I had about 200 223 reloads made. Well no surprise, this fellow did not set his die right, probably on a progressive setup. Now I have 200 223 rounds that some of which will chamber in my bolt gun with a little resistance, some with moderate resistance, and some wont chamber. I did not even know this, when shooting some some through my AR and all went fine through it. Do 5.56 AR chambers have longer headspace?
Long 223 reloads
- Thread starter mshootnit
- Start date
Its generally accepted that 5.56 chambers have a little longer leade than typical .223 commercial chambers but, as all else in the world of manufacturing, those numbers are susceptible to variations.
Bigger question is who loaded your ammo and what else could they have gotten wrong?
Bigger question is who loaded your ammo and what else could they have gotten wrong?
Blue68f100
Member
Mark up the bullet to see where they are hanging up at. It could be something simple as the bullet set to long or the shoulder was not set back far enough. The shoulder can be pushed back using a body sizing die without disassembly of the round. Or it could be the base is a little fat. The Body die may also fix it too.
But Yes, the free throat on the chamber is longer on 556 than a 223R. Brass dimensions are the same on the outside, internal volume can be different.
But Yes, the free throat on the chamber is longer on 556 than a 223R. Brass dimensions are the same on the outside, internal volume can be different.
243winxb
Member
The loaded rounds may get sized from the slamming of the ar15 action .
Chambers can be different, but in spec.
Why not shoot the 200 rounds in the auto-loader? Or return ammo to seller?
Chambers of two popular AR’s 55 grain bullets touch the rifling at 2.320” while in my one .223 bolt rifle the same bullets touch the rifling at 2.246” and anything loaded longer won’t chamber. Your reloaded rounds probably are 2.250-2.260” which are fine in an AR but too long for some bolt rifles?
AJC1
Member
My bolt is throated for 90s so I can load really long. The freebore is made to accommodate certain ammo specifications. The freebore in AR rifles are generally set for the military tracer round. As the throat erodes is presents as more freebore to ammunition.
N555
Member
The latest AR barrels I have seen were a bit tight.
If the rounds won't chamber the ram didn't push shell holder all the shell all the way into the die and the round needs excessive head space to chamber or they didn't trim then and the neck is too long.
If the rounds won't chamber the ram didn't push shell holder all the shell all the way into the die and the round needs excessive head space to chamber or they didn't trim then and the neck is too long.
CoalCrackerAl
Member
Check the shoulders over good too. The part where it meets the casing body. If it's a little to wide. It can cause bolt guns to fit tight or not at all. Sometimes i get this when i cam over when seating. Those rounds will work fine in my mini 14 though.
N555
Member
My old mini14 would swallow a no-go gauge.
kalielkslayer
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2021
- Messages
- 930
Take a Sharpie and blacken from the shoulder to the tip of the bullet. Slowly chamber in your bolt action. When you feel resistance, eject and see where the ink is removed from the brass, or copper. That should tell you what the issue is.
Personally I’d do at least 4. One could be a abnormality, leading you to chase the wrong rabbit. 4 should tell you what you need to know.
Most issues are fixable.
My concern would be the inconsistency that some will chamber, some with force, some not at all. “If” the reloads were consistent, the problem would be consistent.
I’m just guessing but either a die wasn’t tight and moved, or the brass is too long. But that’s just a guess, or two.
Personally I’d do at least 4. One could be a abnormality, leading you to chase the wrong rabbit. 4 should tell you what you need to know.
Most issues are fixable.
My concern would be the inconsistency that some will chamber, some with force, some not at all. “If” the reloads were consistent, the problem would be consistent.
I’m just guessing but either a die wasn’t tight and moved, or the brass is too long. But that’s just a guess, or two.
stillquietvoice
Contributing Member
Only issue I had was a few neck sized cases not clambering in my bolt action that were previously shot in my AR, they hot mixed together with my bolt action empties.
Can what be "bumped down"? The bullet? the shoulder? Maybe you need a small base die, maybe you don't.
What bullet, brass, powder, dies, rifle?
Your comment "Well no surprise, this fellow did not set his die right"
leaves to door open for many more questions; the implication being that this individual may have not been a reliable person to entrust your personal well being in the first place.
Sorry, but IMHO, since you don't seem to have a hand in the creation of the 200 rounds, I don't think any answers given would be anything other than speculation.
N555
Member
The shoulder needs to be bumped back more than likely. I have loaded rounds like this a long time ago when I first started loading for rifle, the die backed out a hair and I got a bunch of rounds that wouldn't chamber.
Possibly the dumbdumb that loaded them neck sized only.
If the bullet was seated too long you could force the bullet deeper into the case by forcing the round into battery.
Possibly the dumbdumb that loaded them neck sized only.
If the bullet was seated too long you could force the bullet deeper into the case by forcing the round into battery.
Of course that a very plausible explanation.
I one purchased a large quantity of machine pulled 5.56 55gr FMJ for a very good price from a local vendor who I had done business with for nearly 20 years previously.
Turns out, the bullets were all out of round from the pulling process.
I tried running them through a sizing die to get them shootable to no avail.
In the end I threw them in my smelting pot to recover the lead cores and scrapped the jackets.
Doesn't really help in this situation sine we have no details to work with.
2nd story: I helped a coworker get set up casting and reloading.
Within 6 months he was selling reloads to others at work.
6 months later he was arrested, charged and convicted of felony meth possession.
Is that the kind of guy you want making 50,000+psi ammo that your going to put 4 inches from your face to save a couple of dollars?
Rhetorical question I guess because I don't want to associate with the person that says "no problem".
Just my $.02
I one purchased a large quantity of machine pulled 5.56 55gr FMJ for a very good price from a local vendor who I had done business with for nearly 20 years previously.
Turns out, the bullets were all out of round from the pulling process.
I tried running them through a sizing die to get them shootable to no avail.
In the end I threw them in my smelting pot to recover the lead cores and scrapped the jackets.
Doesn't really help in this situation sine we have no details to work with.
2nd story: I helped a coworker get set up casting and reloading.
Within 6 months he was selling reloads to others at work.
6 months later he was arrested, charged and convicted of felony meth possession.
Is that the kind of guy you want making 50,000+psi ammo that your going to put 4 inches from your face to save a couple of dollars?
Rhetorical question I guess because I don't want to associate with the person that says "no problem".
Just my $.02
Of course you could have my problem of every 60th round or so would jam the bolt closed without any good reason. Had to take a wood block to the bolt handle, I was told a Varmentire didn't like reloads and I accepted that. It seems Remington had problems with them in the 2000-teens, like safety double taps and extremely tight chambers. They shot Brown Bear with steel cases just fine, but reloaded brass? Reminds me of the famous "Jam- a-matics" back in the 1970s; only factory ammo gun.
Thats what I think
41 Mag
Member
So just thinking back, I had a similar issue with my own loads. I purchased a quantity of once fired LC .308 brass. We were on a hog eradication mission at a friend's property and I didn't want to be loosing all my good cases.
I full length sized them and even tried a couple to verify they chambered. When I got into the first sounder, the third shot locked up tight enough it shut me down. It lock up so tight the bolt pull off the edge of the rim, and I had to get a rod and knock it out. That REALLY wasn't the best time I've had removing a live round.
After measuring I found that about a third were far enough out they wouldn't chamber and had to be pulled down. I ran them all through a small base die and that fixed the issue. Since then any .308 or .223 gets the SB die so there are no repeat performances.
I full length sized them and even tried a couple to verify they chambered. When I got into the first sounder, the third shot locked up tight enough it shut me down. It lock up so tight the bolt pull off the edge of the rim, and I had to get a rod and knock it out. That REALLY wasn't the best time I've had removing a live round.
After measuring I found that about a third were far enough out they wouldn't chamber and had to be pulled down. I ran them all through a small base die and that fixed the issue. Since then any .308 or .223 gets the SB die so there are no repeat performances.
Well OK so, pulled everything out of boxes, built a new reloading bench, mounted the press, put in the FL 223 die, took out the decapper and ran some of these loaded rounds through. Now some of them have a bulge in the shoulder and they still dont fit in the 223 rifle.
sparkyv
Member
AJC1
Member
Loads that are over Sammi spec will dead end into the chamber and or possibly pinch the bullet. This is a big deal, and it is my advice to take these rounds apart and get your process right. I'm not hating or being obtuse.
N555
Member
It has been remade. Now it closes tight on a 5.56mm go gauge.
