223 Problem

[steve_dune]

I have a Remington 700 223 sps-v. If I feed the gun new ammo or FL sized handloads everything is fine but if I try to neck size I can't get the bolt to close on the round without a lot of force. I am trimming the cases after every firing. If I try to put a fired factory round back in after I shoot and eject the case it's hard to close the bolt and the round won't eject again. The extractor just tears the brass and I have to beat the round out with my cleaning rod. Does anyone have any idea as to what could be wrong? Thanks

 

[Mags]

Neck sizing probably ain't pushing your shoulder back enough ( it actually doesn't at all). I don't know how to remedy the problem other than full length sizing.

You can be sure by using RCModel's trick of marking your brass with a sharpie and then insering it in the chamber, where the marker rubs off is where your brass is out of spec. (I think I got that right)

 

[kelbro]

Yep, you need to full-length size that batch of brass. Hopefully you didn't load too many before you discovered that they wouldn't chamber.

 

[powell&hyde]

Yes, you need to do a full size resize. I ran into this also a few years ago and neck sizing is fine, but if your brass has more than 4 or 5 reloads, I found out to do a full length resize and my gun is ok.

 

[243winxb]

Fired Factory Rounds

If I try to put a fired factory round back in after I shoot and eject the case it's hard to close the bolt and the round won't eject again.

The chamber is oval shaped or the bolt face is not square to the chamber. Put a mark (index mark) on the case head of a factory round, fire it, extract, try to put back into chamber with the index mark at the same position. What happens?

 

[243winxb]

5.56mm Military Factory ammo loaded to Nato pressure is not to be used in a 223rem chamber. Might have something to do with your problem also. See link > http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/publications/download/SAAMI_ITEM_211-Unsafe_Arms_and_Ammunition_Combinations.pdf

 

[steve_dune]

The factory ammo is Winchester 55gr ballistic silvertip 223 Rem. I'm not shooting factory 5.56. I also fired Remington 55gr psp factory ammo and it did the same thing.

I will have to try to put an index mark on a factory round and shoot it then put it back in the same way and see what happens.

I shot and FL sized my brass at least 3 times and I still can't just neck size them.

 

[jcwit]

You seem to have a problem other than just sizing.

I have a Remington 700 VLS in .223 Rem. I reload the same cases with 22 1/2 grains of AA2015 behind a 53 grain Sierra flat base bullet, cases are neck sized only, bullet is seated 2-3 thousands from the lands. I have shot these same cases now 60 plus times, they are checked for length and trimmed as necessary, so far I have not had to bump the shoulder back.

This is why I believe you have a problem other than the cases. Please let us know what the outcome is.

 

[steve_dune]

Yeah I feel that it's something other than sizing too.

 

[steve4102]

Sounds like 243 has nailed it, your chamber is oval and out of spec. Have it checked out.

 

[winchester1886]

I had a 223 that did the same thing.I was told it was because it had a tight chamber. I full length sized them, no more problem.

 

[average_shooter]

I've had similar problems.

I found the solution for me was to not seat/crimp simultaneously with the same die. The problem seemed to go away when I went to separate seating and crimping stations and started using a Lee Factory Crimp Die.

Best I can figure from using a marker on the cases is that the seat-&-crimp die was pushing the shoulder back and I was getting a slight bulge.

 

[jcwit]

Best I can figure from using a marker on the cases is that the seat-&-crimp die was pushing the shoulder back and I was getting a slight bulge.

If that was the case the die was not adjusted/setup correctly.

I have a Remington 700 VLS in .223 Rem. I reload the same cases with 22 1/2 grains of AA2015 behind a 53 grain Sierra flat base bullet, cases are neck sized only, bullet is seated 2-3 thousands from the lands. I have shot these same cases now 60 plus times, they are checked for length and trimmed as necessary, so far I have not had to bump the shoulder back.

I should add I do not crimp my cases as I'm shooting off the bench.

 

[JimKirk]

There is no need to crimp ammo in bolt guns, crimping causes more problems than it solves ... wrong die setup causes 50% of the problems we see here on THR...crimping cases the other 48% .... *

Jimmy K




* ... I really don't kmow the % ... but those two are the main ones!!

 

[hans471]

+1

I lightly crimp my AR loads as the semi-auto actions beat them around but for my two bolt guns I don't bother as it really isn't needed for them. Never an issue with either doing this.

 

[cheygriz]

Any time a case fired in any chamber won't go back into that chamber easily, and extract easily, there's something seriously wrong with the chamber.

I'd immediately take it to a Remington factory asuthorized repair center, or send it back to the Remington factory.

 

[jcwit]

Any time a case fired in any chamber won't go back into that chamber easily, and extract easily, there's something seriously wrong with the chamber.

There does come a time when one has to bump the sholder back, just as one has to trim to length at times.

 

[steve_dune]

The case will extract easy it just won't go back in easy. I'm not crimping my handloads.

 

[cheygriz]

jcwit,

When a cartridge is fired, it should be perfectly fire-formed to that chamber. Otherwise, neck sizing wouldn't work.

 

[jcwit]

jcwit,

When a cartridge is fired, it should be perfectly fire-formed to that chamber. Otherwise, neck sizing wouldn't work.

Then kindly explain why cases need to have their shoulder "bump sized" after many many firings?

 

[jcwit]

I also believe the main reason to neck size is to give neck tension for the bullet.

 

[steve_dune]

So I should send my rifle back to remington again?

 

[jcwit]

Have you tried coloring the case with a sharpie pen or dykem to see where its rubbing/contacting the chamber? I do think you have a misshapen chamber but its hard to tell for sure from here.

 

[steve_dune]

Yeah I used a sharpie, after I beat the case out with my cleaning rod it had scuffs pretty much around the whole case.

 

[jcwit]

I suggest you call Remington at once regarding this.

Keep us posted, please