Help with reloading .223

[massnee]

I am having a problem reloading .223. My reloads will not fully seat in the barrel. If I try to seat them they become so jammed that I need to run a rod through the barrel to remove them. Here are the specs:

 

[BIG GUN]

Not chambering would suggest that you are not full length sizing the cases, or possibly do not have the seating die properly adjusted, causing a case bulge. The 223 is an easy round to reload. I have cranked thousands through my Dillon 550.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Looks like your case mouth dimensions are a little large from published data I have and actual measurments taken from loaded ammo.

My reloads have a dimension of about .243 OD at the mouth (bullet loaded)
and are trimmed to length of 1.755

From your pictured dimensions, the case is too long and too wide at the mouth.

Its the case mouth sticking in the throat of the chamber.

EDIT: I hope you haven't loaded a pile of them this way....you'll be pulling and trimming if you want to salvage them.

 

[bpm990d]

More info please. What type of rifle?

Also what is the press that you are using and how do you set the headspace on the die?

B

 

[GTOShootr]

Get the Wilson case gauge to set your sizing die and to check for the need to trim. I'm a rifle newbie and just reading the instructions from Wilson taught me a lot.

 

[Dan S]

Case length is a little long, trim to 1.750. It looks like you crimped it. That could make the shoulder "mushroom" out a bit, also a symptom of too long a case. There is no need to crimp a .223. Proper tension is all that's needed.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Case length is a little long, trim to 1.750. It looks like you crimped it. That could make the shoulder "mushroom" out a bit, also a symptom of too long a case. There is no need to crimp a .223. Proper tension is all that's needed.

While I agree that a crimp is not needed, if the ammo is going to be used in a mag fed semi, it is good insurance against higher pressures due to possible bullet setback to have a slight crimp at the canelure in the off chance that a worn case with improper neck tension slips by in the loading process. Every military round of ammo I've ever seen is crimped both at the bullet and the primer.....there must be some known value to it.


The round pictured does appear to be excessively crimped and that coupled with the lack of trimming, has made the neck dimensions too large.

 

[Gammon]

Trim brass to proper length and crimp into bullet cannelure only. If the bullet has no cannelure, apply very light crimp; do not deform brass or bullet.