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Posted: 2/11/2015 6:46:30 PM EDT
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Usually I shoot about 4000 rifle rounds a year. Mostly old military bolt action rifles and a couple bolt action 223's. Currently I'm using a Lyman turret press. I'd like to switch to a progressive but I've got a problem.
With the 223's I run into a problem I've never seen before. If I carefully control the brass length, everything works perfectly. Labor intensive to check, and maybe trim, each case but if I do that everything works just fine. If I don't, however; if I let the cases approach or slightly exceed the trim-to length then I get a very slight bulge right at the start of the bottleneck. Not much but certainly enough to cause chambering problems. So for each case I'm about to load I check the brass length. If it isn't just a hair below the trim-to length I trim it. Also I visually inspect each loaded cartridge to be sure I haven't got a very slight bulge. If I do this everything works perfectly. If I don't I'm going to have chambering problems. None of my other cartridges are touchy about brass length but in all three of my 223's (two bolt actions and one AR) this is a real issue. I'm loading about 40 rounds an hour. I'd really like to speed that up. I'd like to switch to a progressive BUT I've still got the problem of checking all the brass for proper length first and I'd probably check each loaded round for a bulge. Is there any way around this? |
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if I let the cases approach or slightly exceed the trim-to length then I get a very slight bulge right at the start of the bottleneck A Classic example of the seating die screwed into the press to far. Back it out one full turn and adjust OAL accordingly. If you are intentionally trying to "Crimp" with the seating die, then you will have to continue on the way you are and to make sure the case lengths are all identical. If you want to crimp and also not have to worry about case length, get a Lee Factory Crimp die. |
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The question of, is there a faster way to do what your doing is, yes.
Auto Progressive is your answer. If your not into molesting even single peice of brass to size, trim, deburr then Dillion comes in nicely. I run a XL650 W/casefeeder and a RT1200. Can't get any faster or easier once setup. Dump your brass into the case feeder, turn on the RT1200 and pull away 'till your arm fails. Out comes resized, deburred and trimmed cases without touching everyone other than to dump them into the case feeder. Never worry about measuring every case OAL to see if it needs trimming. The machine will trim the ones that need it and not the ones that don't. Buy once Cry once, no regrets. |
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Quoted:
A Classic example of the seating die screwed into the press to far. Back it out one full turn and adjust OAL accordingly. If you are intentionally trying to "Crimp" with the seating die, then you will have to continue on the way you are and to make sure the case lengths are all identical. If you want to crimp and also not have to worry about case length, get a Lee Factory Crimp die. Quoted:
if I let the cases approach or slightly exceed the trim-to length then I get a very slight bulge right at the start of the bottleneck A Classic example of the seating die screwed into the press to far. Back it out one full turn and adjust OAL accordingly. If you are intentionally trying to "Crimp" with the seating die, then you will have to continue on the way you are and to make sure the case lengths are all identical. If you want to crimp and also not have to worry about case length, get a Lee Factory Crimp die. Agreed, either this or some other set up problem. There is absolutely no reason to have to check every round or maintain case length within such a tight band as you are describing. None. The fact that you are having to do so, means something is wrong. Do you have a Hornady case length gage or at least a simple case gage? Where in the process does the bulge occur - sizing, seating, crimping,...? |
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Quoted: Usually I shoot about 4000 rifle rounds a year. Mostly old military bolt action rifles and a couple bolt action 223's. Currently I'm using a Lyman turret press. I'd like to switch to a progressive but I've got a problem. With the 223's I run into a problem I've never seen before. If I carefully control the brass length, everything works perfectly. Labor intensive to check, and maybe trim, each case but if I do that everything works just fine. If I don't, however; if I let the cases approach or slightly exceed the trim-to length then I get a very slight bulge right at the start of the bottleneck. Not much but certainly enough to cause chambering problems. So for each case I'm about to load I check the brass length. If it isn't just a hair below the trim-to length I trim it. Also I visually inspect each loaded cartridge to be sure I haven't got a very slight bulge. If I do this everything works perfectly. If I don't I'm going to have chambering problems. None of my other cartridges are touchy about brass length but in all three of my 223's (two bolt actions and one AR) this is a real issue. I'm loading about 40 rounds an hour. I'd really like to speed that up. I'd like to switch to a progressive BUT I've still got the problem of checking all the brass for proper length first and I'd probably check each loaded round for a bulge. Is there any way around this? I run a Hornady LNLAP with a Dillon RT1200 trimmer for .223 and .243 Win, the 2 calibers I shoot the most. With the progressive press and the Dillon trimmer, trimming is a non-issue. It makes loading .223 a joy instead of a chore. The Dillon trimmer uses a die that sizes the brass and trims at the same time. I set mine about half way between the max and trim-to length (1.755" for .223), then Set it and Forget it. It trims very squarely, no burr on the inside or outside at all. For boat tailed bullets no chamfer is required, although for long range ammo, I manually chamfer just for the warm fuzzies. Even with flat based bullets, seating is not a problem. Your issue with the shoulder bulging, is almost certainly a crimp issue. .223 has a pretty thin, soft shoulder, and it's very easy to buckle the shoulder when crimping, especially if some of the brass is longer than others. Back off on the crimp, or get a Lee Factory Crimp Die (FCD). Or quit crimping all together. It's not really needed; neck tension should hold the bullet securely. I only crimp bullets that have a canelure (FMJs) and only use the FCD. |
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I agree with the others...crimp problem.
I never crimp 5.56 any more. It just simply isn't needed. You WILL have issues if you seat and crimp during the same operation if your brass is not regulated to the exact size and all pieces must be exact. If you must crimp do it in a separate operation. That being said I always trim to minimum as I will often shoot my rounds from different guns I have. But this is time consuming and a personal choice. |
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Quoted: Usually I shoot about 4000 rifle rounds a year. Mostly old military bolt action rifles and a couple bolt action 223's. Currently I'm using a Lyman turret press. I'd like to switch to a progressive but I've got a problem. With the 223's I run into a problem I've never seen before. If I carefully control the brass length, everything works perfectly. Labor intensive to check, and maybe trim, each case but if I do that everything works just fine. If I don't, however; if I let the cases approach or slightly exceed the trim-to length then I get a very slight bulge right at the start of the bottleneck. Not much but certainly enough to cause chambering problems. So for each case I'm about to load I check the brass length. If it isn't just a hair below the trim-to length I trim it. Also I visually inspect each loaded cartridge to be sure I haven't got a very slight bulge. If I do this everything works perfectly. If I don't I'm going to have chambering problems. None of my other cartridges are touchy about brass length but in all three of my 223's (two bolt actions and one AR) this is a real issue. I'm loading about 40 rounds an hour. I'd really like to speed that up. I'd like to switch to a progressive BUT I've still got the problem of checking all the brass for proper length first and I'd probably check each loaded round for a bulge. Is there any way around this? You have something not adjusted correctly with your 223 dies that's not happening in other calibers. Be sure to mention what brand die set. Do you crimp and seat bullets in the same die? Can't help until we know more. |
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I had a similar problem when I started reloading. The bullet seating die was not set correctly.
I have a Gracey trimmer I got for a good deal off eBay. I did the motor upgrade and it works well. However since .223 is my most shot round. We shoot 4-5000 rounds a year. Soon I will go to the Dillon RT1200 on my LnL AP press. The Gracey will trim .308, .30-06 and other calibers I don't shoot as much. Someday I may sell the Gracey and just do all of it on the press. |
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Quoted:
A Classic example of the seating die screwed into the press to far. Back it out one full turn and adjust OAL accordingly. If you are intentionally trying to "Crimp" with the seating die, then you will have to continue on the way you are and to make sure the case lengths are all identical. If you want to crimp and also not have to worry about case length, get a Lee Factory Crimp die. Quoted:
if I let the cases approach or slightly exceed the trim-to length then I get a very slight bulge right at the start of the bottleneck A Classic example of the seating die screwed into the press to far. Back it out one full turn and adjust OAL accordingly. If you are intentionally trying to "Crimp" with the seating die, then you will have to continue on the way you are and to make sure the case lengths are all identical. If you want to crimp and also not have to worry about case length, get a Lee Factory Crimp die. yep Steve nails it |
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