resizing range pickup 5.56 brass

[_ACGuy_]

I have tons of 5.56 brass de-primed and cleaned and annealed but not resized yet. It all comes from stuff I have shot and my friends and shot and stuff that me being a "loot goblin" has picked up over the years at the range. I have 7K or so brass in reserve.

My question is about resizing. I don't really care about brass life as much as I do for my precision guns but measuring an AR chamber seems to be harder then removing the firing pin and extractor and checking bolt lift like I do with my bolt rifles. The only metric I can see anything concrete on is fired brass size and the go/no go gauge. It is worth it to set a FL sizing die to be .003 smaller then the go gauge or something subtracted from the no go gauge for a length?

I'm looking for a set it and forget it sizing die setup for my XL750 tool head with the bullet feeder for bulk reloading.

Do must people just not really worry about it and i am overthinking it?

 

[Jcarpenter223]

I set my die with a tiny bit of cam over on my 650 and got after it, haven’t had one not chamber yet

 

[camocorvette]

I'd grab a wilson case gauge for 223. Size them to fit that and let it rip

 

[texastonk]

I'd grab a wilson case gauge for 223. Size them to fit that and let it rip

This! Simple and effective.

 

[supercorndogs]

Post two was my thoughts. If you're not worried about brass life. Size it to the shell holder and if it fits it ships.

 

[99mpower]

Sheridan Engineering… cutout case gauge is what you want

and yes FL size for AR stuff

 

[sinister]

If you're a brasshole who can't pass up a case you find on the range here's a technique that will save you all kinds of ass-pain:

get a small-base sizing die and use a Sheridan case gage (especially in something like a 650 or 750, or equipped with an automatic case feeder).

Why?

You won't know if the cases you've picked up were fired in a GI-chambered Colt or some bargain-basement home-assembled gun with a barrel from one of a hundred different makers. Was the chamber reamed for 5.56, commercial .223 Remington, or maybe SAAMI-minimum Match dimensions)? Was it short or long?

Sticking a fatter full-length resized case into a tight match chamber risks a slam-fire.

Some will say all you need is a generic full-length sized case set for cam-over. Or you can use a minimum-sized small base die and not worry about using the ammo you've loaded in ANYTHING -- from a Ruger Mini-14 or HK-53 to Remington 700 Varmint, GI Colt or FN barrel, or maybe even a SAW.

 

[Devildog]

Don’t forget to swag your primer pockets. Problem with range brass is some of it may have a military crimp and other brass doesn’t. You start loading on a progressive and unswagged brass with screw up the works.

You probably already know this but just a reminder!

 

[camocorvette]

If you're a brasshole who can't pass up a case you find on the range here's a technique that will save you all kinds of ass-pain:

get a small-base sizing die and use a Sheridan case gage (especially in something like a 650 or 750, or equipped with an automatic case feeder).

Why?

You won't know if the cases you've picked up were fired in a GI-chambered Colt or some bargain-basement home-assembled gun with a barrel from one of a hundred different makers. Was the chamber reamed for 5.56, commercial .223 Remington, or maybe SAAMI-minimum Match dimensions)? Was it short or long?

Sticking a fatter full-length resized case into a tight match chamber risks a slam-fire.

Some will say all you need is a generic full-length sized case set for cam-over. Or you can use a minimum-sized small base die and not worry about using the ammo you've loaded in ANYTHING -- from a Ruger Mini-14 or HK-53 to Remington 700 Varmint, GI Colt or FN barrel, or maybe even a SAW.

I get maybe a dozen or so out of a k of brass that won't quite fit the wilson gauge. I just chuck them in a bag. Thanks for the advice, I'll take that. I'm guessing that's the case with my case's.