Help with 223/556

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niteghost

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So, I'm new to loading rifle. I've been working on getting my set up all together for 223/556 and I finally loaded my first rounds today. I have everything to the "T" and as per the recipe that in using. Im loading 223 brass and I resized, trimmed, champered, de burred and reemed primer pockets on all these cases. I loaded 10 rounds just to test. All of them chamber, fire and extract fine... so it seems. My issue right now is that I can extract a chambered round by hand with the charging handle. I either have to fire it or give it the old stock bump to get the round out. Oh yeah, I ran all the loaded rounds through a case gauge and everything seemed perfect.

Can you guys give me some suggestions? I'm stumped, I don't know what I'm missing or doing wrong.

Thanks for any help!
 
First thing I'd look at is to see that the bullet isn't jamming into the rifling- not likely, but a quick check to see if the bullet has rifling marks on it.

Next I'd drop an empty case ( fully prepped, but no primer/powder/projectile), and see how that extracts. It's possible your resizing isn't going far enough.

After that, I'm kinda out of ideas.

Edited to add:

I'm assuming you're not having issues with factory ammo, and that your chamber is clean.
 
Did you mean to type that you "cant" extract the round by pulling back the charging handle?

First, measure your sized cases along the case wall and at the base and compare them to a factory round. You may have a tight chamber and need to full length size with a small base sizing die.

If your sized case is is SAMMI spec like the factory round, then see if a factory loaded round will extract with the charging handle?

If it does, see if one of your sized cases (unloaded) will fully chamber and then extract with the charging handle.

If not, maybe your extractor isn't grabbing the case head. You may need to replace the extractor spring and o-ring. was the last time you replaced the spring and o'ring.
 
First thing I'd look at is to see that the bullet isn't jamming into the rifling- not likely, but a quick check to see if the bullet has rifling marks on it.

Next I'd drop an empty case ( fully prepped, but no primer/powder/projectile), and see how that extracts. It's possible your resizing isn't going far enough.

After that, I'm kinda out of ideas.

Edited to add:

I'm assuming you're not having issues with factory ammo, and that your chamber is clean.

Ramone - no issues at all with factory ammo.

I tried cycling a fully prepped case with no bullet, load or primer and same thing. Chambers but won't extract with out force. I also tried one of my prepped cases in a different rifle and got the same result.

I do belive im getting some rifeling marks on the bullets. But I checked my preped brass outside dimensions against some factory ammo and the results are almost identical.

I am noticing that after crimping im getting a weird ripple just below the shoulder.

Will try and post a pic of that.
 
Did you mean to type that you "cant" extract the round by pulling back the charging handle?

First, measure your sized cases along the case wall and at the base and compare them to a factory round. You may have a tight chamber and need to full length size with a small base sizing die.

If your sized case is is SAMMI spec like the factory round, then see if a factory loaded round will extract with the charging handle?

If it does, see if one of your sized cases (unloaded) will fully chamber and then extract with the charging handle.

If not, maybe your extractor isn't grabbing the case head. You may need to replace the extractor spring and o-ring. was the last time you replaced the spring and o'ring.

Ruger - see my post above I think a answered most of your questions.

Factory ammo runs perfect.

I'm lost and getting :mad:

Thanks for your input.
 
it looks like the bullet either does not have a cannelure, or your missing it. Its an easy fix. You back the bullet seater die until it does not touch the longest case you intent to load. If you want the crimp, turn it in very slightly, and feel for when the case mouth starts to feel smooth. Any more and you get this issue. its possible if these are only a few of the batch, that some cases were not trimmed as much as the ones the die was set on.
Edit, looks like you figured it out while I was typing.
 
If the loaded round still does not load (jams up the bolt) you are not pushing the shoulder back far enough.. What's happening is the round is being compressed by the bolt making every thing tight. Do you have a way to measure the shoulder position? Do you have a chamber gauge or case gauge to check the round against? If not you can use a 9mm casing over the neck contacting the shoulder with a pair of calipers. Take a before sizing measurement then a after sizing measurement. If your not shorter by 0.002"-0.003" you need to set your sizing die lower till it is. Then it should drop easily into and out of the chamber.

No need to crimp a 223/556 round if you have proper neck tension.
 
If the loaded round still does not load (jams up the bolt) you are not pushing the shoulder back far enough.. What's happening is the round is being compressed by the bolt making every thing tight. Do you have a way to measure the shoulder position? Do you have a chamber gauge or case gauge to check the round against? If not you can use a 9mm casing over the neck contacting the shoulder with a pair of calipers. Take a before sizing measurement then a after sizing measurement. If your not shorter by 0.002"-0.003" you need to set your sizing die lower till it is. Then it should drop easily into and out of the chamber.

No need to crimp a 223/556 round if you have proper neck tension.


I have a case gauge and my loaded rounds fit perfectly
 
Pictures tell a thousand words. That clearly doesn't look like a factory round which could have been your first clue.

YES!..... Stop using crimp entirely. You don't need crimp for 223.

Contrary to what some believe, it does not create more neck tension. Just make sure you are running about .003-004 neck tension for a semi-auto and things will be perfect.

If you are ever unsure if you are getting bullet setback, and measure the CTBO (case to bullet ogive) with a comparator and load it first. Then load the rest of the magazine and shoot them all except the last one. If your measurement hasn't changed, you are good. If it has, just increase the neck tension.

Forget about crimping.
 
You can use the Hornady bullet comparator kit (six calibers) to make this measurement.
 
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