223?

[mlw332]

Ok I am loading 223 to an over all length of 2.200 with a 55gr. When I go to close the bolt on my rifle(rem. 700) it is harder than normal to close. so I take the OAL down to 2.100 and still hard to close. No rifling marks on the bullet itself. Any ideas about what my problem could be...

 

[Ridgerunner665]

What brand of brass are you using...can you see anything out of the ordinary around the rim?

Are they once fired brass, have they been sized? And did you resize only the neck...or the whole case?

When was the last time the gun was cleaned (possibly dirty chamber)???

 

[mlw332]

Variety of brass. Mostly remington and pmc.
They are once fired and yes they have been sized
Gun is brand new been shot maybe 40 times.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Is it marking the shoulder of the case when you try to close the bolt?

 

[Samgotit]

Check out the first post here, then read the rest:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=349785

 

[taliv]

i agree with where i think ridgerunner is going with his line of questioning... sounds like the cases aren't sized/trimmed properly.

even if you took a very long bullet and seated it way out past 2.26 or so, i don't think it would make it "hard to close" when it pushes the bullet back into the neck a bit.

the "hard" part comes from trying to use your chamber to size your brass.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Yep...thats what I'm thinking.

 

[mlw332]

there is slight marking to the top of the case.

 

[[email protected]]

just an idea, but i had some that had the brass flow into the neck, making the neck walls too thick. this causes no clearance between the neck and throat, creating a vice like hold on the bullet. can cause extreme pressure even with mild loads. reaming the necks is the solution.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

What kind of sizing die did you use...and how much experience do you have with it?

 

[mlw332]

Samgotit. nice article

 

[mlw332]

its rcbs. have only recently started loading 223. most of my experience is with 45 and 357

 

[Ridgerunner665]

And what is the length of the sized brass?

I'll quit asking questions and give an answer in a minute...LOL.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

OK...same brand I use.

Talk me through your setup procedure...for sizing.

 

[mlw332]

cant remember what the case length was but i know it was what my speer book said it should be.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Another thing...you may be crimping the bullets too tight???

Sometimes you can crush the shoulder just enough that its hard to see...but it won't fit in the chamber.

 

[nicholst55]

Buy a cartridge gauge from Midway (or wherever), and adjust your sizing die until your brass fits ('chambers' in) the gauge. Trim your brass so that it doesn't protrude beyond the end of the gauge. Load a dummy round with no primer or powder, and insure that it chambers and ejects easily from your rifle.

You should now be golden - as far as brass length and sizing die adjustment go, anyway.

 

[mlw332]

how would i know if i was crimping it to tight???

 

[strat81]

Trim your cases to 1.750" and try screwing your sizing die in a bit (i.e., move it closer to the ram).

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Im going to show you...give me a minute to take and post the pics.

 

[mlw332]

i screwed the die in earlier today until the rim almost touched just to see if that helped but no change....

 

[strat81]

You'll know you're crimping too tightly if it flares the shoulder of the case. If you're using a separate crimp die, try chambering a round (with no powder but with a bullet) that has not been run through your crimp die.

Have you trimmed the brass to 1.750"?

 

[mlw332]

ok it has not flared the shoulder

 

[strat81]

When you lubed the cases for sizing, did you lube the mouth of the brass? If you don't, the expander ball can drag and pull the shoulder forward.

 

[mlw332]

i wiped the entire case with rcbs lube