.223 reloading info?

I reloaded some brass 5 or 6 times already and the primer pockets are still tight. That is range picked brass we are talking about BTW.
So far I marked only 2 cases, out of 200 that I shoot regularly, with loose PP for the smelter.
 
Federal brass - the pocket open up on the first and most time the second reload.

The best brass I have is FNM. Portugese. It's thick, consistant and I have yet to see a primer pocket go bad.
 
"If you want to trim, and most likely you will have to, don't ever buy
Lee trimmer - too unreliable in that calibre. After trimming about
300 cases the length gauge was eaten by the trimmer and started
producing shorter than needed cases on me."

I hate those aluminium pilot/length gauge, they should only make
steel ones...

Jocelyn.
 
Lee's stainless steel, not alu. Very soft SS, by the way.
The way Lee cutter/gauge works is stupid: the gauge screws into the cutter and threaded part has a slit, that's supposed to hold it from unscrewing or screwing deeper. Because the gauge is soft, the cutter just eats up the gauge. The threaded part has to go all the way into the threds on the cutter. That's a simple operation on a lathe to make your own gauge.
 
RePete said:
The federal cases are soft.

I've had the pockets open up in an AR and a bolt action.
Click to expand...

Thats funny as I reload american eagle in my Ruger 77 and havent had a single case fail or fail to be reusable yet. The only problem I had was holding the flat based bullet in a brand spanking new case long enough for the seating die to get to it without it tipping over and wrecking the case neck and bullet tip. Not a problem with older brass but I dont like sizing brand new!
 
I dont trim, I dont find that they stretch enough to cause a problem, occaisionally a mate will precision prepare a lot for me but I cant be arsed really!
When I fired a semi auto I didnt reload as the Govt paid for the ammo!
 
same deal as repete- i found my primer pockets get too loose long before my cases ever need a trim- i use 25 grains of 748 under the 70 grain sierra in an ar 15 1/7- when i can get it, ivi, when i can't remington, then win, followed by fnc- i had some sb filipino stuff to start off with, but that didn't last long
 
All of my match ammo is built on Winchester cases, followed by large stashes of IVI and Ruag brass.
I'm now building a fairly substantial pile of Lake City, that should work good.
I don't keep Federal or Remington .223 brass.
 
Sorry to jack your thread Otokiak, I promise it's only for a moment haha. I'd like to try using 69gr. Sierra Match Kings but when I look on their website I can only find 2 dealers in Canada, Caldwell Industries in BC and Gun-Mar Inc. In ON. Does anyone have a different source?
 
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