Improper sized brass
- Thread starter Calfpuller
- Start date
Calfpuller,
Yea i messed up I did that with my first 50. But then talked to a family member that told me to back off the die instead...Mistake. Thank you
Well, its not at all a mistake to do this. Its how I reload for all my rifles to include all six of my AR's.
The problem is that whoever suggested this didn't fully explain what is required when this procedure is to be used.
First a little background on how a sizer die works the brass case. As the case is being forced into the die the case wall will be the first part of the case to be squished to a smaller diameter thus pushing the shoulder of the case farther from the head. The mid point on the shoulder (the point at which head space is measured to the case head) is lengthened. Then as the case is further pushed the shoulder makes contact with the die and brass from the entire case is pushed into the neck. Also the head space measurement then becomes shorter until the case is fully inserted into the die.
A tool you will need is a head space gauge (Hornady sells one) that attaches to your caliper so that you can measure the distance from the mid point on the shoulder to the case head. (Head space)
1. Buy a box of ammo and shoot in said gun.
2. Using a head space gauge measure the fired brass and put that measurement in your reloading log.
3. Decap and clean your brass.
4. Lube up a case and put it in the press and pull the handle all the way down.
5. Screw sizing die down until contact with case is made.
6. lower the case and turn die 1/4 turn then insert brass into the die.
7. Remove brass and measure head space. (Repeat this lubing case occasionally until you see the neck get to the point where it becomes fully sized.
8. Once the case looks like the shoulder will make contact with the die use very small movement turning the die.
9. Its very important to measure the head space between each insertion of the case into the die.
10. Once the head space measurement is .001" shorter than the original fired case measurement you run the case back into the die and tighten the jam nut and lock it.
11. Take the next case and run fully into the die and verify that the die is accurately set to .001" under the fired case measurement.
Thats it your done. Size 5 cases and cycle them through the gun to verify and load away.
The benefit of this procedure for sizing is that if you trim your brass to the minimum trim length it won't grow much if any between firings. Trimming brass sucks if your doing it by hand and 2000 pieces of 223 is hell. Plus your brass will last much longer because you will not be working it as much.
Hope this helps.
As for your already loaded brass. I would just pull the bullets, remove the decap pin from the sizer (Leave the expander ball) and resize the brass and load em up again.
Yea i messed up I did that with my first 50. But then talked to a family member that told me to back off the die instead...Mistake. Thank you
Well, its not at all a mistake to do this. Its how I reload for all my rifles to include all six of my AR's.
The problem is that whoever suggested this didn't fully explain what is required when this procedure is to be used.
First a little background on how a sizer die works the brass case. As the case is being forced into the die the case wall will be the first part of the case to be squished to a smaller diameter thus pushing the shoulder of the case farther from the head. The mid point on the shoulder (the point at which head space is measured to the case head) is lengthened. Then as the case is further pushed the shoulder makes contact with the die and brass from the entire case is pushed into the neck. Also the head space measurement then becomes shorter until the case is fully inserted into the die.
A tool you will need is a head space gauge (Hornady sells one) that attaches to your caliper so that you can measure the distance from the mid point on the shoulder to the case head. (Head space)
1. Buy a box of ammo and shoot in said gun.
2. Using a head space gauge measure the fired brass and put that measurement in your reloading log.
3. Decap and clean your brass.
4. Lube up a case and put it in the press and pull the handle all the way down.
5. Screw sizing die down until contact with case is made.
6. lower the case and turn die 1/4 turn then insert brass into the die.
7. Remove brass and measure head space. (Repeat this lubing case occasionally until you see the neck get to the point where it becomes fully sized.
8. Once the case looks like the shoulder will make contact with the die use very small movement turning the die.
9. Its very important to measure the head space between each insertion of the case into the die.
10. Once the head space measurement is .001" shorter than the original fired case measurement you run the case back into the die and tighten the jam nut and lock it.
11. Take the next case and run fully into the die and verify that the die is accurately set to .001" under the fired case measurement.
Thats it your done. Size 5 cases and cycle them through the gun to verify and load away.
The benefit of this procedure for sizing is that if you trim your brass to the minimum trim length it won't grow much if any between firings. Trimming brass sucks if your doing it by hand and 2000 pieces of 223 is hell. Plus your brass will last much longer because you will not be working it as much.
Hope this helps.
As for your already loaded brass. I would just pull the bullets, remove the decap pin from the sizer (Leave the expander ball) and resize the brass and load em up again.
Madgunner I do something similar to your 11 step process, but my method is a little more hasty and improvised. I will say that your method is probably easier for an AR (although I would probably give .002-.003" clearance in a semi, just me personally), but here's what I do for my bolt gun. Feel free to skip 1a and 1b if you don't neck size at all, although I think neck sizing after the first firing gives the brass a little extra stretch and helps to make it good and tight in the chamber so you can find that optimal fit in the later steps. Plus I like to think I get an extra firing or two out of my crappy Federal brass because I don't full length size EVERY time. I've found accuracy to be equal between the two if I do my part correctly.
1: Fire a factory round
1a: For those who neck size only at times, I neck size with a Lee Collet die per the instructions provided.
1b: Fire again. If the round fits a little too tight it's time for a full length size, most of the time I don't full length size until the third firing.
2: Screw the full length die until it touches the shell holder.
3: Lube the brass.
4: Size one round and then try to chamber the sized brass. This is more of a control, and will still be tight because the shoulder hasn't been touched yet.
5: Screw in the sizing die in increments and keep sizing until you can tell that the bolt closes noticeably easier. It's usually about 1/8" of a turn further in after making contact with the shell holder, and I can usually see light marks on the shoulder where the shoulder has been bumped slightly.
6: If step 5 was done properly (i.e. you adjusted in small increments), you probably need to adjust in a tiny bit more unless you're okay with putting a good bit of pressure on the bolt to close.
7: Once you feel the point that you still have a little more resistance than a factory round on bolt close (noticeable, but not annoyingly so), you are probably at optimal length for your gun. This was my experience
8: Mark your die position. I loc-tited the nut on my die, then mark the plate and die nut with an engraver. Or if you have tons of plates then just leave it. I've found that I can unscrew the die from the plate, then return it again and have repeatable results.
9: I always throw out the piece of test brass. There are a number of reasons why, but my biggest concern is run-out.
1: Fire a factory round
1a: For those who neck size only at times, I neck size with a Lee Collet die per the instructions provided.
1b: Fire again. If the round fits a little too tight it's time for a full length size, most of the time I don't full length size until the third firing.
2: Screw the full length die until it touches the shell holder.
3: Lube the brass.
4: Size one round and then try to chamber the sized brass. This is more of a control, and will still be tight because the shoulder hasn't been touched yet.
5: Screw in the sizing die in increments and keep sizing until you can tell that the bolt closes noticeably easier. It's usually about 1/8" of a turn further in after making contact with the shell holder, and I can usually see light marks on the shoulder where the shoulder has been bumped slightly.
6: If step 5 was done properly (i.e. you adjusted in small increments), you probably need to adjust in a tiny bit more unless you're okay with putting a good bit of pressure on the bolt to close.
7: Once you feel the point that you still have a little more resistance than a factory round on bolt close (noticeable, but not annoyingly so), you are probably at optimal length for your gun. This was my experience
8: Mark your die position. I loc-tited the nut on my die, then mark the plate and die nut with an engraver. Or if you have tons of plates then just leave it. I've found that I can unscrew the die from the plate, then return it again and have repeatable results.
9: I always throw out the piece of test brass. There are a number of reasons why, but my biggest concern is run-out.
Gravedigger56
New member
I had to give this advice to a friend just yesterday after he told me he reloaded 300 .223's and afterwards found out they wouldn't fit into his chamber. . When I asked him if he performed a "plunk" test while reloading them, he simply asked "what's that?".