Armory Sponsor
Posted: 9/12/2008 10:52:10 AM EDT
| The other day at the range i was shooting my DPMS A2 and i reload my own 223(55gr Hornady FMJBT, 24grs H335) and the bolt would close no bang and i could not eject the round out. I had to get a gunsmith to remove the round. He said the problem was the round when it went into the chamber it swelled out what would cause this? I have had it happen one time after that do you think that the crimping has anything to do with the case swelling out? (i use a light crimp) Also i have reloaded 3,000rds with no problem just one or two incidents. Also it happened after there was 200rds fired could it be a dirty rifle causing this? Anyone have any issues like this? Thanks Guys |
|
1. Get a good set of micrometer calipers and a Hornady Stoney Point headspace gauge. 2. Using the gauge, measure the headspace distance on a case that was fired in your rifle. 3. Size the case. 4. Measure again. The measurement should be .002 or .003" smaller. If not, adjust your sizing die accordingly. 5. Size another case. Measure it. If its shoulder is set back .002 or .003, lock your sizing die down. 6. Repeat step 5 to make sure your're set. 7. Size away. It sounds time consuming and complicated, but it actually takes about 2 minutes. You must do this in all semi-auto rifles if you want your reloads to work. |
Your case length gage doesn't check the cartridge headspace. You need to make measurements from the case head to the shoulder of a handful of cases fired in your rifle in order to understand where to set the sizing die, and to guard against stretching the case out when withdrawing the expander button, add a little lube inside the case neck. |
|
Even with a round that is a little long.....with the bolt weight and spring pushing the round to chamber......well, "that's a lot of force being used." COAL is important and a correctly re-sized and trimmed case is important. Clean chamber and correctly sized chamber, being assumed here. Did the bullet show signs of it hitting the rifling? ____________________________________________________ So, can I assume that the cases were correctly re-sized? For those who don't know about it.........IMHO…………"the secret" to re-loading a bottle neck cartridge for a gas gun is.......a case gauge. There are many different brands and ways to gauge your re-loads. Examples…….. www.sinclairintl.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=REMTHT&type=store This is how I do mine. 6) I use a single station press (RCBS Rock Chucker). You could use a progressive Dillon IF you wanted to. It's a personal choice. But, with whatever press you choose, consider shell plate/shell holder and/or press "flex.” I use a regular FL size/de-capper die, NOT the small base dies. To begin, FL size and de-cap, 1 or 2 cases for a test. Gauge the re-sized case(s), to confirm that the "correct size" has been achieved. I use a Forster Products case gauge (the Wilson or Dillon case gauges are also popular choices). Insert a case into the case gauge. The headstamped end of the case, needs to be at or between the high and low cuts on the gauge, to pass. This checks the headspace. While the other end, is used to check if the case will need to be trimmed (a job for later on). IF, it’s not the “correct size,” your die setting will need adjustment. Lower the ram and simply screw the die in or out a little. Don’t forget about the lock nut. Then, re-size another couple of test cases and check your work again. Repeat the test and adjustments, as needed. When you're satisfied that your test cases are properly re-sized, do the entire lot. What you do, or don't do, is up to you. Aloha, Mark |
Not that it matters too much, but my Hornady 6th edition lists the suggested OAL for the 55gr FMJBT as 2.200". I ask only because I had developed loads for my Uncles Olympic Arms AR, with an unchromed chamber/barrel, and because of the powder I was using chose to go with a long OAL. I tried shooting the rounds intended for his gun in my AR, which has a chrome lined barrel, and I think between different tolerances on top of the chrome lining the rounds were too long to load (and this was with a hot barrel since I had just burned through 175 rounds of 5.56....I can load the same exact reloaded rounds into my AR when the barrel is stone cool though.)......just something to think about. Brian |
Armory Sponsor