Issue with first .223 reloads

[jcbarlow]

I loaded up some .223 for the first time and a few of the rounds wouldn't let the bolt fully close. It was kind of a hit and miss deal, I dumped a whole magazine full of them then others wouldn't let the bolt close. Do I need to shorten the OAL some? I am using L.C. brass, 62 gr armscor bullets, the oal is right around 2.254.

 

[Bobrob]

Small base dies?
Full length re-size?
Overall length?

 

[grwd]

what did you do to prep the brass? whats your trim length?

 

[Buzzdraw]

Must be gentle with the press down stroke when seating bullet. Too quick can distort the case shoulder.

 

[jcbarlow]

Guess I should have included a bit more info. Small based dies, The hogdon reload data calls for 2.250 oal and I was just a bit over that, I think I narrowed it down to just a tad bit too much oal or I didnt not have the resize die set right. I forget the length the brass was but it was borderline on the max size before it needed to be trimmed.

 

[12gabackup]

You need to be using one of these: http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=456614

 

[Ksmirk]

Take your calipers and measure the brass overall length, if that is under spec then I'm guessing you didn't bump the shoulder on the brass back enough. When you screw the FL die into the press did you let it bottom out on the press ram when the ram was in the up position? I normally seat the die until it hits the ram then drop the ram and screw the die in a bit more until the press ram cams on the up stroke. If the brass is over spec on the overall length then you could see some serious pressure spikes! be careful.

Brass prep takes me longer than anything that has to do with the reloading process but then I'm a little picky about my loads. Let us know what was up with your loads when you find out.

Oh what kind of rifle are you shooting? semi, bolt, single shot, you may have to get some small base dies if it's for the semi. Later,

Kirk

 

[Shadowrider]

I'd echo what Ksmirk said. I generally set the die to bimp the shell holder a bit.

Also my brass grows about .006" in OAL from not sized to sized. IOW, if you are measuring the OAL of a fired case and it's on the max length, you can take it to the bank that after you size it, it will be too long. The numbers will vary for your particular set of dies and the chamber in your gun, but it's going to do the same thing.

 

[POSITIVE DISCONTENT]

Get one of these
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=559802#enlarge

 

[technetium-99m]

You likely didn't set the shoulder back far enough like the above posters suggested. Get the Hornady comparator kit and measure from the base to the shoulder on your fired cases. As you crank the die down you will see the shoulder jump forward and then start to set back as the die goes further down. Your cases will also grow in length and need to be trimmed. With all due respect to ksmirk I have never had to crank the die down that far.

For my AR's I set the shoulder back 3-4 thousandths and never have a problem with feeding or ejecting live rounds.

Also, for a trimmer on the cheap get the possum hollow trimmer that chucks into a drill and go to town on the brass. You can process a fair bit in little time.