Did I ruin this brass?

[beefyz]

About a month ago, started reloading .223 for a mini 14. Started from scratch; new dies, different powders etc & using LC once fired brass. Didn't have a .223 mic yet so just screwed the die in according to the Lee instructions that came with it. Started shooting those reloads and with mic now in hand the measurements of the FIRED cases was a consistent -6 !
I checked that today against some factory Hornady ammo and those cases came in at what i expected, 0 or -1. I'm assuming i don't have an issue with my brass @ -6 ? I put them in a wilson and they were all perfect as if they had been already resized. If i continue to shoot them will they eventually stretch? My loads tend to be 1-2 grs below max. I've noticed that if I'm a bit over my taper crimp, I can easily crush or bulge out the shoulder.

 

[Walkalong]

Just don't size them so much next time. I used a Wilson case gauge to set up my .223 sizer because they are being shot in an auto. For a bolt gun I would use a gauge to check how much I was pushing the shoulder back and keep it at a minimum.

 

[243winxb]

Brass would seem to be OK. When you full length resize they will get longer. Not sure what

@ -6

is? If your saying the shoulder is set back .006" from factory, this would be normal at times. The case body behind the shoulder expands on firing, the case length gets shorter. If you cartridge headspace is more than .010"(you pushed the shoulder back to far on FL sizing) you can get case stretching /case head separations. See photos of case head seperations here http://www.photobucket.com/joe1944usa

 

[Ronbo256]

Nice collection of pics, 243!

 

[beefyz]

yea...thanks for the pics also.
I reload for garand also and check fired cases with a mic and note that most of the shoulders are expanding out + 3 or 4 thousandths from sammi minimum. i resize them back appx the same . they all chamber well into the wilson & the garand and i'm on the 5th reloading with the LC brass with no signs of failure. Like i said, w/o a 223 mic i just sized according to die instructions and think, like you said, i set the shoulders back too far. With the loads i'm shooting, i'm not expanding the brass enough to get a positive # on the mic, nor do i seem to need a full resize. i'm assuming thats ok, that if i can chamber them in the wilson, without a full length resizing, that i'm good to go in the mini. Correct ?

 

[rcmodel]

I've noticed that if I'm a bit over my taper crimp, I can easily crush or bulge out the shoulder.

Quite common problem when using the roll type crimp provided by the seating die with untrimmed cases.

If you simply must crimp .223 for some reason, buy a Lee FCD crimp die.

It runs off the shell holder and is not the slightest bit case length dependent.

rc

 

[243winxb]

With the loads i'm shooting, i'm not expanding the brass enough to get a positive # on the mic, nor do i seem to need a full resize. i'm assuming thats ok, that if i can chamber them in the wilson, without a full length resizing, that i'm good to go in the mini. Correct ?

It they chamber your OK. It may take as many as 3 firingsto fully expand the brass to your chamber. Control how much you push the shoulder back by putting a shim between the shell holder and FL sizing die when setting it up. The thickness of a soda can about .004" is plenty. Don't forget a hole in the shim for the decapping pin.

 

[beefyz]

Thanks guys....thats what i wanted to hear.
RC....out to range today. i'm testing a few of the good loads i worked up for the mini. Half of one load will be w/o a crimp, the other with. I'll see what this particular combination of gun/bullets likes. By the way, when i got the die set from Lee, the FCD was included with it. I have not used it yet being more familiar with crimping via the seating die. About that FCD, i've read some have used it and "indented" the brass where the crimp was applied; it didn't come out after resizing. Hence some didin't like it. Did they possibly set it up wrong or what is the reason for some objection to the FCD? The only reason i considered crimping for the mini is that its my impression that in some cases a mild crimp may be beneficial to accuaracy, and the mini can use all the help it can get.
...243...yes, they are all feeding, chambering, and firing well...just looked kinda funny being set back a bit to much. oh well.....i'll hafta shoot them out i guess !

 

[rcmodel]

in some cases a mild crimp may be beneficial to accuaracy,

I have tried crimping and not crimping in AR-15's, a Mini-14, and a very accurate CZ-527 bolt-action.

I was not able to tell that crimping made any meaningful differance in accuracy.

As long as your expander plug is properly undersize to give good case neck tension, it shouldn't need a crimp.
(Assuming your Mini-14 & magazines feed correctly without beating the bullets back in the cases)

And yes, the FCD can put a "crimp" in the case mouth that won't iron out if you crank it down tight enough.

rc