Armory Sponsor
Posted: 11/29/2012 12:28:29 PM EDT
|
I need some confirmation that I'm resizing 223 brass correctly. I've reloaded a lot of pistol brass through the years but very little rifle brass.
My plan is to fire several rounds in my AR15, then check to make sure they will not rechamber, indicating the brass has not sprung back and is indeed formed to the chamber of my rifle. Then, using a Stoney Point (Hornady) gauge measure from the base to the datum line on the shoulder. Using this measurement, set my die to push the shoulder back .002 to .005". Then trim to overall length of 1.750". Is this correct? thanks. |
|
That's the basic idea.
1. Be prepared to find that your once-fired brass fits back in the chamber just fine. Everything springs back, at least a little. 2. Measure and remeasure your brass. It may take two or three firings before it has been completely stretched and fitted. You may find the readings change a little after successive firings. 3. 0.005" is too much 1 to 2 mils is all it takes, 3 max. I usually go for 2 to 3, that way even the springiest piece of brass gets sized a little. 4. Don't forget to check case length, too. |
|
Thanks, great info. I just got in a shipment of LC once fired. Assuming they will chamber as is, I guess I should just set my die to size each case without moving the shoulder back any, and then check the length? Then continue to monitor it until it starts getting tight in the chamber after several firings, then move the shoulder back .002
My understanding is that if the length falls below 1.760 don't do anything, and if/when you trim take it to 1.750. I'm probably making this a lot more complicated than necessary as this is not bench rest stuff. |
|
When I have brass that was fired in a different gun, I size it full length with the die run down all the way the first time through.
Then I measure the brass fired in the gun and adjust the die to yield 0.0015 to 0.002 inches of headspace (shoulder set back). If you want to use 0.005 inches, have at it. As for trimming, I do not trim to 1.75 inches, I set the trimmer for 1.753 to 1.755 or thereabouts so I'm not wasting a bunch of time trying to hit 1.750 inches exactly and going back and forth with the adjustments. I use a Possum Hollow trimmer that indexes off the shoulder for .223 Rem and .308 Win ammunition. I have a tutorial about this trimmer up in the Resources with important details about adjsuting the trimmer every time brass is trimmed that was sized after the die was adjusted. Some shooters trim to 1.76 inches in order to preserve as much of the case neck as possible. I do that only for slow fire prone ammuntion used in across the course matches. |
Armory Sponsor