223 Neck flare problem...

[jiggysmb]

I have been smoothly reloading quite a few calibers, 3006, 308, 9mm, 40, 45acp, 45gap, and I thought I was rolling along pretty well until I got to 223. I have been getting a case mouth flaring problem about 1 out of 10 223 cases. What happens is the case mouth flares out and jams in my gun. It is easy to see which cases have the problem, pic below, but I bought a case gauge to test every round I reload to avoid jams. I have tried using all the same brass and same bullets, and then tried another brand brass and bullet and get the same result.

The bullet seating die is about 1/4" from the bullet holder. If I ram the lever too hard it pushes the neck down into the shoulder. I have tried moving the bullet seating die down/up a tiny bit and the problem is pretty consistently ever 8-10th bullet. It is so frustrating to have to bang out bullets and resize/reload. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Delkal]

Need more info.......What is your press / die setup? Not sure why you would but do you flare the cases before you seat the bullet? You shouldn't have to set your seating die 1/4 inch up. if you do its not crimping the bullet. If it was lower you will crimp the case neck into the bullet. To set it up to crimp a bullet, place a sized case in the shellholder, put the ram all the way up, then screw you die in till you feel it touch. Then another 1/16 1/8 or 1/4 of a turn till the case mouth is the slightest bit smaller than a sized one. Then set set your bullet seating depth.

This is important..........Check your case length AFTER you size the case. A longer case will crimp where a shorter one will not. If it is too long trim them all to the same length (I use the Lee trimmer in a drill press). You will get better accuracy too.

[frankski]

Just a wild guess.. From the picture it looks like the seating die is missing the bullet and contacting the case, crumpling it. Are you sure you have the right size seating die? The die should contact the bullet above the ogive.

[jiggysmb]

Delkal- I use a RCBS single stage press and a set of RCBS pre 1985 dies. No flare but I do chamfer. My uncle used them for years with no trouble, so I am sure it is something I am doing. When I follow your steps using a sized case the press seems set up properly, but when I place a bullet, I get this...


Frankski - you can faintly see where the seating die is touching the bullet on the right of the first pic and in this second pic.

[Delkal]

Delkal- I use a RCBS single stage press and a set of RCBS pre 1985 dies. No flare but I do chamfer. My uncle used them for years with no trouble, so I am sure it is something I am doing. When I follow your steps using a sized case the press seems set up properly, but when I place a bullet, I get this...


Frankski - you can faintly see where the seating die is touching the bullet on the right of the first pic and in this second pic.

A seating die does not touch the shoulder so you are not pushing the shoulder back with it. This looks like a different problem than your first pic. In your first the case mouth is flared so that suggests you need to crimp more. Your second picture is crimped hard. So hard it crushes your case. I can't tell from the picutre but it looks like it has a bright ring around the case neck where it is crimped too hard. Is the case crimped tightly to the bullet?

My guess........If your having both problems at the same time its variable case length. Full length size all of your cases and check them with calipers. Trim them all the same.

I don't want to sound insulting but take a close look at your dies. Any say .222 and not .223? Also check the headstamp on your cases, Its hard to tell a .222 and .223 just by looking at them.

[jiggysmb]

All the brass was pre processed from a reseller, but I spot checked a few on length and they were all fine. I guess it was a simple mistake. I backed out the bullet seating rod, properly set the die to a sized case, insert a factory round, screwed the seating rod in until it touched and now I was able to run through 12 cases with no issue! This was the same process I did when I set the dies up but I think the problem was the factory round I originally used. I just realized that this evening, they were all well below 2.26 OL. I made sure to use a round with 2.26 this time. Thanks for working through it with me.

[Delkal]

I think you got it. You don't set up a seating die by screwing the die into a loaded round. You need to use a sized case and screw it down till it hits the case mouth setting your crimp. With a loaded round you likely hit the the tip of the bullet and not the case mouth. Seating depth should be set last.

[markshere2]

I've had the same crap happen to me.

My solution:
1) trim ALL the brass to a consistent length.
2) when you have a standard case length.... use a few unprimed cases without a powder load to do 3 and 4 below
3) raise the die a bit so you quit mushing the brass.
4) lower the seating cone thingamajig to the correct COAL ( Cartridge Overall Length).

[Tim Ault]

Don't try to crimp with the seater die . If u feel for whatever reason you even need a crimp use a regular crimping die . To set up your seater die put case in the press no bullet just the case , raise it up now screw your seater die down till you feel contact , now back it off a half to full turn . Now you can place a bullet on the case and raise it back up and adjust your seating stem to your proper depth . The only way your gonna crimp and seat at the same time is if your brass is exactly all the same length . And only if the bullet your using has a crimp groove in it .

[bogey1]

The same thing would happen to my 50bmg rounds if I over crimped.