sizing .223
Quote from Reloader on December 20, 2013, 8:39 pmI have just started reloading .223, the first rifle caliber I have done. When sizing some brass I have has several bulges out and crack at the head. The machine gets stiff and I stop the full cycle of the handle. This has happened to about 30 cases out of about 400, all that have had problems have been military brass. I lubed the cases before, and have the carbide die. Any idea as to what may be going wrong?
I have just started reloading .223, the first rifle caliber I have done. When sizing some brass I have has several bulges out and crack at the head. The machine gets stiff and I stop the full cycle of the handle. This has happened to about 30 cases out of about 400, all that have had problems have been military brass. I lubed the cases before, and have the carbide die. Any idea as to what may be going wrong?
Quote from Reloader on January 23, 2014, 12:53 amMost often this comes from not having the neck expanding mandrel screwed into the case far enough. The milspec brass is thick and there is not enough clearance for the expanding ball to be touching the inside of the neck at the same time as the die is sizing the neck. The expander needs to be screwed in all the way with the locking nut touching the hairpin clip.
Verify the issue by sizing a piece with the expander completely removed. Also when lubing the case use Dillon lube letting it sit long enough for the Alcohol to evaporate or for small batches there is nothing better than Imperial Case lube.
The only other thing that comes to mind is a severely mis-manufactured Die.
Most often this comes from not having the neck expanding mandrel screwed into the case far enough. The milspec brass is thick and there is not enough clearance for the expanding ball to be touching the inside of the neck at the same time as the die is sizing the neck. The expander needs to be screwed in all the way with the locking nut touching the hairpin clip.
Verify the issue by sizing a piece with the expander completely removed. Also when lubing the case use Dillon lube letting it sit long enough for the Alcohol to evaporate or for small batches there is nothing better than Imperial Case lube.
The only other thing that comes to mind is a severely mis-manufactured Die.