223 case sizing variation.

[AJC1]

I just finally broke down and purchased a comparator for my 223 loading.Should have done it long ago.

My Savage measures 1.462 with the Norma brass I have been using. So I set my sizing die to what I thought was 1.460" and started sizing and measuring each afterwards and sorting by length. This brass ran a range of 1.459 to 1.462 with 90% being between 1.4595 to 1.461.. So as 1.460 as my set point I am not going to quibble. And yes that is with my wrongly annealed brass.

Of the 140pcs I sized the other night there were 8 pcs that are going to be set aside to be loades as foulers as they were either shorter than 1.459 or longer than 1.462

I too was actually amazed at how accurate I was with just using the Lyman case headspace gauge. Because I checked those with the comparator before I loaded them last week. Still both have been a fun exercise and now I have reassured myself.

[/QUOTE]
Cool now I get to share this adventure. How are you annealing. Someone mentioned a candle method and that sounds interesting to try. If I fail I'll just toss them in the scrap bucket and call it the cost of doing buisness

 

[kmw1954]

Ignorant question: Does fireforming really make a difference in a small cartridge like the .222 or .223?

All the brass I am shooting is some level of range pickup. 223. Most is from being shot in AR's and I am shooting in a bolt. So being fired from an AR most is dented or out of shape. So at least in my case loading and fire forming does make a difference. Just uniforms the brass to my gun. Yes after once fired in my gun I can see a score difference.

 

[kmw1954]

Cool now I get to share this adventure. How are you annealing. Someone mentioned a candle method and that sounds interesting to try. If I fail I'll just toss them in the scrap bucket and call it the cost of doing buisness[/QUOTE]

A few months back there were a few threads in a matter of a week discussing annealing. As I learned from this discussion I was taught all wrong and relaying false information...

Bottom line, right or wrong I have seen an improvement in my reloads and am going to continue the way I am even if it is not scientifically correct or inaccurate at best. Not going to go spend high dollars on a commercially made machine to gain very little over what I am already doing. Everyone else can do as they please, they don't have to follow me anywhere.

I am using the propane torch with a cordless screwdriver and a deepwell socket. So as not to start that all over again there are many videos that show how. Like I said after I started doing this I saw a real reduction in my group sizes. Also if this method is so wrong why are so many doing it? Then if so wrong I have access to enough brass range pickup that I could reload it a few times and then just discard it and never anneal anything.

 

[AJC1]

Cool now I get to share this adventure. How are you annealing. Someone mentioned a candle method and that sounds interesting to try. If I fail I'll just toss them in the scrap bucket and call it the cost of doing buisness

A few months back there were a few threads in a matter of a week discussing annealing. As I learned from this discussion I was taught all wrong and relaying false information...

Bottom line, right or wrong I have seen an improvement in my reloads and am going to continue the way I am even if it is not scientifically correct or inaccurate at best. Not going to go spend high dollars on a commercially made machine to gain very little over what I am already doing. Everyone else can do as they please, they don't have to follow me anywhere.

I am using the propane torch with a cordless screwdriver and a deepwell socket. So as not to start that all over again there are many videos that show how. Like I said after I started doing this I saw a real reduction in my group sizes. Also if this method is so wrong why are so many doing it? Then if so wrong I have access to enough brass range pickup that I could reload it a few times and then just discard it and never anneal anything.[/QUOTE]
I have the stuff to do the torch method and maybe I'll try that second... annealing just seems stupid fun.

 

[AJC1]

Theory to practice complete on my initial test. I used the candle annealing method for 8 seconds rotating the case in hand with the shoulder in the flame. At 8 seconds it's not burning your fingers but getting uncomfortable fast. The candle soot is very apparent but zero indication of the traditional annealing case color transitions. All three test cases sized to 1.4595 right in line with the big groups I had before. I fully comprehend that the .0005 is irrelevant other than matching my other measurements. So the entire batch now neasures either 1.460 or 1.4595 other than a few that are not fully formed and are shorter. I can't expect a sizing die to fix that. After they are fired I will candle them all for 8 seconds size trim and weigh them.

 

[243winxb]

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/different-kind-of-annealing-question.862531/

Post #4. Did the problem 6.5 CM Hornady brass, fired it today. No necks splits. Will load again to see if annealing fixed bad brass.

 

[AJC1]

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/different-kind-of-annealing-question.862531/

Post #4. Did the problem 6.5 CM Hornady brass, fired it today. No necks splits. Will load again to see if annealing fixed bad brass.View attachment 1097134

Those are looking neck turned....

 

[243winxb]

neck turned...

No. Wiped carbon off after annealing with paper towel , then fine steel wool.

The ones that were neck turned, have not split necks, yet.

 

[hdwhit]

I work almost exclusively with bags of mixed range brass. After inspecting, decapping, cleaning and resizing it, I trim all of it to 1.753 inches, load it and go on.

Occasionally, a batch of brass won't run to 1.753, so it is segregated and later trimmed to 1.743 and loaded separately.

Why 1.753? Because it was in the lower 90th percentile of the brass in the batch.

Why 1.743? Because it was in the lower 99th percentile of brass in the batch.

So long as the trim is at minimum (or longer), you should have no problem achieving consistent results.

I load for five rifles (mine, my wife's, my two sons and my bolt action). I expect my reloads to land at essentially the same spot on a target 100 yards away regardless of which rifle is shooting. And I have generally achieved that.