So I started out with some .223 for my AR15. Before I tried firing, I just tried cycling them through the rifle to make sure they would feed. Several failed to eject, and when the next shell tried to load it pushed up against the previous one and the bullet was pushed back into the casing.
1. Obviously a neck tension problem
2. But why were the others failing to eject?
They weren't "stuck" because when I removed the magazine they shook right out.
The weapon worked fine with another mag with factory rounds.
All carts fit well and loosely in both the Wilson and Hornady gauges. OALs 1.195 to 2.200 so none were near the max length.
I tried to measure the taper for the crimp, but keep getting varied results. Some .001 to .002, some even greater taper.
Bullets were seated with just a tad of cannelure showing.
Some had probably been trimmed, chamfered and deburred with the Lee Power Quick Trim and .223 die.
Used brass, various manufacturers, some military. Evergreen 55gr FMJ-BT bullets.
Casings were sized in an RCBS small-base full-length sizing die (not the X-die) and the bullets were seated with the RCBS seating die (obviously needs some adjustment).
So, several questions:
1. How to handle the neck sizing problem?
2. Assuming I am able to fix the crimping problem, what can I do with the remaining 40 or so that are already loaded. Can I re-crimp them as is, or do I need to unload them and start over?
3. Most important... what would have happened had I tried to fire while loaded with one where the bullet was pushed back into the casing?
Thanks for any help here.
1. Obviously a neck tension problem
2. But why were the others failing to eject?
They weren't "stuck" because when I removed the magazine they shook right out.
The weapon worked fine with another mag with factory rounds.
All carts fit well and loosely in both the Wilson and Hornady gauges. OALs 1.195 to 2.200 so none were near the max length.
I tried to measure the taper for the crimp, but keep getting varied results. Some .001 to .002, some even greater taper.
Bullets were seated with just a tad of cannelure showing.
Some had probably been trimmed, chamfered and deburred with the Lee Power Quick Trim and .223 die.
Used brass, various manufacturers, some military. Evergreen 55gr FMJ-BT bullets.
Casings were sized in an RCBS small-base full-length sizing die (not the X-die) and the bullets were seated with the RCBS seating die (obviously needs some adjustment).
So, several questions:
1. How to handle the neck sizing problem?
2. Assuming I am able to fix the crimping problem, what can I do with the remaining 40 or so that are already loaded. Can I re-crimp them as is, or do I need to unload them and start over?
3. Most important... what would have happened had I tried to fire while loaded with one where the bullet was pushed back into the casing?
Thanks for any help here.