Reloaded ammo Fail Headspace Gauge (.223)

[W.E.G.]

Stop crimping.

The feed problems with the primed Wolf brass will go away.

Several of my group have used a LOT of that brass in various AR's.
No crimping.
No problems.

You can stop sizing that brass before using it too.
Completely unnecessary.

I shot the best 600-yard score I've fired in years with that brass a few weeks ago.
No sizing.
No crimping.

24.4 grains Varget and a 80 SMK loaded to 2.400" in a Douglas service-rifle barrel from White Oak.

 

[Cheesemaker]

You can stop sizing that brass before using it too.
Completely unnecessary.

Can you be 100% sure with this statement?

 

[[email protected]]

You said that you had new primed wolf cases and later posted that your loading sequence is as follows:
1. De-prime/resize
2. Prime/Powder
3. Powder checker
4. Bullet seat
5. Crimp
Did you happen to remove the decapper in order to keep the new primers from being pushed out? If you did I can imagine that the seating forces could bulge the case in the shoulder area, much like excessive roll crimping. I'm also curious about what press you have. The word shell plate was used so I'm guessing that its a progressive press. Does it actually cam over? For what it's worth I have found that 223 brass fired in an ar is bad about getting nicks on the case rim that keep them from fully going into a case gauge. Just throwing this out there for info only. Sounds like you have other issues.
The sizing die not fully sizing could cause problems with the range brass, but the new brass should be close enough that a little touch up on the necks is all that's needed. The cases were not fired so the shoulder hasn't expanded to fill in another gun's chamber. If the bullets were pulled the process of pulling may have altered the brass so it's out of spec. They were most likely pulled form production for some reason, which may have been that they were out of spec. So full length sizing is warranted. I never used a carbide bottle neck sizing die, but use carbide dies plenty for pistol rounds. Even with 9mm they take a lot of force to resize. So much so that I still lube the cases. You may need to put a little more umph on the handle, screw the die in a little further, and add a little lube to get those cases sized.
Also double check the crimp. Too much and the case will buckle.

 

[Reloadron]

This is an old thread which covers several types of various case gauges. You may want to give it a read. It does not cover or mention the newer Sheridan Engineering gauges which do measure the case diameter. The link does cover what most case gauges measure and shows several illustrations.

Hindsight is always 20/20 and we can speculate all day (or night) as to why your rounds won't chamber. Something you may wish to try in the future is using your rifle as a cartridge gauge. Resize several cases randomly selected from a lot you plan to reload. Maybe 5 out of 100. Resize the cases adjusting the resizing die per manufacturer's instructions. This usually involves running the ram up with shell holder in place and tighten the die down till it hits the ram, lower the ram and run the die down about 1/8 turn more. Now size your 5 cases, followed by trim to length (1.750" for .223 Remington). Measure the cases with a caliper and chamfer and deburr the cases. With the cases sized and trimmed try to chamber them in your rifle.

Does your rifle go into battery be it a bolt gun as illustrated or semi-automatic like an AR type rifle, does it go into battery? If the rifle does not go into battery and the bolt does not close effortlessly you have a problem and there is no sense on continuing to load. If you have several .223 rifles use the rifle with the tightest chamber for your test.

Now continue to load those 5 rounds, primer. powder charge and seat some bullets. With the rifle pointed in a safe direction again try and chamber your test rounds. If they chamber then load your several hundred or whatever if not time to stop and check that seating die. All of this while pointed in a safe direction and keeping one's finger away from the trigger guard.

The idea is to catch won't fit and won't hit long before you have loaded several hundred rounds. If you have some Dykum or even a magic marker mark a case all over (color it black) and try to chamber it. Note where there are rub marks.

Ron

 

[W.E.G.]

Can you be 100% sure with this statement?

Nothing is 100%.

But, between several thousand virgin Remington brass, and the several hundred Wolf cases, (not sized before loading) I have had exactly 100% success with feeding in an AR15.

If you have heartburn about it, check your critical loaded rounds in a drop-in case gage.