Stuck bullets when cycling?

[30Cal]

Use a case gage. I wouldn't FL resize without one. There's a very fine line between adequate and excessive headspace.

[adrenalinejunkie]

"Mic" as in use a micrometer to measure the lengths.
He did the resize then trim in correct order and set the die exactly as instructions.
Only things I can think of at this time is to check the bullets on the ones that were stuck and see if there are marks on it from the barrel. That would tell you the curvature is different and the bullet needs to be set back more. I learned that the hard way with flat point on my .45
AND check the base of the shell and see if there are rub marks from the chamber. Hopefully you didn't short-stroke a few pieces. If you still have probs, text me, I can bring over one of my AR's to check.

Use a case gage. I wouldn't FL resize without one. There's a very fine line between adequate and excessive headspace.

Well, ****ing ****. Seems like I did have to set my die down more. I just loaded 50 more rounds with 50gr soft tip and the same thing happened. There are rub marks on the bottom of the cases, but the die was set per the instructions and I pressed the lever down to the point that all the slack was even taken out of the lever. There are also rifling marks on the bullets, but there are the same marks on my M193 when I load that in as well. I know I pressed the cases down all the way in the press. I moved the die down 1/3 turn past the shell holder now instead of 1/4 and we'll see how that works. Is there any real danger firing these cases? I loaded about 140 before and I know a lot of them cycle fine. I wouldn't want to go pulling around 200 rounds now. If there will just be a failure to fire with the ones that don't chamber fully i'll separate those and pull them later.

Also 30cal, I bought a wilson case gage, and I don't see how you tell if it's the right size or not. Cases that I thought were within the upper and lower grooves were actually out of spec. This just seems like an insanely long process where i'd have to measure anyway. Or is it for bullet width as well?

[IntoForever]

Where's CSA when you need him? I keep bribing him with oranges, hopefully he doesn't think I'm trying to put him to work!

[adrenalinejunkie]

Where's CSA when you need him? I keep bribing him with oranges, hopefully he doesn't think I'm trying to put him to work!

Hahahaha. I hope turning the die a little more helps. Will firing the cases that get stuck cause catastrophic failure or just a failure to fire? I don't want to go pulling 200 rounds, especially because most cycle just fine.

[mif_slim]

Hahahaha. I hope turning the die a little more helps. Will firing the cases that get stuck cause catastrophic failure or just a failure to fire? I don't want to go pulling 200 rounds, especially because most cycle just fine.

It'll work if it seats in properly. If not, the worst that can happen is you banging on the charging hangle and the buttstock on a bench trying to pry out the ammo. haha.

But all seriousness aside, you can always dismantle the round and resize it.

[adrenalinejunkie]

It'll work if it seats in properly. If not, the worst that can happen is you banging on the charging hangle and the buttstock on a bench trying to pry out the ammo. haha.

But all seriousness aside, you can always dismantle the round and resize it.

Just took the bullets to the range today. Only had 2 failure to fires out of 200 rounds (I was surprised because there were more than that that it took some force to rack the charging handle back when I was cycling them). I'm glad I learned my lesson before I had to go pulling 10's of bullets haha. There were a couple though when I was cycling them that the charging handle and bolt were locked forward. Spent a good curse word-filled minute trying to get that thing open. Got all my aggression out pulling those bullets though hahaha.

[1SGMAT]

Get a RCBS Small Base Sizing Die and you will be good to go.

[adrenalinejunkie]

Get a RCBS Small Base Sizing Die and you will be good to go.

So that would be a step after I was done full length resizing? I fired the rounds today with only 2 failure to fires, so I think i'm good, especially because I adjusted my die a tad lower now. Thanks for the idea though. If the problem persists i'll pick one up.

[IntoForever]

And you didn't call me??? Some gratitude! And I hope you recovered all the brass for further use.

[Sunwolf]

Save alot of aggravation in the future and get a case gage which will eliminate forcing out of spec rounds into a rifle with a floating firing pin.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/456614/le-wilson-case-length-headspace-gage-223-remington

[bubbapug1]

Thanks for the info. My factory M193's are right around the same length though. My american eagle and PMC are much shorter, but the problem is that my bullets have cannelures, and my seating depth brings it right to the upper edge of it. Seating it any deeper will bury the cannelure. Also, my OAL is uniform for all of my bullets, but it only happens with some of them. So confused. Would I be able to seat it and crimp above the cannelure with the same results? I've heard not to do that.

So it sounds like you'd rather have the cannelure in the right place and have the gun jam than have the gun work and lose the cannelure...is that what you are saying??

How do you know your bullet OAL is uniform? You mic'd them didn't you??? You didn't use a HEX comparator to see if the ogive was different on the ones that get stuck..been there, done that. OAL is not always about from tip to back end...thats a type of oal, but not always the best oal to avoid your situation.

I bet those 55's are the cheap stubby ones (Berry's??) that need to be set back an additional 1/8 = 1/4 inch from typical factory ammo 55 oal so as to not get stuck in the lands.

Buy a comparator too...The Hornady one is best and most repeatable.

And always make up a few dummy rounds with no primer and powder to test cycyle in your gun before you do a long production run,

[IntoForever]

He has that case guage and the bullets are Hornady. I used to reload them and have gone through close to 1000 without any issue at all. Only thing I can think of at this point is his chamber specs are tighter than mine.

[IntoForever]

AdrenalineJunkie, I got your text. I was about as serious with my post about you not calling me as a rubber chicken!

[adrenalinejunkie]

And you didn't call me??? Some gratitude! And I hope you recovered all the brass for further use.

Hahaha I did recover all the brass I could. Maybe lost 2 or 3 but I ended up picking up some more when they weren't looking so I think I came out positive.

Save alot of aggravation in the future and get a case gage which will eliminate forcing out of spec rounds into a rifle with a floating firing pin.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/456...-223-remington

I do have a case gage and the rounds went into that perfectly as IntoForever said, which is weird.

So it sounds like you'd rather have the cannelure in the right place and have the gun jam than have the gun work and lose the cannelure...is that what you are saying??

How do you know your bullet OAL is uniform? You mic'd them didn't you??? You didn't use a HEX comparator to see if the ogive was different on the ones that get stuck..been there, done that. OAL is not always about from tip to back end...thats a type of oal, but not always the best oal to avoid your situation.

I bet those 55's are the cheap stubby ones (Berry's??) that need to be set back an additional 1/8 = 1/4 inch from typical factory ammo 55 oal so as to not get stuck in the lands.

Buy a comparator too...The Hornady one is best and most repeatable.

And always make up a few dummy rounds with no primer and powder to test cycyle in your gun before you do a long production run,

Not that i'd rather have it in the right place, I just didn't know if there would be any negative effects from seating it lower. Most of the rounds actually fired fine, but there was some extractor marring on one or two of the heads. I'll check into the comparator thanks for the advice! Yeah making up a few dummy rounds is a lesson i'll use in the future. When I cycled them the second time I pulled the firing pin so I wouldn't get any NDs.

He has that case guage and the bullets are Hornady. I used to reload them and have gone through close to 1000 without any issue at all. Only thing I can think of at this point is his chamber specs are tighter than mine.

Yeah possibly I have a tighter chamber. I set my sizing die down a bit more so hopefully that takes care of it.

AdrenalineJunkie, I got your text. I was about as serious with my post about you not calling me as a rubber chicken!

Hahaha just making sure man I know we talked about going shooting though. I'm trying to go again before I go back up to SB so if i'm planning on heading out i'll shoot you a text.

[IntoForever]

Hahaha I did recover all the brass I could. Maybe lost 2 or 3 but I ended up picking up some more when they weren't looking so I think I came out positive.

Yeah possibly I have a tighter chamber. I set my sizing die down a bit more so hopefully that takes care of it.

I don't think you'll get any difference on bringing the die down more as it bottoms out anyways.

You should mark the ones that are a tight fit, keep them separate and when you recover brass, make sure to swap those cases out.