Help! LIVE round stuck in chamber...

If you are shooting handloads..
Some folks do not know that a 223 seater die may have a crimp function built in,and if you run the die in the press to touch off on the shellholder,you may be applying a maximum amount of crimp to your round
This can increase the dia at the shoulder as the case collapses a bit.It can also increase the dia at the neck.

As the bumped up dia's are forced into a tapered chamber,things can get stuck.

Try measuring these dia's against the drawings in your loading manual.Also,try backing your seater die out about the thickness of a penny.
 
I'm glad you got it out, but I'm wondering if anyone ever "butt strokes" their rifles anymore.
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Had the opportunity to do that at the range today, on another of my handloads.

.Also,try backing your seater die out about the thickness of a penny.
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Won't that cause the cases to be neck-sized, only, and cause the shoulder to lengthen? I'm not opposed to trying it, but I had heard that was the way to adjust dies to neck size, only. I'm about 99% sure there's no crimping going on, because I adjusted the die for a bolt gun. But I'll double check.
 
You have 2 dies,I expect?
One is the sizer.That is the one that I think you are concerned about.
I am talking about the seater die.That is the one to back up a bit.
 
D'oh. I should've realized that.

Yes, my seater is adjusted for no crimp, but I'll check it again. Its possible that yesterday's stuck case was long, and therefore picked up some crimp.
 
I'll bite, why not use the FA?
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Let me relay an experience. When I was a youngster, a friend got his 2-wheel drive truck stuck. He had it towed out, then went and traded it in on a four-wheel drive truck. Then he told us all "Now I'll never get stuck!" A wise elder smiled and told him, "Nah, 4WD just gets you stuck a whole lot deeper."

Didn't take too long to find out that he was right :)

I would use the forward assist if someone was shooting at me, I was down to my last round and it wouldn't chamber. Absent all of those conditions, I'd eject that round and try another.

Because I've seen the forward assist work just like 4WD. And I think the OP knows exactly what I mean :)
 
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