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.223 Brass not fitting in the Shell Plate
- Thread starter Bravo1
- Start date
I use shell holders as gages; I know, everyone is sooo confused. My shell holders have a deck height, when I form cases for short chambers I dig out my Lee dies because when it comes to being loose my lee dies are the 'loosest'. I do not have shell plates by Lee, only shell holder. And then there are other shell holders that fit. After firing a case with a heavy load there is a good chance the case that fit the shell holder before firing will require the use of a case friendly hammer to get it into the shell holder after firing.
And then there is case sorting by head stamp, I sort cases by head stamp. Again; no one checks the fit between the shell holder and case before firing. My favorite shell holder is the RCBS shell holder, my favorite shell holders are loose fitting and the RCBS is second only to Lee. A loose shell holder gives me something to work with when forming cases for short chambers and off setting the length of the chamber with the length of the case. When reloading one of the first tools I dig out is the companion tool to the press, the feeler gage.
If you only have one shell holder devise like a shell plate I would suggest you use it to sort through your cases. You did not measure the case head diameter before firing; meaning you will accomplish nothing by measuring after firing. Again; I know that must be confusing but if your case heads were soft and expanded when fired the fit between the shell plate and case could have been altered. Had you checked the fit between the shell plate and case before firing you would have know something happened to the case heads before you fired them.
All of my 223 cases are Winchester, FC, LC and R-P.
F. Guffey
And then there is case sorting by head stamp, I sort cases by head stamp. Again; no one checks the fit between the shell holder and case before firing. My favorite shell holder is the RCBS shell holder, my favorite shell holders are loose fitting and the RCBS is second only to Lee. A loose shell holder gives me something to work with when forming cases for short chambers and off setting the length of the chamber with the length of the case. When reloading one of the first tools I dig out is the companion tool to the press, the feeler gage.
If you only have one shell holder devise like a shell plate I would suggest you use it to sort through your cases. You did not measure the case head diameter before firing; meaning you will accomplish nothing by measuring after firing. Again; I know that must be confusing but if your case heads were soft and expanded when fired the fit between the shell plate and case could have been altered. Had you checked the fit between the shell plate and case before firing you would have know something happened to the case heads before you fired them.
All of my 223 cases are Winchester, FC, LC and R-P.
F. Guffey
Went to the range and tested out the rounds in my shell plate I brought with me and they all fit correctly. I was using PMC and after firing, I tested the them and they all fit again.
The next batch I used was Lake City and they wouldn't fit in my shell plate before firing, which is odd.
And the last batch was Wolf ammo. These wouldn't fit before or afterwards either.
So I'm stumped as to why these two brands won't fit in my shell plate holder. I'm guessing it has to due with the Lee Progressive Shell Plate 4s being just a tad too narrow, and I mean by .002!
I'll have to be diligent in looking at headstamps going forward.
The next batch I used was Lake City and they wouldn't fit in my shell plate before firing, which is odd.
And the last batch was Wolf ammo. These wouldn't fit before or afterwards either.
So I'm stumped as to why these two brands won't fit in my shell plate holder. I'm guessing it has to due with the Lee Progressive Shell Plate 4s being just a tad too narrow, and I mean by .002!
I'll have to be diligent in looking at headstamps going forward.
Went to the range and tested out the rounds in my shell plate I brought with me and they all fit correctly. I was using PMC and after firing, I tested the them and they all fit again.
The next batch I used was Lake City and they wouldn't fit in my shell plate before firing, which is odd.
And the last batch was Wolf ammo. These wouldn't fit before or afterwards either.
Someone suggested you use another shell holder; that would not be a problem for me because I have different brands and colors. And then; there is the deck height of the shell holder. All of my shell holders have a deck height of .125", after that there are shell holders that fit; I find shell holders that fit annoying because I have to sort cases by fit. Meaning if my cases have been fired with maximum or over maximum loads there is a good chance the cases will not fit a good fitting shell holder. A good fitting shell holder will allow a .003" feeler gage to fit between the deck of the shell holder and case head
And then there are RCBS shell holders, my RCBS shell holders fit like a hand me down shirt, my RCBS shell holders only fit where they touch.
F. Guffey
When I first started reloading 25+ years ago, I thought brass being the same caliber would be the same. New to me that interchangeable shell holders aren't the same, even though that shell holder can be used for different calibers. On this post is the problem with that shell holder being defective or the case base being to large.
m&p45acp10+1
New member
Most will go into a shell holder if you give them a quarter turn. If not then some minor force in a standard shell holder will work most times. Bent rims are common from, AR firing, as AR is the most common .223 rifles.
I think it could be a combination of both. People have posted saying the Lee Shell Plate for the Progressive System is a tad snug. But also, the brass of some manufacturers are above spec which prevents them from fitting properly.
I have a gasket cutting ball peen hammer, it doubles as a case friendly case hammer for fitting cases to shell holders. I always know why they will not fit before I get the hammer out. When a case will not fit the RCBS case holder the case has to have some major problems.
I was ask to help form belted magnum cases to a wildcat belted configuration; I was asked to bring the 'other shell holder'? I brought the little gasket cutting ball peen hammer.
F. Guffey