Let me start off with stating that I have been loading .223 for some time now. I've competed in Highpower competition and rolled all of my own ammo.
Recently, I've been experiencing some problems and I believe it may be due to some quality issues at Winchester (Olin).
A couple of weks ago I bought a couple of hundred Win 55 gr fmj's for plinking. I've had great success with these before. I already had a bunch of brass prepped and ready to load.
I always use neck tension only for .223 and have never found a need to crimp.
I always push on the bullet to make sure it will not move after seating. Now, not every round did it but once in a while, one would budge or slip inside the case!
I began to suspect my brass, thinking maybe I missed a step in prep. After pulling a few rounds apart I started measuring the bullets. I found that some were .224" which is where they should be. These had sufficient neck tension to hold them solid. Then I went back to a suspect case (still primed), seated a bullet miked out at .224". No problem!
Measured more of the little pills and am finding some at .223" and some at .2235".
I know that Winchester has been having a tough time keeping up with the needs of the military lately.
So, has anyone else here seen this issue? :banghead:
Recently, I've been experiencing some problems and I believe it may be due to some quality issues at Winchester (Olin).
A couple of weks ago I bought a couple of hundred Win 55 gr fmj's for plinking. I've had great success with these before. I already had a bunch of brass prepped and ready to load.
I always use neck tension only for .223 and have never found a need to crimp.
I always push on the bullet to make sure it will not move after seating. Now, not every round did it but once in a while, one would budge or slip inside the case!
I began to suspect my brass, thinking maybe I missed a step in prep. After pulling a few rounds apart I started measuring the bullets. I found that some were .224" which is where they should be. These had sufficient neck tension to hold them solid. Then I went back to a suspect case (still primed), seated a bullet miked out at .224". No problem!
Measured more of the little pills and am finding some at .223" and some at .2235".
I know that Winchester has been having a tough time keeping up with the needs of the military lately.
So, has anyone else here seen this issue? :banghead: