i screwed up, have a question

[jerinco]

i was attempting to crimp a bullet for the first time. the first three rounds came out good after that i noticed the next five rounds had a bulged case just below the shoulder. the round is a 223 rem for my AR. im going to pull the bullets on them. my question is can i resize the cases with the bulge or did i ruin them? plus do any of you crimp your rounds for an AR or can i get away with just resizing and seating with out a crimp? first time loading for an AR figured a crimp might be needed do to the action and cycling of the rifle. thanks

 

[rcmodel]

Yep, pull the bullets and resize them (if they are not folded double).

If you crimp in the seating die, you have to trim every case to the exact same length after sizing.
Or use a Lee FCD collet crimp die which is not case length critical.

If you have proper case neck tension, there is really no need to crimp for an AR-15.
It should take over 50 pounds pressure on the bullet to slip it in the case.

rc

 

[kimbernut]

Bulged

You may be able to save the cases but why take a chance - they have been stretched beyond what is normal and are probably weakened. I would save the other components and toss the 5 cases. My size die and button give excellent neck tension and do not require a crimp. I have tried both ways and see no difference in accuracy or dependability.
I'm curious with some cases crimping well and some bulging if you trimmed all to the same length?

 

[gamestalker]

Yep, RC nailed it, trim all to the same length if you intend to crimp.

And no, it is not necessary to crimp unless you are running them trough a tubular magazine. In most instances, crimping rifle cartridges (bottle neck) creates more issues than it could even solve. If you are doing everything else correctly, thus attaining full neck tension, there is usually no need to crimp them.

GS

 

[jerinco]

i measured all the cases and were all within .001" of each other would that make the differance? but its good to know i dont need to crimp these rounds. thanks a lot guys

 

[nofishbob]

One other thing you might consider checking is the design of the bullet base and if you chamfered the case mouths.

When bullets with relatively sharp edges at the base are combined with un-chamfered case mouths, an occasional bullet will not start into the case without catching a little which could buckle the shoulder.

Good luck!

Bob

 

[jerinco]

i chamfer all my cases just a touch to help seating. the bullets are 60gr V-max flat base so this could have happened.

 

[wgaynor]

I think I've learned more about reloading from reading RC's posts than by any other method.

Thanks RC!

 

[jerinco]

oh i loaded some other rounds up for my AR 15 with out a crimp and they seemed to load and function just fine. i shot two and ejected the third and i measured out just fine. thanks guys

 

[rcmodel]

Take a black Sharpie pin and mark a line around the bullet at the case mouth on a mag full of them..
Then chamber & eject them a few times.

If the ink rings are all still visible, you are A-OK.

rc

 

[jerinco]

thanks rc ill give that a try

 

[Mike Sr.]

I sincerely doubt your cases have been made un-usable. Re-clean the case, do a propper lubing, re-size the case AND bell the case neck, make sure of over all case length....

 

[45lcshooter]

I buldged a couple cases before for a different caliber. I pulled bullets, measured cases after resizing and they were at my set length. I loaded them back up and shot them. They were fine. I've had some factory load 30-30 neck split after first shot. But when I buldged a once fired case and reloaded it and shot it, it was fine.

 

[Bovice]

I sincerely doubt your cases have been made un-usable. Re-clean the case, do a propper lubing, re-size the case AND bell the case neck, make sure of over all case length....

If you bell the case neck, you have to remove that bell later!

 

[rcmodel]

Nobody, "or hardly anybody" has the means or methods to "bell" a bottle-neck rifle case.

I think what Mike Sr. meant to say was "Expand" the cases.

At any rate, there is no reason for the OP to throw away his .223 cases with bulged shoulders.

He needs to pull the bullets & resize & expand them again.
Then properly reload them again.

A bulged shoulder IS NOT a case weakening event.
The shoulder of the case has no bearing on safely containing the high-pressure gas.

All it does is set the headspace of the case in the chamber.

You put it back where it came from by re-sizing it again, and it will do that this time as well as it ever could have the first time.

rc

 

[FROGO207]

At least you didn't load up 200 of then before you noticed them like I did way back years ago when I started loading bottle necked rounds. I will assure you I will never do that again. It is all about measure three times before proceeding and then check again until it becomes second nature, then you only have to check twice.

 

[homatok]

Yep---pull the bullets and resize the case(s)---but---don't forget to remove the de-capping pin first! LOL