3 AR 15s and have recently run into a problem about 1/3 of my reloads will not chamber the last 1/8 inch or so thus the bolt will not lock up so I can fire the round-other then hand chambering each and every round to get a reliable loaded magazine full of bullets to fire I am at a total loss to correct the problem.I have replaced dies/RCBS/Lyman/Hornady same problems I used a dillion square deal B/and have even went back to my old reliable an RCBS rock chucker.Is there anyaway I can check these rounds/if so how/if it is another piece of equipment who makes it/how to get in touch ect. Thanks

 

[Skyjunky]

Are you checking and trimming the case length?

 

[Major Woody]

Are you full length resizing? Sounds like you need to re-adjust your deprime/sizer. The shell is still too big at the bottom. If that is the case, you'll have to pull them, deprime, resize, trim, and reprime again. Is the chamber dirty? Brand of rifle?

 

[jasont]

I had a similar problem when I started reloading .223. It was solved when I turned the sizing die down another 1/4 turn. You can also get a case gauge that you can drop a fully loaded round or just the case into to check to see if it will properly chamber and that it is the correct length.

 

[Posit]

Agree with the above; sounds like your FL sizing die was not correctly adjusted. Just measure the base of a couple of cartridges which won't chamber, compare that with the manual- or compare with the measurement of a couple which will chamber. If that's not the problem, the next step would be to check case length, but 1/8" is a lot for that.

If you adjust your FL die, be careful not to over do it. A slight bulge at the base of the neck, or crushing the shoulder indicates your die is turned too far down.

 

[bill 2390]

Reloading 223 help-Thank You

The cases are cleaned and trimmed-I believe that the information presented has hit it on the head -I plan to screw the die in a tad/size and measure it seems like this will solvw the problem.

 

[Major Woody]

Just go back to your set up instructions. I ran into that problem reloading for .308, I tried to use the full length resizer to neck only for a bolt gun. Didn't work. Always eye verify that load before pressing, there you go!

 

[Old Man of the Mountain]

Check for shoulder collapse.

Either a bullet seating die or a crimp die can cause shoulder collapse.

The collapse can be so slight that it is hard to see when looking at a case.

You might have to check the outside diameter of a case that will not chamber, to detect a slight shoulder collapse.

If that is the problem, then the die causing the collapse is down a bit too far.

 

[robocop10mm]

+1 on case gauge. www.midwayusa.com has them. You may find on close examination a slight bulge at the bottom of the shoulder. Pretty common problem. Can be corrected by taking the de-capping pin out of the sizer die and running the loaded round into the sizer die. Do not run it all the way, just enough to correct the collapse. Remember to lube the case carefully so you don't foul the primer and clean afterwards.

Some will freak out at the prospect of resizing the loaded round. Not a huge issue if you know what you are doing and proceed carefully. Put the round in the shell holder and run the ram up to the top. Screw in the die til it touches the case. Adjust the die 1/4 - 1/2 turn at a time until you find correct the problem.

 

[Old Man of the Mountain]

+1 on case gauge. www.midwayusa.com has them. You may find on close examination a slight bulge at the bottom of the shoulder. Pretty common problem. Can be corrected by taking the de-capping pin out of the sizer die and running the loaded round into the sizer die. Do not run it all the way, just enough to correct the collapse. Remember to lube the case carefully so you don't foul the primer and clean afterwards.

Some will freak out at the prospect of resizing the loaded round. Not a huge issue if you know what you are doing and proceed carefully. Put the round in the shell holder and run the ram up to the top. Screw in the die til it touches the case. Adjust the die 1/4 - 1/2 turn at a time until you find correct the problem.

One time (and I have been careful not to do it again) I did collapse the shoulder slightly with a bullet seating die. It was so slight that I could not look at a case and see that it was collapsed, and it measured as being only five thousandths of an inch larger in diameter than a non-collapsed case, but that was enough to prevent the rounds from chambering.

What I did was, one round at a time, pull the bullet, take out the powder, resize the case (with the decapping pin off of the decapping rod, but with the decapping rod still in the die) replace the powder into the case, then seat the bullet (after the bullet seating die was adjusted just a bit further away from the shell holder) then crimp with a Lee Factory Crimp Die.

I did that for each round, one at a time, and thank God I have a Lock N Load press, or otherwise that would have taken forever!

 

[mooman]

RCBS sells small base sizeing dies for auto loaders, that is what I use.