.223 Sako brass reload questions

W

wtfTG

New member
Very early in the process of learning to reload and have a few questions about the brass I have that I would be grateful for guidance.
I have not yet purchased my reloading equipment and am just de-priming, cleaning, and measuring my brass.
I am shooting 223 loads and NOT 556 loads.

1. All brass is Sako 50gr brass that is one-fired in my Wylde chambered 223 20" 1:8 twist AR platform. Is my brass now fire formed to my chamber?

2. Brass measures 1.744-1.755 in length after one firing. Is this too short?

3. I have read brass stretches with repeat firings. If I pick 1.750 as a random cartridge length for trimming and reloading, is this ok?

Thanks beforehand for the time and help!!
terry
 
IIRC, the trim to length is 1.75" anyway.

If you want more consistency, pick the shortest case, and trim them all to that length, then they'll stretch at same rate.
 
1. All brass is Sako 50gr brass no, the bullet weighed 50 gr - nothing to do with the brass case.

Is my brass now fire formed to my chamber? Yes, which is not what you want for an auto loader rifle. Do a full length resize on them

2. Brass measures 1.744-1.755 in length after one firing. Is this too short? Read your loading manual

3. I have read brass stretches with repeat firings. If I pick 1.750 as a random cartridge length for trimming and reloading, is this ok? Read your loading manual for the specs
 
wow! Thanks for the fast replies!

Dave P : what do you mean by " which is not what you want for an auto loader rifle. Do a full length resize on them" ?

Also what do you mean by loading manual? For the powder or bullet or what?

Sorry for being so green...
 
2. Brass measures 1.744-1.755 in length after one firing. Is this too short?
Click to expand...

The length of the brass will change when you size it. So measuring it after firing and before sizing, isn't very accurate.

The suggestions about the loading manual, is that there is a significant amount of good information on how to reload, in addition to the load data. If you would page through the section of your reloading manual and read sections that are appropriate, you will learn a great deal.

I have been reloading for over 50 years, and when I spend time reading the sections of the manual for reloading technique, I always find good information.
 
Your brass is going to get quite a bit longer after you full-length resize it for the very first time. That's when you want to measure it and you'll probably have to trim it. 1.750 is actually the recommended trim length. 1.760 is maximum length. You don't HAVE to trim until the brass stretches to 1.760

Full length resizing is recommended for semi-auto rifles, while bolt gun shooters can usually get away with just neck-sizing their brass for a few cycles.

If those 50 grain bullets in Sako loads shoot well for you, start your reloading hobby with a 50 grain bullet and buy the manual published by the manufacturer of that bullet - Sierra, Hornady, etc. I don't think there is any benefit to buying other manuals, until you're ready to use other manufacturers' bullets and want to see data that was developed specifically for those bullets.

.223 is a great round when you start reloading. There is a LOT of data out there, and an amazing selection of components. Not to mention - all that free once-fired brass that so many people leave on the ground!

Good luck and don't be afraid ask more newbie questions!
 
I have been learning on Sako 50gr, Hornady 55gr, and Fiocchi 62 gr.
The 50 gr bullet seems to max out at about 150 yards, especially with much wind, but I really like it at 100 yards.
The other two bullets seem to do well out to my current 200 yard testing, so I was going to look around for 60-70 gr bullets as I work my way out to 300 and farther.

I've heard Sako brass is good for reloading, and I would hope so as it is harder to find and more expensive rounds to start with.

Thanks for the help on this adventure!!
 
Beats me. I just read some other reviews of Sako brass that were quite positive about their reload-ability.
 
wtfTG
2. Brass measures 1.744-1.755 in length after one firing. Is this too short?
Click to expand...

Brass starts out the right length.
When brass gets fired, it gets shorter.
When brass gets full length resized, it gets even longer than when it started.

The problem with long brass is that if it reaches the end of the chamber neck, it can pinch the bullet and cause a spike in pressure.

The over simplified answer is a case trim length.

The accurate answer is to calculate the safety margin for the distance from the case shoulder to the end of the neck, less than the chamber shoulder to the end of the chamber neck.

The more the full length die is adjusted down in the the press, the more the shoulder is set back and the more the brass will grow in length. The important change is the growth in shoulder to end of neck.
As the end of the neck of the brass grows forward, the shoulder is moving back.
The double whammy.
 
I understand why brass that is too long is a problem and that trimming after resizing is important. But how does one determine how to set the shoulder and neck back enough. I have heard that 0.002-0.003 is a safe margin. But don't have a press yet to understand how that works with a resizing die.

Thanks for the thoughts!!
 
But how does one determine how to set the shoulder and neck back enough.
Click to expand...

#1. Ignore the directions that may be written in your reloading manual, that tells you to screw the sizing die down until it contacts the shell holder, then drop the ram, and give the die another 1/4 to 1/2 turn.

#2. You must measure accurately. There are many tools to allow you to make this measurement. I personally find the Hornady Lock-N-Load headspace gage set link to work very well for me. But other ways can work just as well.

Measure several fired cases from your rifle. They will vary more than you might think. I always find what length just lets me feel the bolt close on the brass. That is the length I use to shorten by the 0.002 - 0.003".
 
jepp2
#1. Ignore the directions that may be written in your reloading manual,
Click to expand...
:)


The Lee Collet Neck Die works great in bolt action guns. 2 of the 3 deer I shot last week were with brass I sized in my vehicle with the collet neck die. One deer was at 629 yards.
 

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Added that additional equipment to my list now.

Thanks and nice hard core work on the reloading-in-the-back setup!
 
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