Stuck empty .223 case in chamber

Ironsight

Ironsight

Regular
Rating - 100%
27   0   0
Location
North: 53d 34m , West: 113d 16m
Yesterday I was sighting in my Armalite M-15. I shot around 40 rounds nonstop, few factories and mostly reloaded.
I had to stop due to an empty case stuck in the chamber. That was the end of day for me, had to bring it home to remove. The empty case was removed easily using aluminum cleaning rod and a light mallet tap. The case had some indications of overheating on its surface close to its rim. The rim was stripped so it could not be extracted. It was a reloaded one.
Is that a common occurrence with .223 reloads? That was my first time shooting reloads (55 gr Remington bullet, 24.3 gr of H335, trimmed case to the specs); never had problem last year with the factory rounds.

By the way what is the Wylde chamber? I had no luck with the search function. Was that devised to correct an overheating problem as described above?

Thanks in advance
 
It's probably an extraction problem. Especially on short barelled AR's the extraction timing cycle is short, the case hasn't had time to cool sufficiently to shrink and extract easily. This gets more critical after firing a number of rounds quickly. This can be eliminated by a stronger buffer spring (thus delaying the extraction cycle) or by replacing the extractor spring or by putting a small rubber 0-ring around the extractor spring (thus providing a stronger extraction force).

To extract a stuck case, just remove the bolt, lock up the upper again and bang the the buttstock on a firm surface. Usually the case will come out :cool:
 
I saw this happen to a guy at a match a couple weeks ago.....I think those more knowledgable than me said it was something to do with the extractor getting hung up on a part of the rim which was damaged....or something like that. It kinda ruined his stage.
 
"Reloads" is the answer. Too tight of chamber/casing interface will not allow obturation of the casing in time, thus casing extraction problems. Cheap steel casings produce the same issues. High mileage damaged brass can cause problems too. I warm up my rifle prior to engaging a target with a few rounds in the berm.
 
Full length resizing is not just trimming the overall length.Full length resizing is a set of dies that squeeze the whole casing back down to its original size before firing.This can be an issue with AR type guns because the chambers are generally on the looser side.This is different than just the neck resizing you may use on bolt/target guns due to thier match chamber.
Did you resize the casings at all?
 
If you've got a tight chamber, you might have to invest in a set of small-base dies that are specifically made for reloading brass to be used in semi-auto/auto rifles. Make sure your extractor isn't damaged either. If you havent' already done so, check out installing a D-Fender "D" ring in your rifle as well. Helps with reliability as well and improves extraction 400%. As Longshot pointed out, trimming your cases is not the same as full-length resizing! If you are new to reloading, it might be worth your while to have an experienced reloader do a little work with you to clear up areas where you are a little fuzzy. You don't want a Ka-Boom or something equally nasty to happen to you or your rifles.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom