Need help with jamming in barrel

[trickyric]

I recently had a 223 wylde precision upper made for an AR. I currently use a KAC SR-15 and my Seirra HPBT 77 loads work perfectly in the KAC but get stuck in the new upper.
I went back to people who built it and they said it's my reloads. I have never had this problem before. The COAL is the same as factory and I am using RCBS 223 remington dies. He said that it might be my sizing dies. Since factory ammo doesn't jam he said the upper is not the problem.
Any ideas as to what the problem is and how I can rectify it?

 

[smschulz]

Have you measured your OG on your rifles?

 

[BLDTYLRY]

If the factory ammo is fine and your reloads are the same COAL with the same bullet or similar then i'd say it's your sizing die. Do you know if they used a match chamber? You may want to get small base dies.

 

[trickyric]

The new rifle has a match chamber. I have been doing some reading and I was thinking that a small base resizing die may be what I need.

 

[mtrmn]

Adjust your regular FL die down some more in the press if you're not already camming over. Or get some small base dies. Many will tell you that you'll overwork your brass with SB dies but in my experience they just size the case body a little farther down. I've used them for like 30 yrs without issue. I assume you are NOT crimping.

 

[trickyric]

I don't know how to measure the OG

 

[trickyric]

Adjust your regular FL die down some more in the press if you're not already camming over. Or get some small base dies. Many will tell you that you'll overwork your brass with SB dies but in my experience they just size the case body a little farther down. I've used them for like 30 yrs without issue. I assume you are NOT crimping.

I just ordered a Redding small base sizing die. I think the chamber is just a tad to tight for my reloads.

 

[FLIGHT762]

You may not need a small base die. Did you try to turn your F/L die in the press a little bit more like mtrmn suggested? That actually may be all you have to do. How are you measuring your shoulder bump with your F/L die?

 

[mtrmn]

OP====check out these case gages
JP - Gunsmithing and Maintenance

Cut with wylde chamber reamer. Interior shaped just like your chamber (as far as ammo fit is concerned anyway.) Most case gages have straight walls inside, not tapered like your actual chamber. I have both the 223 and 308 and drop every round in one of these gages before it goes in the ammo can. This way I KNOW if my ammo fails, it won't be because it wouldn't fit.

 

[trickyric]

OP====check out these case gages
JP - Gunsmithing and Maintenance

Cut with wylde chamber reamer. Interior shaped just like your chamber (as far as ammo fit is concerned anyway.) Most case gages have straight walls inside, not tapered like your actual chamber. I have both the 223 and 308 and drop every round in one of these gages before it goes in the ammo can. This way I KNOW if my ammo fails, it won't be because it wouldn't fit.

I actually have those but wasn't checking since the rounds worked fine in my KAC for such a long time.
I am gonna try an extra turn on the FL sizing die but I figured the small base die wasn't that much money and it seemed like it was a guaranteed cure.

 

[smschulz]

I don't know how to measure the OG

You need to high tail it over to Brownells and get yourself a Bullet Seating Depth Tool either the Hornady or Sinclair.
You need to get the Bullet Comparator too (Hornady set is good too)
If you are not measurin' you're just pissin' in the wind.

 

[trickyric]

You need to high tail it over to Brownells and get yourself a Bullet Seating Depth Tool either the Hornady or Sinclair.
You need to get the Bullet Comparator too (Hornady set is good too)
If you are not measurin' you're just pissin' in the wind.

Ok,
I have been measuring all the parts of the cartridge in the reloading manuals (I didn't know you meant ogive).
I have been matching the COAL to Factory match ammo so the overall length gauge sounds good. I will get one.
What does a bullet comparator have that a good caliper doesn't?
Also, is there a OLG that is preferred for both AR's and Bolt guns?

 

[trickyric]

The other issue with OAL gauge is that the bullet cannot be longer than the magazine. So if it fits the mag shouldn't the bullet have clearance from the lands?

 

[JoshcBoucher]

Ok,
I have been measuring all the parts of the cartridge in the reloading manuals (I didn't know you meant ogive).
I have been matching the COAL to Factory match ammo so the overall length gauge sounds good. I will get one.
What does a bullet comparator have that a good caliper doesn't?
Also, is there a OLG that is preferred for both AR's and Bolt guns?

Different bullets can, or do have different profiles. OAL does not account for that. Measuring to the ogive does, and the gauges mount to your caliper. Good luck.

 

[smschulz]

What does a bullet comparator have that a good caliper doesn't?
Also, is there a OLG that is preferred for both AR's and Bolt guns?

The comparator fits on the calipers that will measure the OG of your loaded cartridge.
The seating depth tool measures the OG of your chamber.
Every firearm is different that is why we use these tools for precision loads.
The headspace tool works the same way that helps you set and measure your shoulder bump.
You can then accurately adjust your die.

 

[witchhunter]

Mark your cartridge with a sharpie and chamber it. The rub marks will tell you where it tis too big. then you can take appropriate action. I wouldn't do anything until I knew what was wrong.

 

[trickyric]

I ordered all the gauges and I watched some video. As soon as I get them I will check everything.

 

[trickyric]

Mark your cartridge with a sharpie and chamber it. The rub marks will tell you where it tis too big. then you can take appropriate action. I wouldn't do anything until I knew what was wrong.

I am going to do that too.

 

[Steve1]

My son-in-law has a new Stag Arms AR-15. He had two different, jammed cases (in the chamber) yesterday. We had to use a cleaning rod to nock the brass out of the chamber. The bolt wouldn't pull it out. I suspect a hot load. His rifle is supposed to be able to shoot 223 and 5.56 ammo. It was the cheap, factory, non reloadable brass.....is that aluminum? Pardon my ignorance on that.

I told him to try different ammo.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[bruddah]

My son-in-law has a new Stag Arms AR-15. He had two different, jammed cases (in the chamber) yesterday. We had to use a cleaning rod to nock the brass out of the chamber. The bolt wouldn't pull it out. I suspect a hot load. His rifle is supposed to be able to shoot 223 and 5.56 ammo. It was the cheap, factory, non reloadable brass.....is that aluminum? Pardon my ignorance on that.

I told him to try different ammo.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Sounds like he was using steel cased Russian ammo. Some ARs don't like that stuff. They're pretty dirty as the case doesn't expand as well as brass thereby not sealing the chamber as well. Then you get dirty powder blowing back into the chamber at a faster rate than with quality brass cased ammo. The result is often stuck cases.

 

[Steve1]

Thanks bruddah.....I'll tell my son-in-law.

 

[justMatt]

bring this post up from the past.. lol is there anyway to resize them if they are already complete ?

 

[R_A_W]

I'm sure Redding recommends that you NOT size the brass on loaded rounds using their body die

you can easily reseat bullets deeper, people do this regularly

you can also get a collet puller if you need to seat with less depth

 

[supercorndogs]

Lots of people have sized loaded ammo. There are no fire controls in your press. Lube them size dry tumble them clean. If you have a die they will fit in. I had to size a bunch of 20 practical that needed small base sized after loading. Luckily all I had to do was remove the decapping assembly and the neck and bullet went into the 223 SB die unimpeded.

Proabaly get more responses by starting a thread rather than asking an off subject question in a decade old thread.

 

[justMatt]

i removed the decapping rod and "nut" on my FL resizing die and resized some of the ammo, they turned out pretty good so far. lost a few from squashing the necks, but i can just make 300Blk with those.. lol 60 down, 190 to go..