.223 reloading help!!

[Timberland]

I just started reloading, and am having trouble getting my rounds to chamber.
I set dies(hornady) as instructions, and depth acording to manual. But the bolt(ar by dmps, with tight chamber) wont fully close, or fails to eject. I have yet to make a live round, but the jamms are bad, requiring a tool to pop open the bolt. Any ideas to what im doing wrong?

[Blue]

Are you full length sizing?

[Timberland]

Are you full length sizing?

Yes

[6079Winston]

It sounds like you need a cartridge headspace gauge or a Hornady Lock N Load Cartridge Headspace Gauge Kit. Firing and sometimes resizing cases makes them longer, so that they will no longer chamber. My typing skills won't allow for a complete explanation, but I think there are other threads about this. You will notice that even if you screwed the die down until it contacted the shellholder, while resizing a case, there is now a gap between the two. This is because solids are hard to compress and all presses deflect under load. For a bolt action, you can usually adjust the die down 1/8 of a turn at a time until the case just chambers. For a semi-auto, you really should use some sort of gauge since cartridges that don't chamber completely can occasionally be fired, sometimes resulting in fallapart.

[C.G.]

Without any details on your gun, you might have a tight chamber and might need the small base sizing die.

[Jicko]

1) get a cartridge guage, if it doesn't fit in a 223 cartridge guage, it won't fit in the chamber.

2) did you trim your brass? Is your brass to spec... ie. about 1.750". (i think the spec is 1.760")

3) post some pic of your gun, the rounds, your setup etc.... we may be able to spot something odd right the way

4) tell us what cases, and what components are you using too

[Timberland]

Also the dummy rounds were pushed into the case, could OAL be an issue? im following guidelines but?

[1lostinspace]

If factory ammo fits and your reloads don't there these could be happening.
1. Your not full sizing.
2. Your buckling the shoulders.

[Timberland]

2. Your buckling the shoulders.

I was thinking that, how can I stop that?

More specs: Once fired(in my gun) remmy brass
hornady 68gr bthp
hornady dies
lee press.
I have Lee trim gauge but it is either not fully screwing into the cutter, or the cases are ok.
Also i cant get the crimp function to work, how will I know if its good?

[1lostinspace]

I was thinking that, how can I stop that?

More specs: Once fired(in my gun) remmy brass
hornady 68gr bthp
hornady dies
lee press.
I have Lee trim gauge but it is either not fully screwing into the cutter, or the cases are ok.
Also i cant get the crimp function to work, how will I know if its good?

You need to trim all brass to the same length and turn die until it touches the brass or press not until it will not turn anymore.
You should not be crimping 68 Bthp unless you have a factory lee die and if so do only half a turn. The way to test it is get a fired shell and insert the bullet in if it fits in and it should great! now crimp that same shell with out bullet and see it that same bullet fits, if it will not go in then you are crimping!

[Mr. Mildot]

Problem could be the 68 gr bullet, that is fairly heavy for a .223 and and if you have a tight chamber tolerance you may be pushing the bullet against the end of the chamber.

[Jicko]

1) What's the length of your CASE!? (after all your case prep)

2) What's your OAL? (but I don't think that's your issue)

3) You actually NEED to full-length size your brass. When setting your full-length sizer die, you need to raise the ram/shell holder, then screw down your die until it touches the shell holder.

4) Do you have a case guage? Did your rounds fit?

5) Before you load, after your case prep, try to chamber the empty case. It should fit.

6) BTW, you don't need to worry about crimping. And generally you crimp the bullets that have cannellures, and I don't think Hornady 68gr HPBT do.

[ar15barrels]

I just started reloading, and am having trouble getting my rounds to chamber.
I set dies(hornady) as instructions, and depth acording to manual. But the bolt(ar by dmps, with tight chamber) wont fully close, or fails to eject. I have yet to make a live round, but the jamms are bad, requiring a tool to pop open the bolt. Any ideas to what im doing wrong?

Find someone local to stand next to you and help setup everything.
The instructions are sometimes wrong and don't take into account your lack of full understanding.

There are MANY things that can cause problems and it does not sound like you are properly tooled to measure them yet.

It could also help to post good (big, close-ups, in focus) pictures of the dummies.

[Timberland]

You should not be crimping 68 Bthp unless you have a factory lee die and if so do only half a turn. The way to test it is get a fired shell and insert the bullet in if it fits in and it should great! now crimp that same shell with out bullet and see it that same bullet fits, if it will not go in then you are crimping!

Thanks, its not crimping, I guess ill call customer service this week to get this straghtened out