did i just ruin my 223 brass?

[roval]

i had just cleaned and resized a large batch of 223 brass a few weeks ago. I had set the FL sizing die to contact and push down on the shellholder a little bit at maximum travel of the lever. Learned how to remove a stuck case with my first inadequately lubricated case.
I processed the whole batch and forgot to use my dillon case gage till after everything was done and the brass recleaned and repolished. I now realize that all the cases bases are slightly below the mouth of the gage(just slightly below flush maybe not as below flush when compared to a primer) and are not in between the very small gap thats supposed to indicate proper sizing. The total length varies from 1.743 (federal) to 1.756(armscor). All the cases were once fired brass.
Can I still reload the brass?

 

[steve4102]

Load em and shoot em. Then adjust your FL die properly for next time.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

It sounds like you pushed the shoulder back a little too much. It depends upon how much you did push it back if the brass is safe or not.

You can always use a light load and fire form the cases if they are too far out of spec. (if you really need the brass which is probable since .223 brass is still hard to find)

 

[Walkalong]

just slightly below flush

As posted, how much below matters. You are probably OK, but definitely need to re-adjsut the sizer next time.

I made that mistake with some .222 Mag brass (.010 to far. :banghead years ago, and have only recently been shooting them with bullets jammed into the lands too try to keep the stretching to a minimum. I got tired of looking at them, and moving them around all the time when looking for other stuff, and figured to go ahead and get some life out of them.

Use the little piece on your dial caliper, or a depth gauge if you have one, to measure how much below flush.

 

[243winxb]

Head Clearance

I vote Ok to load, but at full power. Most all dies will set a usable, safe head clearance 99% of the time. Not so with a progressive press. Looks like you might be a 1% er. Takes about .014" head clearance to get a separation with 223/5.56 and may take more than one firing. About 3.

 

[243winxb]

223 Trim Length

The total length varies from 1.743 (federal) to 1.756(armscor). All the cases were once fired brass.

If your talking trim length after FL sizing, your OK with that also. Brass as short as 1.730" is ok to use. Maximum is 1.760"

 

[roval]

whew... thanks. when i said large batch of 223 brass it means all the 223 brass i've saved for the preceeding 3 years from my someday i will reload plan.
the lengths were after resizing.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I vote Ok to load, but at full power. Most all dies will set a usable, safe head clearance 99% of the time. Not so with a progressive press. Looks like you might be a 1% er. Takes about .014" head clearance to get a separation with 223/5.56 and may take more than one firing. About 3.

Dont you mean 'but NOT' at full power?

 

[243winxb]

Shoot at full power to push the shoulder forward to fit the chamber. But i have been wrong before. Ask RC & Walkalong.

 

[roval]

Use the little piece on your dial caliper, or a depth gauge if you have one, to measure how much below flush.

not sure how accurate since its just below flush but the most i get is .003(2 zeroes after decimal point) for the federal less for others. given the comments hopefully a non issue.
in the instructions for using the gage it said to throw away any brass that was not in between the cuts .

 

[ole farmerbuck]

Shoot at full power to push the shoulder forward to fit the chamber. But i have been wrong before. Ask RC & Walkalong.

Ha ha. Looks like I'm wrong.....again!

 

[Walkalong]

but the most i get is .003

Shoot them. Re-Adjust the sizer next time.

 

[Walkalong]

Or grease them so the front doesn't grab. Lot's of differing opinions on that though. It does increase bolt thrust.

 

[W.E.G.]

Load 50.

If you get no head separations, load the rest.

Inspect all the brass for stretch-ring after firing.

 

[rcmodel]

What I would do to salvage them is not recommended for a new reloader that made that mistake in the first place.

But what I would do is long seat the bullets into the lands to maintain zero headspace.

Then back off the powder charge and fire-form them to the chamber.

rc

 

[W.E.G.]

long seat the bullets into the lands

You'll have to single-feed those rounds, because they will be too long to feed through the magazine.

 

[rcmodel]

I didn't say it would be easy, or would feed & function in an AR-15..

I said that's how I would salvage the brass that has the shoulders pushed back too far.

rc

 

[Walkalong]

Doing that right now with some .222 Mag brass.

 

[ngnrd]

Hmmm... 223/5.56 brass is pretty cheap these days. Downloading to fireform seems like a lot of work and a total waste of primers, powder, and projectiles, just to save the brass.

Each to his own, I suppose.