Case shoulder is thicker than body?

[Brianma65]

Hey again, first I'll say what I'm using, .223 brass, hornady,rem,fed. 53gvmax projectiles. Here's a pic of a factory rnd and a reload. The factory rnd measures 0.357 at the bottom black dot and 0.354 at the shoulder ( or top dot). The reload measured 0.357 at the bottom dot and 0.359 at the shoulder( top dot). All the brass has been trimmed to 1.750. And cartridges has COL as recommended in manual. This only happens to an average of 30%. Will these cartridges be good to shoot in my XCR-L semi auto? Also I have loaded a magazine , and they do cycle. I do beleive the reloads with the thicker shoulder are a very tight fit , though.

 

[stampede]

"The factory rnd measures 0.57 at the bottom black dot and 0.54 at the shoulder ( or top dot). The reload measured 0.357 at the bottom dot and 0.359 at the shoulder( top dot)"



Check those numbers. You may have a typo.

 

[stubblejumper]

How did you adjust your seating die? Does a sized case touch the seating die if you run it into the seating die without trying to seat a bullet?

 

[Brianma65]

How did you adjust your seating die? Does a sized case touch the seating die if you run it into the seating die without trying to seat a bullet?

I set it up with a factory rnd. No , sized case does not touch the die. This only happened after a 100 reloads, I've now readjusted and it is back to spec . The only thing I did diff,was change from 55g vmax (flat base ) to 53 g vmax taper. So are these rnds good to shoot?

 

[LUTNIT]

Shoot a bunch of them. If they cycle properly, don't worry about it.

I'd measure the cases before and after seating the bullet. If they are that size before seating (out of a FL sizing die), try a different FL sizing die. If they are that size after seating, your seating die is probably bumping the shoulder out; might need adjustment.

 

[Spawn-Inc]

FYI, your not measuring the brass thickness, your meaning the diameter of the case. If it chambers in your gun and your at the starting loads working your way up, you'll be fine as well as your rifle.

Assuming I understand your post.

 

[Brianma65]

FYI, your not measuring the brass thickness, your meaning the diameter of the case. If it chambers in your gun and your at the starting loads working your way up, you'll be fine as well as your rifle.

Assuming I understand your post.

the diameter of a factory cartridge gets smaller as yo get closer to the shoulder. (?its tapered) . Some of my reloads ( not all) are not tapered . The cartridges that are not tapered are tight in the chamber.( I can tell this , by when I try to pull them back out by hand). But when loaded in a magazine , they cycle fine. I now know it's a die adjustment ,issue. Just not sure why it happened after a 100 or so reloads.

 

[sunray]

Seating die is down too far. Case shoulders aren't thicker, but have been pushed down a bit during seating. If the loaded round fits in the chamber, it'll be ok.

 

[Brianma65]

Seating die is down too far. Case shoulders aren't thicker, but have been pushed down a bit during seating. If the loaded round fits in the chamber, it'll be ok.

That's what I thought, I've since readjusted and it's fine now. I was more concerned if they were reusable. Thanks.

 

[Brianma65]

I've got it adjusted now , and it's fine. At first it wasn't adjusted enough and I was having set backs( last week). Then after adjustment , no setbacks and a good crimp . But today when I loaded some new projectiles , some of the cases were getting( somehow I lost the die setting) . It's all good again, thanks for your help every one.

 

[c-fbmi]

If you are using the crimp feature of your seating die, case length is critical and they must all be trimmed to precisely the same length or you will get exactly what you have asked about, happening with all cases .005 or longer than what you have set your die for. Common problem when first getting onto crimping cases onto bullets.

 

[Brianma65]

If you are using the crimp feature of your seating die, case length is critical and they must all be trimmed to precisely the same length or you will get exactly what you have asked about, happening with all cases .005 or longer than what you have set your die for. Common problem when first getting onto crimping cases onto bullets.

That's my other problem, using a RCBS power trimmer, and a Lyman accutrimmer , it's very difficult to keep them exactly the same lenght.

 

[maynard]

That's my other problem, using a RCBS power trimmer, and a Lyman accutrimmer , it's very difficult to keep them exactly the same lenght.

Then don't crimp them. Your resizing die will leave enough neck tension that a crimp isn't needed.

 

[yodave]

or get a lee factory crimp die and crimp after you have seated all of the bullets, although I don't understand why you would be crimping bullets that don't have a cannelure on them, that could possibly be causing some if not all of your issues.

When I set up RCBS seating dies I run a sized case to the top of the press stroke and then screw the die down over the case slowly until I feel the crimp part of die touch the top of the case, then I unscrew the die a half turn and lock it into the press, now I worry about where the seating stem is set for my OAL of a loaded round. crimping 223 cases is highly over rated by the way.........but if you feel the need to do it apply the crimp in a separate step

 

[supernova]

If your bullets have no cannelure then a roll crimp isn't helping you. And FWIW Lee trimmers are great for trimming to within .0005" for me. C-FBMI gives good advice. I made the mistake of over crimping my very first .223 hand loads until the bulged the necks and were hard to chamber. It takes a little experience to judge a roll crimp by eye. If trim lengths are all over the place from crappy trimmers then you can roll crimp after seating by doing as C-FBMI says and seat your bullets then back out your seating stem. Run a loaded round up to the top of press stroke and screw the die down until you feel the roll crimper make contact. Lower the ram and screw the die in about a half turn then raise the ram to crimp. This takes wonky trim lengths out of the equation. I prefer a Lee factory crimp however. They'll crimp non cannelured bullets and don't need any consistency in trim length.

 

[Brianma65]

or get a lee factory crimp die and crimp after you have seated all of the bullets, although I don't understand why you would be crimping bullets that don't have a cannelure on them, that could possibly be causing some if not all of your issues.

When I set up RCBS seating dies I run a sized case to the top of the press stroke and then screw the die down over the case slowly until I feel the crimp part of die touch the top of the case, then I unscrew the die a half turn and lock it into the press, now I worry about where the seating stem is set for my OAL of a loaded round. crimping 223 cases is highly over rated by the way.........but if you feel the need to do it apply the crimp in a separate step

I tryed this method ,and it's working fine. The only reason I was crimping, was ,I was getting some setbacks,when I first started. I think that had a lot to do with how I had the dies set up. All is good now.