Hornady Match 75gr BTHP AR-Help

Status
Not open for further replies.
Mark_Mark

Mark_Mark

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2021
Messages
17,888
Quick question for .223 loaders. What am I doing wrong??

1st time loading .223 and I’m having cycling issue with my dummy rounds. The extractor does not always grab the “rim” and sometimes it gets stuck in the chamber.

should I load it shorter

20” BCA barrel
H Match 75g BTHP
COL 2.250

FED18A7A-84D4-4579-B886-0B7CBD2512B1.jpeg
 
So if you let the bolt chamber rounds (full strength) it doesn't extract? Sounds like something is jamming the case in to the chamber pretty good. This can cause the extractor to skip right off the cartridge when you manually cycle rounds.

Take a sharpie to blacken up the entire case, hand-place the round in the chamber then release the bolt full speed to drive it home. Then carefully extract and see what is getting most scratched up.

It's hard to tell in the pic but I am wondering if your shoulder is getting bulged out a little, perhaps during crimping or seating? Looks like there's a lot of tool marks there at the shoulder but no way to tell if that's from sizing or from cycling the round.

(Also make sure the chamber is clean)
 
ok, I put the round in the chamber, sent the bolt home. It extracted fine.

I blacked out the case, and looks like the there is wear in the shoulder.

This rifle has never been shot.

0923AB20-A394-4FBB-BF96-97D1946D204C.jpeg
 
I presume you full length sized the cases. If you didn't you should.

Are you using a small base die? Most of the time you don't need a small base die to load for a semiauto but there are exceptions.

If you are crimping the bullet you shouldn't. There is no need to crimp 223 rounds. If you are crimping that is probably your problem.
 
Grumulkin said:
I presume you full length sized the cases. If you didn't you should.

Are you using a small base die? Most of the time you don't need a small base die to load for a semiauto but there are exceptions.

If you are crimping the bullet you shouldn't. There is no need to crimp 223 rounds. If you are crimping that is probably your problem.
Click to expand...
I have both FL and neck die, it came with the Lee set. I got the brass from my brother who already sized and trimmed it. Crimp, I’m putting a very very light crimp, just to smooth out the neck

I’ll try resizing again with FL and see what happens
 
Mark_Mark said:
Crimp, I’m putting a very very light crimp, just to smooth out the neck
Click to expand...
Don’t bother. An undue risk of pushing out the shoulder, precisely, or just slightly below, where the bright ring is on the offending case.

In this instance the ring seems to indicate they are a bit long, not too large a diameter. They may not have been sized fully by your brother, or his dies are not a good match for your firearm. I don’t fully size mine for a bolt action, I leave them long for a crush fit, yet they still work in my AR, a rare coincidence. Try a full length re-size. The boat tail requires no expanding, thus, there should be no smoothing of the neck needed.
 
Trent said:
It's hard to tell in the pic but I am wondering if your shoulder is getting bulged out a little, perhaps during crimping or seating?
Click to expand...
Mark_Mark said:
I blacked out the case, and looks like the there is wear in the shoulder.
Click to expand...
Grumulkin said:
If you are crimping that is probably your problem.
Click to expand...
Mark_Mark said:
Crimp, I’m putting a very very light crimp, just to smooth out the neck
Click to expand...
I'm seeing a pattern.
Mark_Mark said:
I’ll try resizing again with FL and see what happens
Click to expand...
Definitely do that, and if you want to crimp, re-adjust it for a veerry light touch. The leverage of the press hides how hard the crimp really is. It is very, very, easy to bulge a .223 shoulder just a tad.

Looks ok to the naked eye. right? Well, it isn't. :)
Collapsed Shoulder .223 Pic 1.JPG
 
If your having extraction issues with a never used gun I would check the offending component first. Assuming your loads are good. Are you case guaging them to verify they are in spec.
 
AJC1 said:
If your having extraction issues with a never used gun I would check the offending component first. Assuming your loads are good. Are you case guaging them to verify they are in spec.
Click to expand...
not case guaging... don’t even know what a case gauge is. the round thing you drop your case in??? like a go/no go gauge?

I’m going to start over:

1st: put factory ammo in to see how it function/scratches and such

2nd: resize case vs. how the case came

3rd: crimp vs. no crimp - feeding and setback

CONCLUSION: loading rifle is not like loading straight wall.
 
Mark_Mark said:
CONCLUSION: loading rifle is not like loading straight wall.
Click to expand...
Quite!:)
But ever so more rewarding when done properly, as compared to pistols cartridges, in my opinion.:D

Gauges are a good idea, but if it’s only the one rifle I’d just work with the chamber.

I think you have a good plan going forward.:thumbup:
 
Demi-human said:
Quite!:)
But ever so more rewarding when done properly, as compared to pistols cartridges, in my opinion.:D

Gauges are a good idea, but if it’s only the one rifle I’d just work with the chamber.

I think you have a good plan going forward.:thumbup:
Click to expand...
quitting gives me nightmares!

I’m completely starting over. I even got the wrong bullet for that AR rifle (20” 1:9)
 
just to be clear your loading this by dropping the bolt from the bolt stop? AR extractors snap over the rim, as opposed to sliding over, so it takes a significant amount of force on the bolt to close fully and get the extractor on the rim. Slamfires are uncommon, but can happen, so point in a safe direction.
 
mjsdwash said:
just to be clear your loading this by dropping the bolt from the bolt stop? AR extractors snap over the rim, as opposed to sliding over, so it takes a significant amount of force on the bolt to close fully and get the extractor on the rim. Slamfires are uncommon, but can happen, so point in a safe direction.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I away have my test guns point at a safe direction regardless of dummy round or live round..... just good practice

Yes! AR, and I was babysitting the bolt at 1st and then took advice to send the bolt home and it worked out better. I’m new to AR’s, I bought a bunch of them over the years and now starting to shooting them (except the big bore AR’s)
 
is 75gr BTHP a bad idea for 20” 1:9 AR barrel?

73gr is the max. I have like 600 75gr and it was not cheap

36EE4B63-21C9-4521-9777-1CB91277FFDC.jpeg
 
Mark_Mark said:
what’s wrong with it?
Click to expand...
By the discrepancy in the reflected light along the shoulder angle, and the break just below it, it was crimped too far. This causes a flare out right at the shoulder angle, making the case too wide there, and scrubbing any marker indicator off.

Mark_Mark said:
quitting gives me nightmares!
Click to expand...
No, I mean, quite, as in very. :)
Quitting, won’t get it to work...;):D


Mark_Mark said:
is 75gr BTHP a bad idea for 20” 1:9 AR barrel?
Click to expand...
Not necessarily. Got to try it to see.
 
Demi-human said:
By the discrepancy in the reflected light along the shoulder angle, and the break just below it, it was crimped too far. This causes a flare out right at the shoulder angle, making the case too wide there, and scrubbing any marker indicator off.


No, I mean, quite, as in very. :)
Quitting, won’t get it to work...;):D



Not necessarily. Got to try it to see.
Click to expand...
thanks for the 75gr approval!

and I’m not quitting until pigs fly
 
"what's wrong with it"... I think it has a shoulder bulge. When you over crimp, it pushes the neck down, and bulges the shoulder out. It can cause chambering issues.
Try the 75's they may work.
 
Mark_Mark said:
” BCA barrel
H Match 75g BTHP
COL 2.250
Click to expand...

Iirc match chambers are on the minimum end of the cartridge specifications so your cartridges need to be closer to min spec. Military chambers are on the larger end and need to be for reliable function in rough conditions.

The rifle were the cases fired in, and how many reloads on each will make a big difference. Annealing the cases before resizing will help too.
 
case gauging, extraction issue, feed issues SOLVED

now it feeding really smooth, the extracting nicely.

it’s a new rifle, 20” with 1:9. examine the feed ramp and barrel extensions, and there was brass shaving everywhere. So I deburred the ramps and polish it. I also did not crimp the dummy rounds. I still want a light crimp, but I’ll test that later

Next Step.... Load development!

Having fun

F5FE226C-76E2-40C7-8785-538D392CDD2B.jpeg
 
Mark_Mark said:
case gauging, extraction issue, feed issues SOLVED

now it feeding really smooth, the extracting nicely.

it’s a new rifle, 20” with 1:9. examine the feed ramp and barrel extensions, and there was brass shaving everywhere. So I deburred the ramps and polish it. I also did not crimp the dummy rounds. I still want a light crimp, but I’ll test that later

Next Step.... Load development!

Having fun

View attachment 991535
Click to expand...
I must not understand what I'm seeing or it's a joke....
 
alright, for everybody wondering... Sorry for the confusion... the photo is a AR upper with the barrel. I’m polishing the feed ramps because it was rough. I don’t really buy expensive AR parts and this is typical from cheaper AR parts
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

JEBruns
75gr Hornady ELD-M useless for an AR?
Replies
16
Views
978
Varminterror
Varminterror
Z
  • Locked
Anyone Got A Hornady Manual???
Replies
3
Views
497
mc223
M
kmw1954
  • Locked
Hornady Match 223
Replies
2
Views
249
kmw1954
kmw1954
D
  • Locked
Ramshot TAC/Hornady 75gr BTHP
Replies
1
Views
4K
cougar1717
cougar1717
Blackcloud6
  • Locked
Loading for Hornady .224 75 gr BTHP Match in Match AR-15
Replies
15
Views
2K
brutus51
brutus51
Back
Top