Reloading chinese .223

F

fchan

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Anyone have issues sizing chinese 223? I'm finding about 20% of my cases dont pass the case gauge test. I'm using RCBS small base 223 dies if that helps.

I've tried trimming the cases and resizing again but they still stick out at the base for some reason. Any ideas on how I can avoid this?
 
Thanks. I'm using this for ar shooting. High volume, lower cost. If it won't fit in the case gauge, I'm under the understanding that it won't chamber. Should I try loading one or 2 that are suspect and see how they go?
 
I have found some on the range that some firearm type's extractor was really tearing up the rims.. they didn't fit in the case gauge because the rim was deformed where the extractor yanked it from the chamber.. extraction was sticky for some reason I guess.. anyway, it's worth a REALLY close look at the rim..
 
I use a lot of Norinco cases for reloads but only for plinking and/or short range CQB matches. It's perfectly fine for this type of shooting. However, as mentioned, don't try to fit them into case gauges, etc. I also found that the primer holes are often off-centre. For all my precision shooting, I use Winchester cases in .223.
 
I have reloaded hundreds of CJ95 cases without any issues.

My reloading is a 2 part process on a Hornady LnL AP Progressive press.

Part 1 consists of depriming in station #1 using a Hornady sizing die which is backed out so that it will only deprime and push the expander ball through the neck.
The brass is lubricated using Dillon Case Lube (Lanolin and Isopropyl alcohol).
The Dillon RT-1200 trimmer is located in station #3 which trims and sizes the brass to fit in the headspace gauge between the minimum and maximum marks.

The brass is then wet tumbled using SS pins.

Part 2 consists of Priming, Powder, Bullet seating. and Crimping.
 
I have had different lots of Norinco 5.56 and it has been everything from very good to abysmal. The first two cases, which were from the same lot, was some of the most accurate and consistent factory ammo I have shot. The next case was terrible in just about every way. Poor accuracy, crooked necks, etc. When I went to decap some of the primers in the second batch it soon became obvious that some of the flash holes were punched off center. I just shot the stuff and chucked the brass from that case.
Surprisingly the next case with the same date stamp but different lot numbers on the boxes was again very good. I picked a half dozen boxes of 20 randomly through the crate and they were every bit as good as the first but much older batch.

I went through about 300 rounds on the bad crate and stopped there. I pulled the bullets and reclaimed the powder which is identical in burn rate to BLC which is an old Higginson's powder that I like a lot in small rifle cases up to and including 308win.

I weighed those bullets to see how consistent they were and all were within a tenth of a grain. That is very consistent. The powder charges were all within a tenth of a grain as well. 25.4 grains +- .005 grains. That is closer than my powder measure will meter the charges.

As far as the brass on the three good batches I have goes, It is all very consistent as far as weight/stretching goes. I also use a small base die because the rifles I shoot all have minimum spec chambers. I have barrel stubs with chambers cut in them that match the rifle chambers which were cut with the same reamer. I have loaded some of those cases over a dozen times without an issue.

To tell the truth, the material the cases are made from are some of the best for reloading I have used. It doesn't seem to work harden at all and I have only had to trim after 8 firings. I am fussy when it comes to loading for accuracy. In fact I have been told I am anal. If the Chinese brass wasn't doing the job I wouldn't waste my precious time on it.

You may have a bad batch as was mentioned above. I have two more crates of Norinco factory loads from this lot and date set. They will likely last longer than I will.

The best surplus brass I have ever used was South African. About 20 years ago a bunch of it came into International and I picked up several cases. I hoard that stuff for special shoots. The consistency from that stuff is as good as my handloads.
 
Reloaded a bunch of Chinese 223, just for plinking. Had zero issues, trimmed per normal and used medium loads and was pleasantly surprised with accuracy out to 300 yds. Varget and cheap bulk 55gr projectiles.

That being said and as others have stated, have gathered up some range brass and found that primer hole was off centre, those are in the bin for emergency use only.
 
I have loaded thousands of the Norinco cases beginning back in the '80's. I have never encountered any problems and have gotten 4-5+ loads out of the brass and then they get tossed. They have always done just fine for me. The majority have been reloaded with W748 and 55 grain bullets of one kind or another.
 
A friend gave me several hundred .223 Norinco brass. I figured, at the very least, I could get a reload or two out of them and use them for CQB and 3 Gun where the brass is lost. The primer pockets aren't crimped (bonus) but the brass is always at or very close to maximum length. Longest was 1.764' out of the brass I measured. I use small base dies and the brass loads up nicely after being trimmed, chamfered, etc. I decided to do a comparison test with an established load. I used the same powder/primer/bullet combination but in the Norinco cases. I shot two back to back groups- one with LC brass and the other with Norinco brass- everything else being the same. Interesting results. The Norinco brass edged out the FC brass by a small margin. 5 shots at 100 yds. measured 1.35" with the LC brass and the 5 shot group with the Norinco brass was 1.13". Groups were shot out of a VLTOR build with a 14.5" WOA barrel.
To the OP: Have you tried chambering the cases you are concerned about? Do they function in the gun? If so, I wouldn't worry about it assuming there are no pressure signs.

Norinco group at 100 yds.:
Noringrp_zpsf5hffcnr.jpeg
 
ciPeterF said:
I have found some on the range that some firearm type's extractor was really tearing up the rims.. they didn't fit in the case gauge because the rim was deformed where the extractor yanked it from the chamber.. extraction was sticky for some reason I guess.. anyway, it's worth a REALLY close look at the rim..
Click to expand...


This is what it was. Some of them had a little nick in the rim which held them back a bit. I loaded up the worst offenders and had a go at the range. Functioned just fine. Thanks for the info!
 
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