Loading 223 and WTH did I do now?!??!

[VERT]

I have been dropping all of my cases in my new case gauge. Every once in a while I get one that just won't fit. The case is usually marked SADU.

 

[JHB]

Try lubing the inside of the neck before sizing. The neck expander may be stretching the brass when being pulled through the neck.

 

[teddy12b]

Last night I took one of the fired pieces of brass that I'd been using to reload with and dropped it in the new wilson gauge just curious to see what'd happen. Sure enough it was fine. Then I grabbed the same bushmaster A2 rifle I'd been using as a chamber gauge and tried the chamber that same piece of once fired brass and it got stuck just like all the other loaded rounds had and I had to mortar it out. That's a once fired piece of winchester brass that fit just fine in the wilson gauge. I grabbed a XM193 and it chambered like perfection so I just figured what the heck.

 

[BGDave]

Last night I took one of the fired pieces of brass that I'd been using to reload with and dropped it in the new wilson gauge just curious to see what'd happen. Sure enough it was fine. Then I grabbed the same bushmaster A2 rifle I'd been using as a chamber gauge and tried the chamber that same piece of once fired brass and it got stuck just like all the other loaded rounds had and I had to mortar it out. That's a once fired piece of winchester brass that fit just fine in the wilson gauge. I grabbed a XM193 and it chambered like perfection so I just figured what the heck.

It's starting to look like you have one or more rifles with an oversize chamber.

On another note, have you used a chamber brush on the Bushmaster? Might want to get all medieval on it. Some of the Russian steel case is coated with Elmer's glue or something.

 

[teddy12b]

It's starting to look like you have one or more rifles with an oversize chamber.

On another note, have you used a chamber brush on the Bushmaster? Might want to get all medieval on it. Some of the Russian steel case is coated with Elmer's glue or something.

I don't remember where all this brass came from. Back in the day I used to buy once fired brass on gunbroker for pennies per piece so I think it came from there. I keep a chamber brush on a short section of cleaning rod attached to a cordless drill. A few seconds in there I've thoroughly cleaned it out and that's happened a few times since all this started.

 

[VERT]

My personal experience with Wilson Pistol gauges are that if it fits in the gauge it will fit in the gun. If it doesn’t fit in the gauge the ammo will still work in an M&P or Glock.

 

[teddy12b]

RCBS small base die showed up today, and only ran a few pieces of brass through it, but so far its fixed the issue. All these years I don't know how I was getting lucky without that new die, but I was. Now I'm going to run a batch of the same ammo other the the new die and see how that goes. Hopefully this gets everything dialed in once and for all and I don't have to touch a die ever again.

 

[VERT]

RCBS small base die showed up today, and only ran a few pieces of brass through it, but so far its fixed the issue. All these years I don't know how I was getting lucky without that new die, but I was. Now I'm going to run a batch of the same ammo other the the new die and see how that goes. Hopefully this gets everything dialed in once and for all and I don't have to touch a die ever again.

Let us know how this works out for you.

 

[Bfish]

Thanks for the update Teddy, I've been following this one. Hoping it all works out for you.

 

[teddy12b]

So far all I had done was resize a few pieces of brass and they chambered. I'm hoping tonight after work to knock out a hundred or a few. I was really relieved when the empties chambered, but also really confused because I really have no idea how many rounds I've reloaded with the old set of dies and never had a single issue. I used to mainly run 223 through bolt guns over the years, but never had a problem running the same lot through an AR so the whole thing just baffles me.

 

[bwframe]

I have yet to load any .223, but I need to get to it soon.

I have a Redding Delux .223 die set. Do I need to pick up one of these RCBS small base dies to have on hand?

 

[1775usmarine]

I had the same issue. Got a rcbs small base in Nov and a lyman case gauge sometime last year. Finally got around to sizing my brass and found that the brass I had"sized" before after running through the small base the necks need to be trimmed again. Have yet to reload a round yet but think I am close to finally being to run my reloads without a case getting stuck in the chamber.

 

[Mayszs]

This right here......
A small base die is made to cure EXACTLY the problem you are having.
It is used so the rounds you make fit ALL of your semi, lever and pump guns in that caliber.
Order one and run it down until you just cam-over your press handle in the down direction.

You took the words out of my mouth.
My assumption is that he’s got a large base full length die.

 

[VERT]

I have yet to load any .223, but I need to get to it soon.

I have a Redding Delux .223 die set. Do I need to pick up one of these RCBS small base dies to have on hand?

Not necessarily. I have been loading .223 with a Hornady die and it isn’t small base. I did end up purchasing a case gauge and I would recommend one. The other item I would purchase is a universal decapper. Crimped .223 are not friendly to decapping pins and mandrels in .223 dies.

All of the case prep required for .223 has me scratching my head why I am doing what I am doing. But with the crazy in the world I am glad I did.

 

[bwframe]

Not necessarily. I have been loading .223 with a Hornady die and it isn’t small base. I did end up purchasing a case gauge and I would recommend one. The other item I would purchase is a universal decapper. Crimped .223 are not friendly to decapping pins and mandrels in .223 dies.

All of the case prep required for .223 has me scratching my head why I am doing what I am doing. But with the crazy in the world I am glad I did.

Thanks VERT! I have a case gage and universal decapper.