Gunsmithing .223 reloading problems

[Alcatraz]

I recently purchased a Dillon Precision reloading bench and started to reload .223. I have had several feeding and ejecting problems with my AR-15, I had one bullet jam and several others be tough/ hard to extract rounds (im ejecting them by

hand. "pulling the charging handle back"). I have encountered several of these and I am kind of worried about when I go shooting at the range, they wont cycle or worse. Each bullet has been properly trimmed and fits the caliber gauge perfectly, I

I thought maybe it needs to be lubed up, so I lubed the casing and still had problems, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Sugarbug]

You lubed the rounds to put in the rifle?

Are you full length resizing?

 

[sierracharlie338]

Just a thought but are you using small base dies? If not that's your problem.


Sierracharlie out....

 

[sentry1]

You'll get more help if you can add in some details. How much are you resizing the brass? What length are you trimming it to? What brass, what bullet, etc...

Do you have a gage to measure your brass? You want to measure your brass after you fire it, and again after you size it. The resized brass should be 0.002"-0.005" shorter than the fired brass. I set my dies for 0.003" bump.

You MIGHT need a small base die, if your chamber is extra tight, but try checking your brass size first.

Hornady Lock-N-Load Headspace Gage 5 Bushing Set Comparator

 

[Danco411]

I find resizing for AR's to be a pain. The die needs to be set just right to bump the shoulder. Sometimes it's just a smidgen of a turn between perfect and too much or too little. The resized case must drop in and drop out of the guage with no pressure. I like to double check with the chamber on my rifle too. Small based dies are an option but I think it over works the brass. If you have large quantities and don't care about brass life then that will make it easier.

 

[insight3b]

What powder are you using? Did you build the rifle yourself?
ETA I see that you are referring to loaded ammo and not fired cases.
Will the rounds fit in a magazine? Are you using a drop-in case gauge? What do you mean by saying the bullets have been trimmed?

 

[FLIGHT762]

I recently purchased a Dillon Precision reloading bench and started to reload .223. I have had several feeding and ejecting problems with my AR-15, I had one bullet jam and several others be tough/ hard to extract rounds (im ejecting them by

hand. "pulling the charging handle back"). I have encountered several of these and I am kind of worried about when I go shooting at the range, they wont cycle or worse. Each bullet has been properly trimmed and fits the caliber gauge perfectly, I

I thought maybe it needs to be lubed up, so I lubed the casing and still had problems, any help would be greatly appreciated.

As others here have suggested you probably haven't got your F/L die bumping the shoulders back enough. 90% of the time, this is the problem. Screw your die into the press another 1/12th to 1/8th turn. Make a couple of dummy cartridges up (no powder or primer) and check the chambering and extraction. You'll be surprised how just a little turn will correct your issue.

 

[Pinecone]

Get a case gauge.

Did you install the die to touch the shell plate, then turn it a bit further? If not, as mentioned, you are probably not bumping the shoulder back far enough.

I recently did this: http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/snipers-hide-reloading/197724-problem-some-223-a.html

If you have rounds loaded, you can use a Redding body die to "fix" them.

 

[RStewart]

As others here have suggested you probably haven't got your F/L die bumping the shoulders back enough. 90% of the time, this is the problem. Screw your die into the press another 1/12th to 1/8th turn. Make a couple of dummy cartridges up (no powder or primer) and check the chambering and extraction. You'll be surprised how just a little turn will correct your issue.

Ditto to what others are saying about the shoulder bump.

 

[LRI]

I recently purchased a Dillon Precision reloading bench and started to reload .223. I have had several feeding and ejecting problems with my AR-15, I had one bullet jam and several others be tough/ hard to extract rounds (im ejecting them by

hand. "pulling the charging handle back"). I have encountered several of these and I am kind of worried about when I go shooting at the range, they wont cycle or worse. Each bullet has been properly trimmed and fits the caliber gauge perfectly, I

I thought maybe it needs to be lubed up, so I lubed the casing and still had problems, any help would be greatly appreciated.

First thing I'd do is establish whether or not you have a gun or ammunition problem.

Buy a box of factory ammo and run it through your rifle. If it works, then you likely need to refine your reloading procedure. If it doesn't, then the rifle may need to be addressed.

Establish the problem first killer.

Good luck.

C.

 

[BLDTYLRY]

Spend $25 and buy a case gauge. Sounds like you're not screwing the die down enough.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I'll go a step and suggest you've ruled out case processing as the issue, and that factory ammo cycles OK.

As a new reloader, could it be possible that your loads are on the lighter, more conservative side? Might you be using powders with a slower than typical AR burn rate?

Greg