.223 Resizing

[D.Hayden]

I started loading another batch of .223 on my 1050.

I was using the Dillon Resizer.. about 1/2 the brass doesn't pass the case gauge. (I tried 3 gauges on some samples: Wilson, Dillon, JP - all the same story) I'm camming over the press (I screwed the die down to the shell plate, then truned it about 1/8 turn more).. how's this possible?.. anything else I should look at? (Brass is all < 1.75 after sizing)

In desperation, I put on an RCBS Small base die, gauges almost 100% (1 of 75 failed, but the case mouth had a nick, case was fine). Putting cases that had sized with the Dillon, and sizing them again with the Small base die, there was a lot of friction there, and the lower 1/3 of the case definetly showed new wear.

I'm happy the way they are, but it's bugging me they won't gauge with the Dillion die. The last batch was fine, or now I'm being pickier?

Brass: All once fired, picked up at our range from Police/CO/etc. use. Mostly through Mini-14s.

[George]

Drop a fired case into the Wilson gauge, it should go all the way. Note where on the step the case head sits. This is where the case was blown out to. Set the size die so a sized case dropes into the Wilson gauge 2-3 thousandths below the unsized case (even if it cams over the press a littlle as long as it isn't carbide).

This assumes the fired cases were fired in your rifle.

Now lets look at other possible problems. Do the fired but un-sized cases not drop into the Wilson gauge? This would mean these cases are BLOWN OUT way too large and I would think twice about cranking up the gas in them.

Do the fired/un-sized cases drop into the Wilson, but the newly sized ones don't. This would mean a trashed die, or something stuck in it oblonging the cases.

Need some more data points Dave.

BTW, I do most of my re-sizing with my Dillon sizer on a Rockchucker and always run each case twice in a row with a 180 twist to get a more uniform sizing. The Rockchucker allows me a lot of adjustment leeway in setting a lot of camover if that is what is needed to get the right setback. To adjust cases not fired in your rifle, find a case you did fire and drop it in to see the step point, then size these boogers to 2-3 thous under that.

Without a comparison to a fired case from "your" rifle, you really are just guessing on shoulder setback for "your" headspace requirements.

[Bollocks]

Or you just have a faulty die, which is not totally uncommon.

Good luck,

BolloX