Birthing problems

[mstarling]

Received the 16+" SS bbl with adjustable gas block today. Also received a cartridge gauge made at the same time.

Using a Redding Deluxe die set. The initial pass at the brass resulted in its being too long to the shoulder. I progressively worked it down until the top of the shell holder is bumping the bottom of the die. The brass is 1.366" long.

Does not seat fully in the cartridge gauge and the bolt will not close when attempting to chamber the case in the rifle.

Any ideas?

[pug]

If it was mine I would fl size (to shellplate) a piece of 223 brass without the stem in the die (keeps from pulling the shoulder out in some cases) and trim to 1.350" which would fit any chamber I have measured so far. If that didn't chamber then I would begin to start looking for problems.

[mstarling]

OK ... done. .223 brass FL sized with a Dillon carbide FL die on a Corbin swaging press with shell holder meeting the bottom of the die. Have shot a HUGE number of .223 rounds loaded on the Dillon 1050 using this sizer die. Never a failure to chamber.

Decapped in this step. Primer pockets swaged on a Dillon 1050.

Brass FL sized with the Redding FL die with the shell holder meeting the bottom of the die. No internal diameter plug used.

Brass trimmed to 1.350" +- 0.0005.

Still does not fully seat in the cartridge gauge (just part of the rim above the flat).

Does not allow the chamber to close on case in the rifle.

The BCG in use has been headspace gauged in an M4 with military gauges. Closes on GO only. The M4 is know to work with another BCG which also gauges to GO only.

Thought I had another .223 FL sizer but cannot find it immediately.

Anyone us LC brass with a tp555 bbl?


The only things that makes sense to me is that either the Redding FL dies in bored too deep, or the shell holder is too thick so that the case does not go far enough into the die upon sizing. Other thoughts?

[pug]

I use LC brass all the time with Redding dies but not in one of tp555's 300/221 barrels. I have had him do other chamberings for me with never a problem.

Lots of people have problems with brass in ARs and resort to a small base die or some mill down a shellholder a few thousandths (my fix) but I have never had a problem with the 300/221 Redding dies. Since it still doesn't gauge right it sounds like it needs a little more sizing.

[mstarling]

Have a milling machine with a 3 axis DR so milling down the shell holder is accomplishable if I can figure out how to hold it ;-) Is certainly the cheapest part of all to modify! Are they hardened?

[pug]

My small vise has a v notch so just dropped it in till it bottomed out and locked it down. I really don't remember it giving me any trouble but unsure of the brand although it looks just like my other Redding #10.

I'm curious does your brass measure .374 -.375" at the base? Subjective to measuring tools I know but just curious.