Issue loading 223 with lee presses

Pavlovic

Pavlovic

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Hey all,
I have been reloading pistol ammo for a wile now with no issues, but I have recently bought a AR-15 and want to make my own .223. I have a lee loadmaster and a lee classic single stage press. I started off trying to do every thing on Loadmaster to be as fast and as consistence as possible, but about 9 out of 10 misprime, so I tried doing the resizing and priming on my single stage with slightly better results, but still have issues priming, it's almost like I need to resize the primer pocket but I don't have the ability to do it at the time.
I'm hoping it may just be something I'm doing I can fix with and adjustment or some different parts i may need for the Loadmaster press, but if not, is there another press I may want to consider?

Thanks for your time and input
 
i use a pro 1000 for my 223 with no such problems- but i KNOW that i was using military cases AND RAN THEM THROUGH THE CRIMP REMOVER FIRST- some COMMERCIAL cases have the crimp, some don't - why take the chance- run them all through the crimp remover
 
Like the other guys said, you are more than likely using crimped brass.

If you take your deburing tool, and stick it in the primer poket, and just give it a couple turns, you can remove the crimp. It's not as easy as using a crimp remover, but it works.

Just make a slight bevel on the edge of the primer poket, and the primers will slip in with ease.
 
I use the 1000 for my 223, but the cases have all been deprimed and checked before being loaded. Crimp cases will cause you all sorts of issues and you need to be very watchful. The issues will not change with another press, if the crimp is not removed the primers won't go in. I use the classic press for the deprime, swaging the primer pocket and the final crimp on the loaded round.
 
Great, that's for all your input everyone, my only other question is what would be a good investment for a crimp remover?
 
RCBS swaging die... cost about $35 and is very effective and fast. Only needs to be done ONCE. Most 223 range brass has military crimp which is almost impossible to prime without swaging the primer pocket.
 
Have the RCBC unit and it works okay for but the small diameter push rod eventually developed a burr on the end from use. Then I could not push it through the neck of a sized case. I tried filing the burr but no luck. I gave it to a machinist buddy to fix and haven't seen it for months (we both keep forgetting about it)

This summer I bought a Lyman case prep centre which includes a tool to machine out the primer pocket (not swag). I finish pockets off with the inside deburring tool too to give a smooth bevel to get the primers in with less problem.
 
i've got both a lyman hand tool and a lee chamfering tool- you can take the HANDLE OFF the lyman and mount it in a drill or drill press if you should so choose; it just unscrews; the lee chamfer gets hard on the fingers after a while- esp the thumb and forefinger
 
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