.223 Reloading Question

[Cts171]

Get or borrow an RCBS or Hornady collet type bullet puller - much easier/faster to break down loads.

Do you have a preference between the RCBS and Hornady collet or are they comparable? I'm going to get one ordered.

 

[Shooterbob]

I have the hornady collet puller and it works very well. I never used the rcbs i .

 

[Blue68f100]

Do you have a preference between the RCBS and Hornady collet or are they comparable? I'm going to get one ordered.

The main difference is the Hornady use a cam action to grip the bullet where the RCBS is a screw type. Meaning you have to tighten and release ever time. The Hornady is much faster once you have it set..

 

[mmb617]

I had a hammer/inertia bullet puller then I bought a collet puller and retired the hammer. I have the RCBS one and find it works well.

For what it's worth I load 69 grain JHP bullets for my son's AR with H335 and he says the 21.2 grain load is good to go. We haven't done a lot of testing to see if it's the most accurate load but it's pretty good.

 

[thump_rrr]

https://www.nosler.com/223-remington
I like that they provide best accuracy for every powder tested. Might investigate around that area.

Was the rifle assembled by Geissele and does it shoot factory ammunition without any failures?

If the rifle wasn’t built by Geissele has the headspace on the rifle been verified?

Whenever I have issues I will get a couple of boxes of factory ammo to see if the problem persists.

There are pros and cons to the Nosler data.
The pro is that they give you the capacity of the brass in grains of water weight.

The con is that it doesn’t mention if this is through a bolt or gas gun.

 

[AJC1]

There are pros and cons to the Nosler data.
The pro is that they give you the capacity of the brass in grains of water weight.

The con is that it doesn’t mention if this is through a bolt or gas gun.

I assume it's through a standard test receiver, replicating nothing we actually use.

 

[thump_rrr]

I assume it's through a standard test receiver, replicating nothing we actually use.

I mentioned it because Sierra and Hornady have separate data for bolt and gas guns.

 

[AJC1]

I mentioned it because Sierra and Hornady have separate data for bolt and gas guns.

I've seen Hornaday service rifle loads, sierra might be one of the two books I don't own. I also didn't bother with lee.

 

[jonb32248]

I use a primer pocket reamer to remove the crimp.

 

[AJC1]

I use a primer pocket reamer to remove the crimp.

A lot of people are real iffy about removing material. Reaming may remove the most. The rcbs military crimp remover doesn't do anything inside the pocket. I use the same tool for cases with no crimp that don't have chamfer.

 

[IALoder]

A lot of people are real iffy about removing material. Reaming may remove the most. The rcbs military crimp remover doesn't do anything inside the pocket. I use the same tool for cases with no crimp that don't have chamfer.

I used the rcbs military crimp remover for A LOT of crimped .223/5.56 cases. Worked great until I finally found a swage tool I actually like. The Hornady swager works great, and adjusts very easily, it's my go to now.

 

[jonb32248]

A lot of people are real iffy about removing material. Reaming may remove the most. The rcbs military crimp remover doesn't do anything inside the pocket. I use the same tool for cases with no crimp that don't have chamfer.

I hear you. You just have to be conservative. I haven't had a issue.Haven't seen any brass at all.

 

[Cts171]

The main difference is the Hornady use a cam action to grip the bullet where the RCBS is a screw type. Meaning you have to tighten and release ever time. The Hornady is much faster once you have it set..

Thanks for info.

 

[AJC1]

Thanks for info.

When pulling 30-06 the rcbs was 1/3 turn from open to shut. How fast is one trying to go???

 

[kcofohio]

It’s more likely that your port pressure is simply too high for your reciprocating mass weight. If you’re slipping primers slightly proud, not just completely blowing them out of the pocket, it may be indication that your cartridge case is still holding sufficient pressure to grip the chamber while the bolt is moving rearward, making room for the primer to move out - and then the extractor finally brings the cartridge case from the chamber without reseating the primer. Over pressure loads versus early unlock are very different causes.

With the shorter barrel/gas system, I could believe this more than over pressure, if the OP is correct on powder throw. I will have to look when I get home, but I believe I loaded and tested up to 25.4 gr. of H335 with 69 gr. bullet using CCI 400 primers. Seated at 1.260" as listed by Lyman's manual.
Nothing wonky with the primers.