reoading 223 problem?

[GeoffLinder]

If a round chambers and ejects, it's not an ammo problem unless your overall length of the ammo is longer than 2.255" which could mean bullet tips catching on the front of mag. If loading 55gr bullets, make sure OAL is in the 2.225 to 2.225" range. If that is not the problem, try following.

Try locking bolt back, insert mag with one round, drop bolt catch and if round loads, fire it and see if bolt locks back. If so, most is good. Then try 2 in the mag and if first round loads, fire it and see if 2nd round loads. If so, we are part way there.

Now try inserting mag with 2 rounds less than full in it under a closed bolt. See if the mag inserts easily and snicks into place without having to tap bottom of mag to get it to seat. If so, pull bolt back with charging handle and let it fly forward and if 1st round loads, fire it and see if 2nd round loads. If so we are most of the way there.

If mag is very hard to insert and seat under a closed bolt with it mostly full, you may need to stone down the top of the mag catch to get a little more clearance under a closed bolt. An empty mag should seat easily under a closed bolt and still have a small amount of up/down play (about 10th of an inch). Try all of this with more than one mag.

All of this fails, take AR AND mags to a smith who knows AR's.

[highpower790]

keep your reloading methods simple,dont overcomplicate things.use a small base die.this will put a extra little squeeze on the case head wear the some swelling is occuring.

[vw69turbobug]

finally took out the new batch of reloads, this batch i full length and neck size the brass then recheck case length with a micrometer (longest case length was 1.758) and set OAL to 2.20 -2.21. out of the 100 rds i only had 2 fail to eject and 2 fail to feed. alot better then my first batch. and this was with the same mag and AR.. so back to the original question, why do i have to neck size when i read all over the fourms that neck size is not needed?? could it be the neck is bulging to much?

[FLIGHT762]

When you say you are F/L (Full Length) sizing and neck sizing, are you using two different dies in two different operations?

What F/L sizing die are you using? Are you using a Redding body die and then a N/O (neck only sizing) die? Your questions are a little confusing.

A normal F/L sizing die F/L sizes the case, bumps the shoulder and resizes the neck all in one operation. That's all you need to do as long as you properly set your F/L die up to bump the shoulder of your brass back to factory/ SAAMI specs so the fired brass will easily chamber in your rifle.

I don't understand your question when you ask why you have to neck size when you've read all over the forums that you don't have to neck size. Of course you have to size the neck to get a bullet to seat. You do it either by using a F/L die or a N/O sizing die.

A N/O (neck only) die only sizes the neck of the case and doesn't touch the rest of the case. You can use a N/O die for bolt action rifles and single shot rifles, however, after about 4 or so firings of N/O sizing use, the cases will need to be F/L resized to get back to being able to properly chamber in the rifle.
N/O sizing is not recommended for autoloading , lever action and pump rifles. For these rifles, you use a F/L sizing die to resize the brass.

I N/O 2-3 times for my long range precision rifles (bolt guns) and then F/L resize after 2-3 firings of N/O sizing. For my autoloaders, lever action and pump action rifles, I F/L resize after every firing .

Does this make sense?

[vw69turbobug]

[QUOTE=FLIGHT762;11725099]When you say you are F/L (Full Length) sizing and neck sizing, are you using two different dies in two different operations
yes i am using both the FL and neck only die

What F/L sizing die are you using? Are you using a Redding body die and then a N/O (neck only sizing) die? Your questions are a little confusing.

i am using redding regular size FL die (not a small base die or type s)

A normal F/L sizing die F/L sizes the case, bumps the shoulder and resizes the neck all in one operation. That's all you need to do as long as you properly set your F/L die up to bump the shoulder of your brass back to factory/ SAAMI specs so the fired brass will easily chamber in your rifle.

i think you just answered my question !! ok so a FL die should size the case and neck at the same time but my die is only sizing the case and i have it set on my press where the die hits the shell plate so i cant adjust the die down any lower.

so to fix this issue i am having will a redding short base die type s with a neck bushing set at .237 ( since my neck only die is setting the neck at .238) work alot better?

thanks alot flight your post make perfect sence and this was the answer i was looking for.

[FLIGHT762]

[QUOTE=vw69turbobug;11725599]

When you say you are F/L (Full Length) sizing and neck sizing, are you using two different dies in two different operations
yes i am using both the FL and neck only die



i am using redding regular size FL die (not a small base die or type s)

Is your F/L die a Redding "Body Only" die?


i think you just answered my question !! ok so a FL die should size the case and neck at the same time but my die is only sizing the case and i have it set on my press where the die hits the shell plate so i cant adjust the die down any lower.

A regular F/L die sizes the body and neck and on the up stroke, pulls a sizing button up through the neck to get the proper bullet seating tension. Are you saying your regular F/L die isn't resizing the neck?

so to fix this issue i am having will a redding short base die type s with a neck bushing set at .237 ( since my neck only die is setting the neck at .238) work alot better?

I guess where I'm getting confused is your saying your neck is .238" and asking if using a .237" "S" bushing would be better. Most people who use Redding "S" bushings for .223 Rem. use a bushing sized around .245"-.246".
Do you already have/use Redding "S" bushing dies for the .223? Have you ever used them before?

I use the "S" bushing dies for 308 Win., but for 223 Remington, I still use the standard F/L dies that have the sizing button in it. I do have "Small Base" dies, but none of my autoloaders have required them.

I'm still at a loss to what dies you are using that don't resize your case neck. The only dies that do that are "Body only" type sizing dies.

thanks alot flight your post make perfect sence and this was the answer i was looking for.

[vw69turbobug]

im not sure if my die is body only. the die says "REDDING 223 REM FL 1X"..

no my FL die is not resizing the neck at all (im using a dillon 550b if that makes a difference)...

i have never use a "short base die" or a "type S" die before but i figured since my neck die was sizing them at .238 i should use a .237 bushing to keep the round tighter in the case..

here is what im using to reload

dillon 550b .223 shell plate
redding deluxe die set #84111 "description 223 Remington" "series A"
"includes full length die,seating die & neck sizing die"

[GeoffLinder]

Check ID of case mouth after sizing. It needs to be .222" inside diameter or slightly less or the bullet just ain't gonna stay in place and no amount of crimping will help.

My recommendation is to just use Dillon dies in a Dillon press.

[vw69turbobug]

Check ID of case mouth after sizing. It needs to be .222" inside diameter or slightly less or the bullet just ain't gonna stay in place and no amount of crimping will help.

My recommendation is to just use Dillon dies in a Dillon press.

i dont crimp my bullets and id is at .216 so theres no problem there just figured going down .001 will tighten up the bullet just a little better since we live here in cali and i use my bullets to drop the mag.... from what i understand redding is the manufacturer for dillion dies so i guess i am using dillion dies?

[GeoffLinder]

i dont crimp my bullets and id is at .216 so theres no problem there just figured going down .001 will tighten up the bullet just a little better since we live here in cali and i use my bullets to drop the mag.... from what i understand redding is the manufacturer for dillion dies so i guess i am using dillion dies?

No, you are using Redding dies unless you buy them from Dillon, then you are using Dillon dies. Redding makes Dillon dies to Dillon's specs, not to their own.

.216" case mouth inside diameter is too small, it should be in the .220 to .222" range or you are compressing the bullet jacket when seating it. Maybe this is the source of your problem. If .216" is your case mouth ID before seating bullets, then you are running a .008" interference fit and that is a bit much. .002-.004 interference fit is what you want.