Loading .223 for AR-15. No case Gauge

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GunfighterAlpha

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Hey guys, I purchased a 650 a few months back, been reloading for 45 and 9mm with no issues. I want to start reloading my .223 but I don't have a case gauge.
Can I use the chamber drop method to size these?
Should i just set my die to resize it as much as possible?
Wait until I get a case gauge to start loading .223?

Any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
if you are full length sizing and trimming your cases to book length you should be good to go as long as your rounds fit in the mag.
 
Yeah full length sizing. Not trimming as this is only once fired brass I'm using which Ive been told is fine for 1 reload. Then start trimming for the 2nd reload.
 
Measure them with your Micrometer, if need be.

Also, if your using a progressive press just make sure that none of the primer pockets are crimped. That can slow down production quite quick.
 
I have had once fired brass that needed to be trimmed. Sometimes the brass is already at the line of max length before being fired and sized. I would check it before loading.
 
hk33ka1 said:
I have had once fired brass that needed to be trimmed. Sometimes the brass is already at the line of max length before being fired and sized. I would check it before loading.
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X2

I have found it to be a mixed bag (lol)

Some will be long, some will be short... All the same headstamp commercial and mil brass, some is well over length some is well under you just never know unless it's all been trimmed then fired from one rifle and I still check that kinda brass at random.

If you run it thru a full length sizer and then trim it you should be G2G...
 
Whoever told you hat won't have his face and fingers in harms way in case your firearm blows up. Trim to minimum length to be sure if you don't use a case gauge.
I personally find a case gauge indispensable when setting up dies.
 
A veneer caliper is all you need (either digital or dial). Lock the jaws at the dimension needed, if the case pass through without touching the jaws G2G, if not they need trimming.
 
Go buy a digital caliper, cheap one from Princess Auto or similar place works well. I have a big multicaliber case guage and it is not even close for some rounds. The 243 slot is .oo4 over max lenght.
 
Yeah I already have calipers. I want to do it right the first time around. Being new to reloading I don't have the experience to know what works and what doesn't yet.

I've got a Dillon electric case trimmer coming. Is it worth it to just buy a separate toolhead for the trimmer to save having to set everything again? I'm thinking so but I'd like youre input as well.

Thanks to all of you who have responded so far. I've found invaluable information on this forum to date. Don't know where I'd be without CGN.
 
I use the Lee sizer and cutter in the my drill, cheap and fairly fast. Also don't bother with neck sizing unless you enjoy hard extractions, stick with full length re-sizing.
 
Some trimmers will chamfer while trimming.
My Lee trimmer does not, yes chamfering is necessary after trimming, although I'm not sure if tumbling would also work, I kind of doubt it.

Incidentally, I ordered 1000 1xfired Lake city brass and almost every case needed to be trimmed, I think military AR15 chambers combined with High pressure 5.56mm loads swell the brass quite a bit.
The lower pressure .223 American Eagle I shoot usually doesn't even need a trim after being fired 2x.
 
GunfighterAlpha said:
Is Chamfering necessary after trimming? someone told me all I had to do was tumble my brass again to get rid of the burrs.
Click to expand...
It works - check out the still shot in this video at 3:58:
[youtube]wBQ_vJHiGek[/youtube]



If you want a beautiful chamfer to coddle the base of match bullets, then chamfer. If you are loading for bulk, tumbling does the job.
 
GunfighterAlpha said:
I've got a Dillon electric case trimmer coming. Is it worth it to just buy a separate toolhead for the trimmer to save having to set everything again?
Click to expand...

Yes, because setting up the trim length is fiddle work and you will redo this each time the trimmer is off of the press.

You might be able to get away with one-time setup if you replace the dillon lockring (the one butting up on the toolhead) with a Hornady or Forster lockring, as these will stay in place when you remove the trimmer. If so, you would need to modify the vacuum collar to fit with the updated lockring.

You can see the trimmer at work in the videos in my sig file. Because I use an LNL AP, once the trimmer is setup it is as simple matter of popping it in / out with the LNL system. But it will work fine in your Dillon too.
 
It's my understanding that it's best to always full length size for a semi auto.
 
Chamfer after trimming for semi auto's... That's a good one.

No no no...

Unless I was loading only a few hundred for some testing to see if it really made a difference no way I would bother... And tumble it all twice? Wow some of you folks must spend weeks putting out a few hundred rounds.

Here's the simple safe way

Lube your brass, FL size it all, clean it, trim it, remove the FL die and stick a neck sizer in hole #1 backed off the shell holder a bit so it just evens the mouth burrs out, a crimp die setup in hole #5 with a very mild touch rounds the outer lip off DONE.

Damn some people over complicate things.
 
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