.308 neck marks and .223/.556 question

[jvpark]

First, I want to know if the powder residue on the neck of my .308 reloads are normal or does it give me any useful feedback on my recipe?
I used 42 & 44 grains of Varget with 168gr SMK.


Second,

Are .223 reloading dies the same as .556?

I know there is a difference between the .223 and .556 case... but are they compatible? Can I reload .223 cases when I reload .556 or should I separate the cases and do them separately?

[Fjold]

Smokey necks are just from the gases blowing back before they expand and seal against the chamber, perfectly normal.

The dies and cases are the same dimensions on the 5.56 and 223 but usually 5.56 case will have thicker walls so they have a little less capacity. For maximum accuracy you should sort your empty cases.