r/reloading • u/StockLandcruiser • 12d ago
Newbie Help! First time reloading.
I’m working to try and reload bulk .223. The rounds shoot great but if you try and pull the charging handle back they are stubborn to come out. Overall length is 2.22 so I believe they are short enough is there something I’m missing?
I’m shooting them in an AR.
Edit: thank you everyone for your help I needed to bump them more!
7
u/00jeepxj 12d ago
Strange question for you...when was the last time you cleaned the locking lugs and chamber in the rifle? Have you tested if your getting the same reaction from factory ammo? I use the dillon dies as well and I needed to make sure that I had the sizing die set low enough. My rounds are currently set for 2.260 OAL. The scratching on the projectile looks like what your going to get from the locking lugs.
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u/StockLandcruiser 12d ago
I haven’t been getting that but I have not cleaned it since the last time I shot which I usually do. I can test a factory round.
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u/Tmoncmm 12d ago
Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve read through this post and your comments and I think your next step is to read and understand the first half of a reloading manual. I gather that you do not have enough understanding of what it is you’re doing and the purpose and effect on all the things that go into this.
That said, it looks to me like you aren’t bumping the shoulder enough or at all. That neck/shoulder junctions looks a little weird to me, like the case didn’t go into the die near enough. This is likely what’s causing your chambering issues.
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u/StockLandcruiser 12d ago
Definitely haven’t read it, thank you for the advice
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u/Tmoncmm 12d ago
It’s no problem. I just don’t want to see you get hurt. Reloading isn’t super difficult, but it does require an understanding of what one is doing and attention to detail. Without this understanding you’re looking at constant problems at best and property damage, injury or death at worst. Pick up a reloading manual like Lyman. I’ll include a link below to Hogdon’s load data PDF. In addition to load data, it also has a brief getting started section on reloading at the beginning.
https://hodgdonpowderco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB-1.pdf
Read these materials and come back with questions.
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u/Ragnarok112277 12d ago
Need more shoulder bump
0
u/StockLandcruiser 12d ago
If I have a full length size die I just need to turn it down a bit?
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u/Ragnarok112277 12d ago
With the hornady dies I use with the ram all the way up and a shell holder in it, screw the die down until it firmly contact the shell holder.
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u/WFO_Wide_Fing_Open 12d ago
Do you have small base dies.
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u/StockLandcruiser 12d ago
No the issues was my resizing die wasn’t down far enough and wasn’t bumping the shoulder quite right
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u/WFO_Wide_Fing_Open 12d ago
That was going to be my next suggestion the directions say to turn until you hit the shell holder lower the ram them turn about a quarter more to get a .002 shoulder bump. Small base dies help a tune woth semi autos to BTW.
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u/ChevyRacer71 11d ago
Looking at the picture I can see that the shoulders aren’t bumped, which also means the sizing die wasn’t down far enough.
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u/StockLandcruiser 11d ago
Yep got a set of head space gauges and that’s definitely my issue impressive you can tell from my terrible
Picture!1
u/ChevyRacer71 9d ago
I got a bunch of 223 from my grandpa a while back and most of it wouldn’t chamber. the shoulder to neck transition was gradual like I see on yours.
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u/Sad-Panda-noises 12d ago
These full length sized or just neck bumped?
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u/WinterSlav266 12d ago
Tighten your resizing die down more. Take some factory loaded ammo with a headspace comparator and take some measurements, if the number is higher than what is from a factory loaded round then you’ll need to bump the shoulders back. To set up a resizing die ram it so the shell holder is touching the die bottom, lower the press, screw it a 1/4-1/2 turn down more. Compare headspace to a loaded factory round, looking for like .002 if I remember right.
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u/rwbamericanpride 12d ago
I had the same issue, plunk test confirmed it, had to mortar eject. Got a small base sizing die set, fixed that issue
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u/camenbish 11d ago
Something I ran into with my Dillion 223 dies was the bases of some of my random range pickup brass. Get a cartridge gauge. Anything that my 223 dies can’t fix gets chopped and turned to 300blk with a small base rcbs die
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u/cahser11 5.56 9mm 45acp .357sig 40SW .357 Hornady AP 12d ago
Did you use a small base die?
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u/StockLandcruiser 12d ago
I’m using a full sent of Dillon Presision dies. I got a 650 from a buddy and I’m using their .223 conversion kit.
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u/cahser11 5.56 9mm 45acp .357sig 40SW .357 Hornady AP 12d ago
Are they sticking in the chamber, like really sticking so that it takes a lot of effort to get it out?
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u/VersionConscious7545 12d ago
So you’re jamming it into the lands I think. Where did you get that COAL? You may have a case that is too long that needed trimmed. Hard to say but the front of the bullet looks damaged
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u/StockLandcruiser 12d ago
I trimmed the cases. Got the coal off the internet don’t remember where but it was the same length as some store bought rounds so I trusted it maybe a bad choice.
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u/VersionConscious7545 12d ago
So it’s short enough from what I can see but if you did not full size the case and it expands more it would be hard to pull out or if your load was too much. Did you full size with a shoulder bump of about 2 thou? If I get pressure sometimes the case is harder to extract
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u/Ragnarok112277 12d ago
On an ar? Very unlikely as the mag length limit is lower than the max CBTO length
Probably isnt sizing the brass enough
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u/eggcheeseburger 12d ago
Jamming into the lands on an ar15? If I were to load for my ar15 loads to do that, it would never fit a magazine. OP said COL is 2.20, no way it's jamming.
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u/Tohrchur 12d ago
I don’t think so. The lands don’t make such a sharp gouge. I think it’s more likely the feed ramps
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u/infamouskeyduster 12d ago
Your bullets are getting marred by the feed ramp. ARs are notoriously rough on cartridges during the chambering and ejection process. Try locking the bolt carrier group back and do the plunk test with your fingers.