Armory Sponsor
Posted: 3/13/2012 4:46:34 PM EDT
| I've started case prep for my .223 and after depriming and resizing my cases I noticed on all the cases there was a flat spot on the shoulder. I've noticed that same shaped spot on all my cases. Wondering if this is coming from my rifle, the spot is exactly the same on all cases. It's not really what I'd call a dent but just more of a flattened area. Is this safe? Also, how much smaller than the minimum OAL is safe? |
|
If it was there before resizing, it was probably left there by the brass deflector. If it appears after resizing...you may have a problem with your sizing die.
The "flattened" area is not detrimental ...it will be fine. Try not to trim under min...if the neck length is at least the same as bullet diameter...that should be enough for proper neck tension. |
| A spot in the exact same place would be coming from the FL die or rifle chamber. Minimum COL of a loaded rounds is 2.125" SAAMI |
|
COL- 223 Rem. 2.260" maximum- 2.125" minimum. Its what SAAMI has listed. You would not want to seat a 69 gr sierra deeper than needed to fit the magazinge. A 40gr bullet could be seated to the minimum.You do need enough bullet shank/base in the case neck to hold it securely. This is about 1 bullet diameter or .224" If very litte bullet is in the neck, on feeding, it can be bent crooked. Good neck tension is also needed. I like the base of the bullet at the neck shoulder junction, if possible. Quoted:
Is this OAL for any powder/bullet combo? |
| I was sizing about 100 pieces of LC 06 brass today and also noticed a little flat spot on most of the cases as I was trimming them. I had cleaned the dies after I used them a few months ago and oiled them with CLP for storage. I am guessing mine is from too much lube while sizing. The spot is not a dent it is more like a smudge of brass. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Flat spot on the shoulder = too much lube. Clean the die, reduce/remove your lube. Yep or a piece of media stuck in there. No idea where all the other stuff came from... This actually happens ALOT if your more than a casual reloader.  If the dent is dimensionally small (they always look larger than they are), the cratridge will likely chamber with no problem. If the dent is big enough, it is possible it will interfere with proper chambering of the round - it might behave as if it were too long and you may have trouble getting the bolt into battery on a turn-bolt action. The bolt on a semiauto will likely just slam closed on the round and resize it in-situ in real time. |
|
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t421/dsnyder424/dentedcase.jpg
like i said...not a huge dent.... |
|
Quoted:
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t421/dsnyder424/dentedcase.jpg like i said...not a huge dent.... Are these flat spots in the brass before and after resizing or just after resizing? It looks like a deflector mark to me...as I mentioned before. |
| Definitely a FL die issue. I would clean the hell out of your die and next time, use as little case lube as possible and make sure all the tumbling media is out of the cases. Also, how did you measure for your headspace to get your measurement to set your FL die? |
|
Quoted:
http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t421/dsnyder424/dentedcase.jpg like i said...not a huge dent.... That is about what mine look like also..maybe a bit smaller. What brand of die? Mine is a Lee and I have cleaned it spotless. |
| excessive lube always shows on the shoulder and not down on the case like yours is. That looks to me to be either from your brass deflector or if it wasn't there before sizing than you have something wrong with your die. I'm pretty sure this isn't a problem from over lubing your brass. |
| Went to the local reloading shop and showed em the brass....it's from the deflector. Now I have another issue. It seems that if I seat the bullet to the cannulure on the bullet it wants to slide quite a bit. I actually have to pull the bullet back out by hand before putting it in the factory crimp die. Bad brass? Bad bullets? |
| google " brass deflector pad" for the flat spot. . Loose bullets- More neck tension seems to be needed. Check the expander, it should be .002" smaller than bullet diameter. Could be a FL die problem. Or over crimping with the seating die. Not the FCD. M16A! |
|
no hell...that is from the round riding across the feed ramps. Most all of my ARs do that. It is an impact mark and will be no factor. And it seems to do it worse with worn out gi mags. Stop worrying the guy about his dies. My experience I have never had a case rupture around that area. The case mouth will split from work hardening before you have a problem with that. My old Bushmaster with standard A2 upper is even worse cause it doesn't have the M4 ramps...
Ride on. Edit to add: The brass deflector wont hit the round in that area. A brass deflector mark will almost always be from the middle to lower half of the case and normally will leave a mark across the case. If it wasnt late I would go out to my shop and take some pics...maybe tommorrow...I am having to work this weekend...anyways...on an AR that is actually a common mark especially one with an A2 receiver...as the shoulder contacts the feed ramps it basically 'smears' or 'pulls' a bit of brass back as it passes across the ramp...oh, and softer brass shows it off even more...or even more on an M16 A2(during auto fire)...even though it has been a long time since I shot one of those... |
Armory Sponsor