223 case gauge

[micks75scamp]

Hi does anyone in so Cal have one for sale or one that I can rent? I'm having a hard time reloading for 223 for my ar and setting my dies up. I keep creating a shoulder and think a gauge would help. I, located in Beaumont but am willing to drive a decent distance if someone has one I can either purchase or rent from you. I shouldn't need it more than a couple days.
Thanks
Steve

[morrow]

It's good to have a case gage at all times, for future reloading and to check rounds periodically when reloading. I recommend getting the Dillon ones as they are stainless steel.

[Dutch Henry]

I bought one at the Stockade in Westminster (O.C.) for about $27.50+CA extortion. You could call them and see if they have any stock. (714) 894-0584 They open at 10:00 A.M.

You could contact Dillon and order one http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/con...fle_Case_Gages You'd save the cost of gasoline to drive to O.C.

[joelogic]

What do you mean you keep creating a shoulder?

[Exodus343]

Lyman's work pretty well

[GeoffLinder]

None better than the LE Wilson one. Not only checks case for chamber fit, but checks trim length and can be used to setup size die for proper headspace.

http://www.lewilson.com/casegage.html

Instructions for using it are available at the link above.

You need to have one per caliber you reload IMHO. Borrowing one is not good enough if you want to be a serious reloader

[micks75scamp]

HEy guys thanks for the advice, ill order one from L.E. Wilson.

By creating a shoulder i believe i have the sizing die down to far, it creates a shoulder right where the case bottle necks. I have readjusted my die multiple times and still can not get it right. Im almost to the point where im blaming my die set (Lee) and considering buying a RCBS set.

[bootcamp]

You need to follow the instructions that came with the die set. It will be more accurate that what's in a different manual

[rsrocket1]

This still doesn't seem to describe what you want. A picture with arrows would be worth a thousand words. If you can post a picture of your unacceptable case, it would really help.

If you can't do that, here is a link to the dimensions from wikipedia:


Are you saying that P2 (36.52mm from the base) is getting rounded down or something else?

Are you saying you are getting dents in the shoulder? That's from too much lube.

I use the plain old Lee .223 dies and so long as you properly lube the cases and full length size, they work perfectly in my AR (several k reloads).

[morrow]

None better than the LE Wilson one. Not only checks case for chamber fit, but checks trim length and can be used to setup size die for proper headspace.

http://www.lewilson.com/casegage.html

Instructions for using it are available at the link above.

You need to have one per caliber you reload IMHO. Borrowing one is not good enough if you want to be a serious reloader

?

How is that different from the Dillon one? Or Lyman one?

[joelogic]

Post a picture of this "shoulder". Sounds like you are crushing the brass.

[bootcamp]

Post a picture of this "shoulder". Sounds like you are crushing the brass.

i concur

[CEDaytonaRydr]

Hi does anyone in so Cal have one for sale or one that I can rent? I'm having a hard time reloading for 223 for my ar and setting my dies up. I keep creating a shoulder and think a gauge would help. I, located in Beaumont but am willing to drive a decent distance if someone has one I can either purchase or rent from you. I shouldn't need it more than a couple days.
Thanks
Steve

If you live anywhere near "Field Time" I think they carry the dillon ones. They are worth it to have, I tell ya...

I just bought 1 in 40 S&W and 45 ACP. I checked some of my previous loads and it was SCARY how many were out of spec.

[micks75scamp]

Im sorry guys, work was hectic today. Here is some more information/pictures

I built an AR15 with a bushmaster 20” upper with a 5.56 chamber. I ran about 500 rounds of factory ammo through the gun and only a couple hiccups when It was new. (gas key was bent and causing the weapon to hang up)

So I decided I wanted to start reloading for my AR to help save money so I can shoot more .
I set my Lee dies up on my Lee turret press as per the instructions that came with them. I loaded up about 250 rounds. They looked great and I was super excited to go and shoot them. I head to my local range, and I run about 2 magazines worth of factory ammo through the gun. It functions flawlessly (BTW I keep it very clean).
So I load up a magazine with my trust dandy reloads, first round fires cycles the bolt and I pull the trigger for the second round. Nothing no click, bang pop, crack, or sizzle…. I inspect the weapon, and it is not in battery. Okay wth? So I go to try to eject the round, nope not happening, I have to pull on the charging handle and bang the buttstock on a counter. It ejects the round, I inspect the round and it looks great no dents, knicks, or anything.
So I chamber another round, this one chambers, Great! I fire the round BANG!! Awesome except, no not so awesome it wont eject the round. I had to ram rod the shell out of the gun to get it to eject. Inspect it, it looks fine nothing obvious.
So I try one more round, it wont go into battery all the way, and I can not get it out. So I drive home praying I don’t get pulled over. Get home get the round out. Took a fairly strong ram rod, drilled out on the tip so it centers on the bullet. Knock the round out with a hammer it pops out. AGAIN I don’t see anything obvious.
So I load up a new magazine with factory ammo, mix of 5.56 and 223. Remove my firing pin and cycle the weapon by hand. No problems at all. So it must be a size problem. I start looking at the rounds with a digital caliper, and the only part of the brass that seems to be mis-sized is the shoulder before it bottlenecks.
So I played with the dies and try to get this straightened out. I went anywhere from crushing the brass, to not being able to full length size the brass. Maybe I am setting them up wrong still maybe I need to try to re-set them again. I just really don’t want to ruin that much more brass. So that’s the issue, and im thinking that a case gauge will help. Unless anyone else has any advice or has had this issue before maybe can point me in the right direction?
Im sorry for the long friggin post but if youre still reading this, I would really appreaciate some insight.
And here is a picture of two of the worse rounds.

Thank you
Steve

[exercion]

This could be an odd question, but is it possible you're using a neck size only die? I ask because in a full length die, there shouldn't be room for that bulge to form. I know in mine I can actually run the shellholder clear to the base of the die and it won't bulge the case like that.

Eric