Reloading 223

[Canuck-IL]

Thanks much for the responses! Sounds like I was overly concerned about jamming a case w/o lubing them one at a time ... I'll try mass processing - right after I order a stuck case remover, just as insurance - as above noted, if you have it, you won't need it.

/Bryan

[orangeman711]

Another newbie question. Started sizing NEW win. 223 brass and noticed gouges all the way around the brass about a quarter inch above the rim. Stopped sizing and took die apart to check for any foreign objects and also ran a brass bruss thru to clean it out. lubed inside with Oneshot and reassembled.

Started sizing and same thing,gouges. What's the problem? I resized about 300 oncefired rounds with

no problem.

Thanks for any help.

Ed

[Dan Sierpina]

Another newbie question. Started sizing NEW win. 223 brass and noticed gouges all the way around the brass about a quarter inch above the rim. Stopped sizing and took die apart to check for any foreign objects and also ran a brass bruss thru to clean it out. lubed inside with Oneshot and reassembled.

Started sizing and same thing,gouges. What's the problem? I resized about 300 oncefired rounds with

no problem.

Thanks for any help.

Ed

A photo would help. Did you clean the dies before trying to size. You said the brass was new, what about the dies?

[orangeman711]

No the die is not new but like I said I had previously resized 300 rds. of oncefired brass and 50 rds.

of new PMC brass without a problem.

[Robbie Wheaton Jr]

No the die is not new but like I said I had previously resized 300 rds. of oncefired brass and 50 rds.

of new PMC brass without a problem.

Too much lube on the outside of the case. This will cause the case to dent in the location you are referring. Try sizing some cases with just a little lube on them and see if that fixes the problem.

[orangeman711]

Thanks for the advice, I'll try some in the morning and post back. But like I said they are

vertical gouges not dents.

Ed

[orangeman711]

Recleaned die and LIGHTLY lubed new WIN. brass, still leaving vertical gouges on cases.

[M118LR]

I use Hornady One shot case lube. I then resize the brass and tumble it. Takes the lube right off.

[Merlin Orr]

At this point - Replace the die....

[EricW]

You *may* be able to polish out the die with a drill, some 600 grit, then followed by polishing compound. Grit from grinding near your reloading area and nickel plated brass are the usual culprits.

[rishii]

make sure that the decapping stem is not hitting the case mouth as it goes into the die. I ran into that problem using a lee universal decapping die

[orangeman711]

Thank's for all the help and info guys. After rexamination it appears as though I need a new die.

I'll order one from Dillon today. What's the general concencious,carbide or standard?

Thanks

ED

[Dan Sierpina]

Thank's for all the help and info guys. After rexamination it appears as though I need a new die.

I'll order one from Dillon today. What's the general concencious,carbide or standard?

Thanks

ED

Carbide if you load very large quanties( almost commercial quantities), or you have deep pockets. I've been using an RCBS sizer for years.

With bottleneck cases, you NEED to lube even with carbide. It isn't a straight wall case that only has a small ring to reduce the diameter.

[orangeman711]

Thanks for the info Dan.

I went ahead and ordered a power trimmer and universal decapper from Brian. Hopefully this will fill the bill and do a good job.

Thank's again guys for all the help.

Ed

[fastshooter03]

I use a forster bonanza press for all my rifle sizing. If I'm really bored I'll rotate the case 180 degrees and resize. I've tried rifle sizing on the 650 and it just seemed to take a little more effort than I like. I do use the dillon if I need to size a bunch of cases with my dillon electric casetrimmer.

For anybody using a dillon electric casetrimmer, the die dillon uses squeezes the neck so you need to run them back thru a sizing die after trimming or any neck thickness variation will be transferred to the inside of the neck to mess with your neck tension.

I also use two forster seating dies in the last two stations of the press to try and cut down on OAL variation issues. The second die is set to push the bullet done only .001" past the first. Buy a case base to bullet ogive measuring tool and see how much variation you have. You'll probably be surprised. The dillon die head moves up and down as well. I try to use paper shims to tighten it up. Just make sure you can get the pins back in. This might be overkill for most AR shooters with 5.56 chambers but you may feel better about your loads. I am using 223 chambers now. The first time I accuracy tested my new 223 ARs this year, I was pretty impressed with 3 different "just pick it and go" loads.

The gauge you MUST HAVE is something to measure your case base to shoulder(headspace). Primer must be out or filed flat to measure accurately. I know a lot of people who don't use a headspace gauge(caliper attachment or die with indicator) and wonder how they can do it. They're usually the ones who have problems all the time. You need to measure your fired cases to see what size your chamber is. Then set your sizing die to push back the shoulder .001-.003" . Jamming tight a case that is too long for your chamber is not fun in an AR. You'll be beating the charging handle open hoping it won't break! If you have more than one AR or 223, chances are you have more than 1 headspace to deal with. If you're going to use ammo in more than 1 gun, Make Sure it fits the tightest chamber

If you use varget or any other extruded powder on the 650, you must be very careful that the powder doesn't get bunched up in the powder drop funnel. It's a pain in the $%# when you notice too late that the case isn't full and then powder starts falling all over the press! Slow down your press upstroke so the powder falls a little slower.

Any specific questions let me know.

Fastshooter03

[uscbigdawg]

Just get a standard die. The carbide does not equate to you reaching some magical level of ammo producer. Just means you have a better margine for error. Either one will do you just fine.

Rich

[Merlin Orr]

My set up is about ready to go..but... One thing I keep seeing here and there is the small base die mentioned. Is it necessary? All my brass is once fired and after I reload and shoot it it will remain on the ground.

[D.Hayden]

Merlin.. I tried the Small base and the X-Base dies for .223 If you adjust the Dillon die correctly, it's perfect.

Just make sure you adjust using a good gauge.

[uscbigdawg]

Merlin,

If you're leaving it on the ground it really doesn't matter, but for what it's worth the Dillon dies are small base dies. Just a little extra squeeze on the case to fit tighter chambers.

Rich

[Merlin Orr]

I just bought a Redding die with some other stuff and I did not know if I needed to get something else... I guess I should try a few with the Redding before I buy something different. I do like hearing the Dillon is a SB die as just about everything I own is Dillon.

Thanks for the input.

[GentlemanJim]

Merlin

Leaveing processed brass on the ground is like leaving DIMES behind.

Jim

[Dan Sierpina]

Merlin,

You don't need no stinkin' small base die! Mini 14's were reputed to need small base dies for reliability.

[orangeman711]

When working up new loads for 3-gun how many

rounds of a given powder chg. & bullet wt. should I load for testing?

After I've loaded the rds. what is the best way to evaluate? 50yd. accuracy,100yd., 200yds.

or what?

Also what order should I evaluate; chrono then accuracy, or what?

Thanks for any help you can give me. With the costs going up, and the supply going down

of affordable 223 ammo I see no other way at this time but to reload my own.

Thanks again

Ed

[Keith_J]

Speaking of which... probably the best insurance against getting a stuck case... is to get a stuck case removal kit, and keep it where you can find it. Had one for six years, never needed it. Then I moved, couldn't find the dang thing, bam! stuck case. Unfortunately, I can say that feature of the Dillon dies does work fairly well... depending on how/why the case gets stuck, of course.

Dillon dies have no need for stuck case removal tools. Read the instructions that came with the dies...ditto on Lee.

If dies are scratching cases, first try a good copper solvent to clean the die. Pro-Shot Copper Solvent IV is safe for overnight soaking.

Then try 0000 steel wool. It is soft iron, won't scratch hardened tool steel.

Edited November 4, 2007 by Keith_J

[milanuk]

Like I said... 'unfortunately, I can say that feature... works fairly well'. Hornady One-Shot spray lube didn't work so well for me. Back to the Dillon Case Lube for this feller.

But if you have some Berdan primed cases slip into the mix... the decapping pin in a Dillon .223 die will turn into a dandy little 'J' hook... and then the case will *not* come free, even after you go thru all the usual motions. No fun. I think we ended up having to Dremel off the case head, use a carbide ball tip on a Dremel to carefully reach in and amputate the decapping pin, and then pull things apart. Like I said, no fun. It's been a while, so I might be a little fuzzy on the details, but that was the gist of it.