223 reloading questions

[glock10mmman]

I have a few questions about reloading 223. Ive loaded alot of rifle and thousands of pistol, but never 223.

1st. How do I tell if I have crimped in primers? I am thinking about buying the Dillon super swage for them, but cant tell if they are crimped. Most of my brass is commerical and lake city brass. Once the crimp is removed do I have to crimp them?

Whats the best or cheapest powder for 223? Im just looking for some plinking stuff for my AR nothing fancy. I see Ramshot TAC is around 95 a keg.

Thanks in advance

g10

[R/T Performance]

Yes every .223 5.56 except remington has crimped primers.

the crimp is a cricle stamp wich pinches the primer in.

once removed no need to crimp or reswage.

I been using vergant ( probaly miss spelled)

[aedavis]

Yes every .223 5.56 except remington has crimped primers.

Actually, I have Federal, Winchester, and PMC cases that don't have crimped pockets. Most commercial brass doesn't have crimped primers while virtually all military brass does.

Look at this page for a picture of a crimped primer pocket. 3rd picture down shows a crimped pocket on the right and a reamed out pocket on the left.

http://carteach0.blogspot.com/2007/11/crimped-primer-pocket-fix-alternate-fix.html

Once you remove the crimp, you won't have to crimp the primer again. I've used my deburr tool (like in the link above) to remove crimps before and I currently use a countersink drill bit. Most people seem to agree that the Dillon swage tool is great, but you can also use a swage die from CH4D or RCBS. Here's a good link that discusses using a swage die from CH4D:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/squeezeplay2/index.asp

Regarding powder, I've had good luck with BLC-2 in my 223. It probably isn't the cheapest, but it is as cheap as anything else I can buy locally ($120 for an 8lb canister).

[R/T Performance]

Hmmmm Are you getting brass some one has alreadry removed the crimp or buying new brass.Here a snipt from www.brassmanbrass.com

223 Remington

Limited to 1500 on Remington Head Stamp per customer

Manufacturer Metal Cost Qty Cost Qty

PLEASE NOTE : ALL 223 COMMERCIAL AND MILITARY BRASS HAVE A PRIMER CRIMP EXCEPT COMMERCIAL REMINGTON HEAD STAMP. **** SHIPPING IS NOT INCLUDED ON ONCE FIRED BRASS

New Lake City 2006 Brass $170.00 1000

(Shipped) $87.50 500

(Shipped)

Remington ** Brass $65.00 1000 $35.00 500

Federal Brass $60.00 1000 $32.50 500

I have a dillon Super swage .I deprime/resize, Trim and swage all my brass unless it's Rem

Edited December 6, 2007 by R/T Performance

[aedavis]

Hmmmm Are you getting brass some one has alreadry removed the crimp or buying new brass.Here a snipt from www.brassmanbrass.com

PLEASE NOTE : ALL 223 COMMERCIAL AND MILITARY BRASS HAVE A PRIMER CRIMP EXCEPT COMMERCIAL REMINGTON HEAD STAMP.

I think that BrassMan is referring only to the brass he has for sale, if I'm reading that correctly. Here's a pic of some brass I just pulled out of my miscellaneous 223 bucket - the group on the left is commercial 1F (no crimp), while the FC on the right has a crimped primer.

I haven't purchased factory ammo in many years, but my friends do (and give me the brass!) and I know you can buy Federal Gold Medal Match 223 (with a 69gr Sierra MK) without a primer crimp. I am pretty sure that Winchester White Box 223 is uncrimped also, as is their Power Point and other hunting loads.

[glock10mmman]

What happens if I dont remove the crimp with the Dillon Swag?

g10

[R/T Performance]

Hmmmm Are you getting brass some one has alreadry removed the crimp or buying new brass.Here a snipt from www.brassmanbrass.com

PLEASE NOTE : ALL 223 COMMERCIAL AND MILITARY BRASS HAVE A PRIMER CRIMP EXCEPT COMMERCIAL REMINGTON HEAD STAMP.

I think that BrassMan is referring only to the brass he has for sale, if I'm reading that correctly. Here's a pic of some brass I just pulled out of my miscellaneous 223 bucket - the group on the left is commercial 1F (no crimp), while the FC on the right has a crimped primer.

I haven't purchased factory ammo in many years, but my friends do (and give me the brass!) and I know you can buy Federal Gold Medal Match 223 (with a 69gr Sierra MK) without a primer crimp. I am pretty sure that Winchester White Box 223 is uncrimped also, as is their Power Point and other hunting loads.

It makes it nearly impossible to install the new primer (I think never have tried) Hard to tell from the pic but you could be correct. I just go buy the info I read

[Canuck-IL]

You're going to end up with a half-inserted, stuck or cocked primer.

/Bryan

[David Sinko]

What countersink drill bit do you use for this purpose? I bought an RCBS swage die and I think it was a waste of money. I'm starting to think the drill is the most efficient way to prep .223 cases. I use the Lee trimmer with the drill and if I can drill the primer pockets that just might be the way to go.

Dave Sinko

[aedavis]

What countersink drill bit do you use for this purpose? I bought an RCBS swage die and I think it was a waste of money. I'm starting to think the drill is the most efficient way to prep .223 cases. I use the Lee trimmer with the drill and if I can drill the primer pockets that just might be the way to go.

Dave Sinko

I use a countersink just like this one:

Countersink

Mine is a 5/16" bit, but anything that fits in the pocket should work. I don't love this method, but it works. I chuck the countersink up in my cordless drill, clamp the drill in my bench mount vise, and hold the case up against the countersink with one hand while running the drill with the other hand. It sounds wierd but works pretty well. I'm not sure this method gets a smooth enough 'transition' into the primer pocket to work in a progressive press - I load my 223 on a RockChucker single stage and prime with an RCBS hand priming tool.

I can't see spending $90 on the Dillon swage for the 1000-1500 cases a year I have to remove a crimp on - plus, I don't have the bench space. I think I might buy the CH4D swage die to try it out since it fits in my single stage press and is priced right. There's a good writeup on it here:

writeup on CH4D swage die

[David Sinko]

Interesting... just a deburring tool that fits into a drill. I'll have to get one of these. Then the procedure will be to resize the case in the 550, remove it before the primer is seated, grab the drill with the Lee trimmer and trim it, grab the other drill and chew out the primer pocket if necessary, deburr the mouth, put it back in the press, seat the primer, seat the bullet, and then do it all over again. A bit slow and tedious, but I can not think of any other way with what I have. Then once the brass has been trimmed and de-crimped I should be able to at least two more trouble free loadings before worrying about having to trim them again.

Dave Sinko