Loading 223 on a progressive press ?

[m0ntels]

I'll be getting a progressive press in the next few weeks and had a question that I really couldnt seem to find an answer for.

I've done about 95% pistol loading until now, and maybe 100rds of 7.5 Swiss and 200 .223 on a RockChucker. After sizing, I'd always stick the cases in one of those Lee hand trimmers to see if they needed trimming. My bro has a Mini-14, so he shoots it some now, and I plan to get some form of .223 because next to 9mm, it is my #1 range pickup, so I'd like to start doing it on the progressive.

My question is, do you have to still trim the brass every time it is sized, or do normal rifle loads not normally need resizing? It just seems like a progressive wouldnt be any faster if you had to pull every case out after it's sized to trim it. How do you guys do it?

Randy

 

[trickyasafox]

i trim brass after the first sizing if its a pick up, then i trim probably every 4 loadings. if you keep the loads light to moderate, you don't get a lot of growth in my experience. and i do load 223 on a progressive too. i just wipe the lube off the outside of the case after in a towel.

 

[Reed1911]

For lube removal on a few hundred or less, brake cleaner works great! Lay the cases flat side by side in 2-3 rows. Shoot them with the cleaner, and use a rag on top to roll them back and forth. Cleans right up. I do suggest you do it outside or in the garage since the smell can be terrible.

 

[Deavis]

Is there a reason you guys don't use a dry lube such as one-shot? Have you found it to be substandard when sizing rifle in non-carbide dies? A few people offer 223 in carbide but you still have to lube. Just curious.

M0ntels, I'm in the same boat as you, I'm thinking about starting to load 223 but I'm not real fond of trimming either. I know you can get an auto-trimmer from Dillon to mount on the press, I'm just not sure I shoot enough rifle to justify that yet. The price works out about the same as an auto-trimmer from RCBS. Then again, like having a good reasong that has ever stopped me before from buying a new tool

 

[Rico567]

You can minimize trimming by doing it one time, and employing an RCBS X-die for sizing. These dies work as advertised to hold the case lengh under maximum if the directions are followed. The most work involved is that you must trim the cases to .010" under minimum before beginning to use the X-die. Once you've done that, you don't trim those cases again.
When I started reloading .223 progressively on my XL650, I was worried about the lubricated cases passing through a progressive. As it turns out, I need not have been concerned. I just use a spray lubricant, such as Midway, Dillon, or One-Shot, and run them through. Produces ammo just as good and as uniform as my Rock Chucker ever did.

 

[trickyasafox]

As it turns out, I need not have been concerned. I just use a spray lubricant, such as Midway, Dillon, or One-Shot, and run them through. Produces ammo just as good and as uniform as my Rock Chucker ever did.

i use spray lube too. hornady 1 shot i think. i do find it leaves them tacky though if i dont wipe them down

 

[Three Man]

I also use one shot spray lube with no issues.

 

[snuffy]

Dillon 650!

Here's my 650 with the hornady case activated measure in use. I use RCBS spray lube, no worries about the lube contaminating the primer or powder.








Using this type of linkage eliminates the charge bar type of measure that Dillon employs. I took the powder sensor off to give a beter look at the linkage.



I tumble the loaded rounds to remove the lube. Wiping hundreds of .223 is NOT my idea of fun!

 

[Sunray]

"...a progressive press... " Which one? What rifle?

 

[Powderman]

Suggestions:

Load your .223 like so:

1. Set up the progressive with the sizing die ONLY.
2. Lube your cases with a good lube like One-Shot, etc.
3. Resize and decap all the cases.
4. Tumble the cases to remove the lube. Corncob or walnut work well.
5. Remove the sizer, and put the rest of the dies back in.
6. Now, load on the press as normal.

WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!!

Get yourself the Lee Factory Crimp die for .223, and MAKE SURE that you apply a good firm crimp.

I almost blew up my AR15 when bullets were pushed back into the cases upon chambering. Talk about high pressure--blown primers, swaged case heads, and the bottom of the case (case web) had swaged out to fill the bolt face.

Good luck! For a powder, I recommend Varget, or even some mil-surp powder. Works great!

 

[P0832177]

I process all my 223 brass a head of time. I size the brass, and then trim using my Giraud , this trims, chamfers, and deburrs in one pass. Then I tumble clean. Then while watching TV I clean out the primer pockets with cordless drill mounted uniformer. The brass is then ready to go. I put a universal decapper in station one of the 550, to punch any debris from tumbling out.

I have to say that in loading for autoloaders for the past 27 years that I have only crimped blasting ammo in the 223. Never crimped thousands of 308 and 06 ammo shot through garands and M1A's. Never have never will! No need! Never crimped accuracy ammo for the AR's either! No need!

Some people crimp just cause some says they should! But, there is no validation for it! Just hedging the odds that is all. But, I can see for SHTF ammo a purpose.

 

[snuffy]

run 'em through!

The two previous posts defeat the speed of a progressive. Single staging or doing a seperate operation slow things down. I've been simply tumbling in corn cob/with midway brass polish, spraying the brass with RCBS case lube, dumping them in the case feeder hopper, and running them through the process.

This is blasting/plinking/fun shooting ammo. Loaded with 60 grain v-max and WC 844, they'll outshoot factory UMC yellow box on any day,(1" groups @100 yds).

If I were to do some real serious target ammo, I might go with a process similar to PO8--doing some case prep before the rest of the process.

 

[m0ntels]

Which one? What rifle?

It's a Hornady Projector that's going to be upgraded with the new LNL primer setup and eventually case feeder. Got it for $100 with a set of dies and shellplate for a caliber I load, minus powder measure from the pics I got of it, which isnt a big deal since I got a spare Uniflow w/ mic. Was gonna get a new LNL, but I could care less about the quick change, and this at least sounded like a fair price, so I got it.

The rifle right now is my brother's Mini-14, being as I dont have a 223 yet. I figure I should get one eventually since it is the 9mm of rifles: find free brass everywhere and the cheapest components to buy. I've looked at Minis so I can share mags with my bro, and I'm not for or against the AR, but one may be in the future just cuz I feel left out without one. Wouldnt mind a CZ or Rem/Win bolt rifle either.

I never crimped his 223 before, and we didnt have any setback problems within the 200 or so he's shot so far. As long as my expander is the proper size, I wouldnt think I'd have to crimp as long as all is in working order with the rifle. If the rifle is feeding properly, I cant really see the bullet being push backwards.

I was basically going to do it the way snuffy mentioned, I was just wondering if trimming was neccessary every time you full length sized, because I cant neck size for auto rifles or a pair of rifles. It's basically just plinker ammo, made with pulled 62gr ball ammo and 26 grains of H335. I'll have to mic how much the Lee trimmer is cutting to and make sure it is a tad below max length and then it sounds like I should be able to get a few loadings in before I have to do it again. Since the 223 is maining just for us to have fun with, I really didnt want to have to process everything as seriously as I do the K31 and any other rifle I get in the future. Those I plan to do on the Rock Chucker still, but the 223 I wanted to make without all the fuss.

Randy

 

[lee n. field]

I use RCBS spray lube, no worries about the lube contaminating the primer or powder.

The RCBS spray lube is powder safe? I've wondered that, and haven't seen anything one way or the other.

 

[snuffy]

The RCBS spray lube is powder safe? I've wondered that, and haven't seen anything one way or the other.

Lee, I'd better specify. I have two bottles of RCBS lube on hand. One calls itself "case lube-2." The other says case slick, this is what I use, it's in a spray,(pump), bottle. I didn't find anywhere on the bottle that said it would NOT inert powder or primers. SO I e-mailed RCBS, got no reply. SO I called, got a nice lady, her answer was that the case slick had been tested six ways to sunday, it did not affect powder or primers in any way!

I HAD to know! If you're going to spray brass enmass, then feed it to a progressive, you're gonna get some inside the necks, it's even desirable!

The case lube 2 has a warning on it saying; Note; too much lube may destroy powder and primers!

 

[lee n. field]

The other says case slick, this is what I use, it's in a spray,(pump), bottle. I didn't find anywhere on the bottle that said it would NOT inert powder or primers. SO I e-mailed RCBS, got no reply. SO I called, got a nice lady, her answer was that the case slick had been tested six ways to sunday, it did not affect powder or primers in any way!

Now I can stop worrying.

Case Slick is what I've got. Good to know. Thanks.