rskent
Member
Does anyone have any ideas of why I would be getting inconsistent case lengths?
Or maybe a better question would be how to get really consistent case lengths?
The cases are all Winchester 223 that were purchased, not picked up at the range. I am currently using a Forster bench rest sizing die and a Redding competition shell holder set. I have been using Imperial sizing wax for lubrication. I have the dies set so that the shell holder hits the die pretty hard. I would think that if you size several cases of the same manufacture, shot through the same gun, sized with same die, with the same lube, with the shell holder bumping the die (i.e. trapped in the same sized space)that you would get cases that are the same size. If it were easy, even I could do it.
I am trying to bump the shoulder back three thousands. What I am ending up with as a range of about .001 to .005. At first I thought I was having trouble with my measurements. I am using Hornady headspace comparator. I have checked out this setup using different calipers and checked out the calipers with gauge blocks. I can tell this setup is consistent and repeats to a thousandth or better.
Obviously I am missing something. Is it possible that the expander ball is pulling the case on the way out? Is there that large of a difference in Winchester cases? Do I need to anneal the cases?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated
Steve
Or maybe a better question would be how to get really consistent case lengths?
The cases are all Winchester 223 that were purchased, not picked up at the range. I am currently using a Forster bench rest sizing die and a Redding competition shell holder set. I have been using Imperial sizing wax for lubrication. I have the dies set so that the shell holder hits the die pretty hard. I would think that if you size several cases of the same manufacture, shot through the same gun, sized with same die, with the same lube, with the shell holder bumping the die (i.e. trapped in the same sized space)that you would get cases that are the same size. If it were easy, even I could do it.
I am trying to bump the shoulder back three thousands. What I am ending up with as a range of about .001 to .005. At first I thought I was having trouble with my measurements. I am using Hornady headspace comparator. I have checked out this setup using different calipers and checked out the calipers with gauge blocks. I can tell this setup is consistent and repeats to a thousandth or better.
Obviously I am missing something. Is it possible that the expander ball is pulling the case on the way out? Is there that large of a difference in Winchester cases? Do I need to anneal the cases?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated
Steve