reloading once-fired brass for bolt action

IdahoG36: I've got the black box with gold label. I do not remember changing the expander but that does make sense to take them out and measure.

Thanks to all for the great feedback and shared experience. I'm very grateful!

Terry
 
Just to mention it, I have had the "bullet fall into the neck" problem. Way back when, I had been Partial Resizing cases for my 220 Swift, and thought maybe a NK sizer would be a good addition. So I bought one, sized a bunch of cases, primed them, put powder in one and went to seat a bullet. The bullet fell into the case. The sizers did not size to the same degree. I got new brass and that solved the problem. In my case (no pun intended), the old brass had thinned necks. But, the fact remains that the two sizers did not size necks to the same degree, and the problem could have been the expander ball.
 
I am much like MOBuck, I gave up neck sizing several years ago. I don't do precision target shooting, and didn't like have some cases that were hard to close the bolt on. Add on a couple of rifles in same calibers, an AR,and my being too lazy to track the number of times fired and put them into the pile to FL size. Now they all get cleaned, FL sized and put back into rotation. I will check a few cases out of each batch to see if trimming is required but that's about it. I am thinking you need to either use a candle to smoke the case or color it with a marker to see just how much is being resized, suspect the die simple needs adjusted.
 
Even with partical sizing 1/8 of the case the bullet wouldn't drop in. Wrong die or bullet. Case neck thickness, how thin could it be. Only time that could happen is with bushing dies, using a bushing that is to large. What is the OD of the bullet? What is the measurement of the case wall thickness at 12 & 6 o'clock? What is the OD of a sized case neck?
 
I have once-fired/fire-formed brass from my new 22-250, and was ready to start reloading.
Click to expand...

You purchased 22-250 brass and then fired all of it? I would suggest the next time you purchase brass save a few cases for reference and comparison. I would suggest you measure before and again after. I am talking about the length of the case from the shoulder to the case head, many reloaders call that 'head space but the case does not have head space so I call it the length of the case from the datum/shoulder t the case head. That way I do not get it confused with something it does not have.

Had you measured before and again after you would know the effect the chamber had on the case when fired. Relative: My full length sizing dies are capable of returning the case to minimum length/full length size. Reloaders that can not measure the length of the case from the shoulder to the case head after firing have no choice but to return the case to minimum length/full length size. My presses and dies have threads; threads make my dies adjustable in the press. That comes in handy when I have a chamber that is longer than a go-gage length chamber; I use the threads when adjusting the die to off set the length of the chamber from the shoulder of the chamber to the bolt face..

I am the fan of discouraging new reloaders from jumping into reloading in a dead run. Again, the next time you purchase brass save a few and always measure before and again after. When sizing; I you measured after firing you are half way there, all you have to do is measure after sizing. And then it gets complicated; it gets complicated when determining if the ram/shell holder makes it to the bottom of the die. If when sizing a case the shell holder does not make it to the bottom of the die the case does not get returned to minimum length.

Forming to fit saves me a trip to the range.

F. Guffey
 
I have been reloading only about 9 months and only for a semi auto 223, about 2000 rounds now on a single stage press. The move to a bolt 22-250 has posed different issues than I had run across with the semi auto, so all these comments have been very helpful.

F. Guffey: I still have some unfired brass, so your comments about measuring before and after is very helpful. I'll also spend some time readdressing my FL die and its position in the press.

My move to the 22-250 is my first move to develop some long range shooting skills as well as further refining my reloading skills for precision, so all the comments and discussion has been very helpful. Thanks to all!
Terry
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top