223 case gauge

[the led farmer]

this most likely happens when you have the seating/crimping die set too deep. the case is forced in the crimp ring and the weakest point gives (the shoulder) and the mushroom tip that won't insert (giggity) into the chamber is the result. even if you force it into the chamber and get it to fire, it it won't eject.

unscrew the seating/crimping die and place a properly resized round into the shell holder and raise the ram. screw the bullet seating/crimp die in until it hits the shell. back out the die 1/2 turns (AT LEAST) for no crimp OR adjust slowly in 1/4 turn until desired crimp is achieve. insert a bullet and adjust the screw on top until you get the proper oal

rifle reloading die instructions

you can also have the rifle thru powder charging die set too deep as well (if you use one), resulting in the same effect. check, double check and recheck each die one step at a time.

[scotty99]

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

I don't think there is any way a FL die could do that. Most likely a neck sizing die, which looks very similar, is set way too short, and shouldn't be used on AR rounds anyway. If your Lee die set has two dies with decapping pins, you only want to use the one with the smaller hole at the bottom, likely marked "FL" somewhere around the die. Leave the other one in the box. It's for the bolt guns.

[GeoffLinder]

?

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

Dillon also sells the LE Wilson one.

I have both and prefer the LE Wilson, can't say the Dillon is no good, just find the Wilson rejects a few more cases when I gauge once fired sized bulk brass, that says a little something to me

[madjack956]

I have an LE Wilson die also, but it looks like he's got bigger problems than a sizing die.

[upchuck]

I didn't read all of the replys, but the eaziest fix to your problem is to not use the crimp function when you seat your bullets. For about $13 you can get a lee factory crimp die, and completly get rid of your problem. You just have to run the crimp seperately.
I personally found that in able to use the crimp along with the seater your casings all have to be verry close in length. You dont have to worry about with the factory crimp die. What is happening is that the case is crimping prior to your bullet being fully seated. So when you finish the press the bullet is already crimped to the case and you end up pushing the bullet and case down. I had the same problem, and fixed it by trimming my cases and using a seperate crimp die.

[RoundEye]

I've had that happen to me on the past when I first started. The seating die is set to close, and just needs to be adjusted. As others have said breaking out the instructions and reset everything. You may even want to pull the seating tip out completely and run a few empty cases up just to make sure everything is set.

[morrow]

Dillon also sells the LE Wilson one.

I have both and prefer the LE Wilson, can't say the Dillon is no good, just find the Wilson rejects a few more cases when I gauge once fired sized bulk brass, that says a little something to me

They're the same thing man. Same with the Lyman one. They all check headspace and trim length. They're all made to SAAMI spec.

If one is rejecting more cases than the other, that makes no difference at all. Why would you think that's an "improvement" or one to "prefer"? As long as the round headspaces correctly in the gage, it will chamber in the rifle, unless the gage is out-of-tolerance...and in that case it will need to be returned for a new one as it would be a manufacturing defect.

The only difference is Dillon is stainless steel, so when buying a new one, it's a great option.

No offense, but you gave flat out false advice claiming the LE Wilson one was the best. It's the exact same as the others. It's great that you have it and you like it, but false advertising to a fellow reloader isn't cool man.

[klewan]

OP, you don't need the gage, those two in the picture are all you need to know that you're not doing it right. I looked into getting the Wilson gage, found a thread that it's only a headspace and not a complete chambering gage. In other words, the brass might drop in the gage and still not chamber in your gun. Hornaday makes a headspace gauge set that will do the same as the Wilson gage for a lot less money. Until you get some measuring tools, just compare what you make to a factory round; you do have calipers? Don't you? Better luck in the future...

[spy-d]

Your case is too long. I had the same problem with my AR. The round got jammed and was a ***** to remove.
I live north of Oroville, CA. Home to RCBS. Here is what I learned.

After you fire a round, the brass forms itself to the chamber of your AR. When you resize your brass, you lenghen the brass. To prevent this, you must trim your brass (I use Leman's 223 hand case trimmer) after you pop out the spent primer and BEFORE you resize your brass.

After your case has been trimed, you can resize it in your die. NOW, after you resize youe case, Wipe it clean and chamber it in your AR. Do not slam the bolt close. PUSH the bolt closed with your thumb. The bolt chould close with a click. If not, Then your case did not resized correctly.

You might have the WRONG die. I use RCBS Small Base Sizer.... With three dots after the letters S.B. If you use a Full Length Sizer, it may not be resizing correctly.

Remenber, Rounds fired in any rifle but an AR, will not fit in an AR after resizing in a full length sizer.

[spy-d]

I bought fome ammo from a loader that sells ammo at gunshows. About 2 years ago, I tried to fire some. The first 2 fired correctly. The next one jamed. Well, I cleared that round and tried another. It turns out that the reloader used standard sizers on all rounds. So, I spent all day testing each and every round in my upper.

Please note that I seperated the upper from the lower when I did this.

Out of the 5,000 rounds I tested, only 1/3 would chamber correctly.

I had to tear apart all of the other rounds and rebuild them from the ground up.

Yes, I have a case guage, and it didn't really help.

Last thing, I do not use the roll crimp. That will deform the case in some cases. I use Lee's Factory Crimp Die. Works better.

I hope this helps.

D.V.
Paradise, CA
35 miles north of RCBS
Oroville, CA

[stormvet]

You are over crimping, back off of your crimp. The 5.56/223 bullets are so small that the neck will crush down into the shoulder if too much crimping force is applied.