Reloading BS thread

Hey bud, they have found a new home to a local buyer.

 

Just picked up a Seekins 223 Wylde and some once fired Rem. 223 brass. Haven't loaded too much for the AR platform and was looking for some insight.

I am using a RCBS Rock Chucker and FL short base dies. Setting up my sizing die, I run it down until it contacts the shell holder and then back off a 1/4 turn them lock it down. I sized a dozen or so brass and then dropped them into my chamber and realsead the bolt. They stick in my rifle and take a lot of effort to extract. I don't have a headspace gauge and will pick one up but does anyone have any suggestions?

 

I don't load .223 but I do a lot of .300 BLK for my AR using RCBS dies in a Rock Chucker and I would say you probably need to keep the die set all the way down to where it touches the shell holder, if you can still cam over the handle you should be good to go.

 

This....don't back off the resizing die. Set it so it contacts the holder and cams over a bit. Make sure the 223 has been trimmed too, especially if you picked it up at the range and/or once fired untrimmed brass. I trim to 1.750". Once it's trimmed and sized and then shot out of your firearm, the brass should be GTG size wise as will be fire formed to your chamber.

If you've already loaded up a few and they don't fit, it's OK to run them through the resizing die again, this time all the way down to the holder....just remove the decapping part of the die first. Don't forget to relube the cases too before you re-resize them.

Also, if you measure the case length and it's longer than 1.760" (maximum case length for .223), you should probably pull the bullets and trim the brass length. If it's longer than that, you run the risk of the case being jammed into the leade part of the chamber causing a high pressure situation when the gun is fired...plus it'll tend to stick in there making extraction difficult.

Using a headspace gauge is a good idea. They aren't too expensive, $35ish. and it will save you the headaches of knowing if your brass will fit your chamber or not. It will also let you know if your brass needs to be trimmed. I use the Dillon ones.

$49 Dillon Precision 13254 Head Space Case Gage 223 .223 Stainless Steel CaseGage

https://www.amazon.com/Dillon-Preci...9900499&sr=8-1&keywords=dillon+223+case+gauge

 

Thanks! I'll give that a shot and report back. I left town for work so I'll try when I get back home.

 

Yeah a gauge is always a good thing to have. These ones are a little spendy but having the slot in there to see how the case interacts with with chamber makes it really easy to tell whether you have an issue with the shoulder or the case mouth.

http://www.sheridanengineering.com/index-2.htm

 

Do not back off 1/4 turn for brass that was not fired in your gun, regardless of what gun you shoot. Also, do not back off 1/4 turn if you shoot a semi-auto even for brass fired in your own gun. There are dies specifically made for semiautos to ensure you don't have these kind of issues like these: http://www.rcbs.com/Products/Dies-by-Category/AR/Small-Base-Taper-Crimp-Die-Set-AR-Series.aspx or http://www.rcbs.com/Products/Dies-b...-Sizer-Die-Group-A-Popular-Rifle-Cartrid.aspx

Not all guns have the same headspace and once fired brass from an unknown source can cause problems if not fully resized, regardless of whether you use it in a bolt or semiauto. Once it has been initially full length resized and shot in your gun, it can be neck sized only in a bolt, but I still full length size for a semiauto. I use small base dies for dedicated semiauto loads to be on the safe side.

 

Oops I don't know why I said short base? I do have the small base dies for my AR. I will try it screwed all the way down and go from there! I've always shot virgin brass in my bolt guns so this is new to me with once fired stuff. Thanks

 

Thanks I'll pick one of those up as they are handy to have

 

Got tired of emptying my Mec primer cup. So I hacked up a 12 gauge shell and some tube connectors.

 

I have a 100 ct box of 22 cal 60 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint. Don't know why or how they ended up in my cart but I bought them and I do not load any 60's.

Anyone want to give me $20 for them?

 

First round of powder selection. Mid range loads of IMR 4831, Superformance, H414 and A4350 for load development of 165 gr Accubonds in the new to me 300 WSM

 

So when you guys do load development what do you guys do about fouling throughout the process? I normally buy a box of cheap ammo from somewhere and will clean the rifle, shoot one of the cheap ones to foul the barrel, then fire the 3 round group, wait for the barrel to cool, clean the barrel, fire a cheap round to foul, fire the next three rounds..... makes for a long day at the range but consistency is what we are aiming for so i figured i was doing ok. Now all i need is a quick mount to mount a press to the truck some how and continue work ups for the next ladder test.

 

I don't clean my barrel, yeah that started a discussion in the long range thread as well. I confirmed my bore regiment with an NRA high master shooter, he will take gun out with a new barrel, run about 20rds through to foul it. Once it's shooting he doesn't clean the bore unless it starts opening up groupings. Then he re-barrels.

 

So he doesnt clean it at all!!!

 

Nope
He's a national record holder as well, his name is Carl Bernosky. You should clean your chamber as well as keep the action and bolt clean and lubed, keep an eye on the muzzle crown for copper build up especially if you're running a brake, flash hider or a can. However don't touch the bore once it's shooting. Are you running a target or varmint contour barrel on your rifle? If you're not putting 100 or so rounds through it in quick succession it's probably not necessary to let it cool between load trials.

 

What cal are you loading for?

 

300wm, 190gr accubond lr or burgers hunting bullets is what i want to try and get running in it.

And its an sps rem 700, i am determined to get that barrel to shoot ok before it gets scrapped.

 

Scrapped?

You looking to hunt with the 3Win or use as a precision long range?
If you run a bit conservative on your velocity the barrel should last longer and it'll help tone down the recoil (a little bit)

A buddy of mine runs a 208 Amax at 2850 in his 3Win

 

Hunting mostly. Only target will be for fun nothing competitive for now. And the barrel has yet to show any good groups for itself with ttsx and partitions through it. 2moa is all i have go it to, but it was factory with those workups and the only thing done to it is that the previous owner was a "gun smith" and threaded a muzzle brake onto it with his lathe, crooked as hell... its actually striking the round as it exits. That came off and the original crown looks untouched so i figured i would see what it would do before i just put a new barrel on it. Just ordered a MDT LSS-XL chassis for it and i am looking for a good trigger now, but im a lefty so thats proving to be harder then i though. Whats your opinion on timney triggers. The rifle is ~5 years old and has the remington adjustable one in it.

Have not bore scoped it yet but the throat looks ok enough and the guy said it might have 150 rounds max through it.