Having Some Chambering Issues

[xer0]

Got a buddy with a .300 Whisper that needed some rounds made as a favor. As I'm such a nice guy, I figured why not try out my first wildcat for my friends benefit. I recently ordered a M1S upper anyway and figured that I might as well get myself set up for reloading once it comes... in 20-24 weeks...

Anyway, I used 556/.223 once fired brass and used a Redding Full length sizing die with the decaping rod assembly removed to form, then cut to 1.350" and reamed and chamfered, then resized again in the dies before charging and seating. It turned out that there was a lot of tension in the chamber. I remeasured the rounds I loaded and they all came within .01 - .005" below sierra's rendition of factory spec on all measurements.

It turns out that a buddy of his built his rifle... I was initially thinking that it wasnt headspaced properly and even filed down my shellplate a bit to lower the shoulder on the brass to no avail. After blackening a dummy round (just lead and brass) with a parafin candle, I chambered it to find that the headspacing was just fine but it seems like the body of the brass is binding. Pix are attached.

I was really hoping to figure something out on my end to custom make a cartridge for this particular rifle but im about ready to have him send it back to his builder for some refinishing. Any thoughts?

[Pnutz]

Your not Alone. I had all kinds of cambering problems when I got my 300/221.

USING ONLY LC BRASS fixed my cambering problems.

If that still doesn't fix it. Try running the 300/221 formed LC case through a .223 Small base die. ( I haven't had to do this ).

If that doesn't work You can try trimming the LC Case down a bit more to 1.340 - 1.335

Good Luck!

[xer0]

Pnutz,

I already tried shaving a piece of brass down to 1.320 and didnt have any luck. As you can see from the pix however, it doesnt look like overall case length is the issue. I'll give it a go with different headstamps.

[Rikky Lee]

Try different brass - why not 221 Fireball? It looks like a very tight chamber and a small base die could help too.

[TCCrewchief76]

Your cast lead bullet might be making contact with the throat and preventing chambering. Take a permanent marker and scribe from around the case mouth to the ogive of the bullet to see if it is engraving when chambered. When my Whisper barrel comes in, I'll be shooting the RCBS 308-200-SIL bullet cast of wheelweight at 215 grains. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Kevin

[xer0]

I measured some of the brass I made up from misc. once fired .223 to have a range from 0.373 all the way out to 0.377 for the max diameter of the case.

Just in case, however, I did scribe the bullet with a permanent marker and didnt find any engravings... Im thinking that Rikky Lee figured this one out; the chamber is just very very very tight. I dont have any 221 fireball brass on hand and i have an abundance of .223/556 brass available. Im thinkng that the small base die might be a good step to get these all uniform. Does anyone have any preferred manufacturer?

Thanks everyone for your help with this!

[Rikky Lee]

Thanks xer0!

Redding as the first option but do a cost/benefit analysis before investing in dies which may or may not work. It really is worth trying a bag of 221 brass and then working through re-using 223 brass.

Otherwise have a bigger chambering reamer run into the barrel and then you don't need to buy new dies and the rest of the stuff.

What is the purpose of this rifle to be? Precision target shoot, hunting or just a fun gun for plinking? If the first two I'd urge trying the 221 route, if the later go the dies and/or a rechamber.

[xer0]

Rikky - I went ahead and ordered the small base sizer dies from midsouth. They had them on hand and the price wasnt too bad - 27.99 plus shipping... It may be fun some day to give 221 fireball brass a try however, like i said, the price is right on the 223 brass at the moment. Im thinking this rifle will serve as a fun plinker and quiet pest exterminator. However I wouldnt rule out hunting.

These dies should be here on Saturday; Ill be sure to post my findings.

Thanks again.

[amafrank]

The problem you describe is typical for .223 brass of some types. I can load up Lake City, Federal commercial and Winchester commercial but some others require neck turning in order to fit and yet others won't fit regardless of what I try. Your problem is most likely not headspace and if there are no marks in the paint/marker on the bullet you used for checking the throat than I'd suggest inking up the neck and checking that. Right now finding .221 brass is tough and when you do find it the stuff is really expensive. Try getting some new winchester, or federal commercial brass to start with and see how that goes. Lake city once fired should be good too, I've never had to do anything with it to make it fit my rifles or those of friends with the model 1 sales chambers.

Good luck
Frank

[xer0]

Big thanks to Rikky Lee for the tip on the Redding small base sizer dies!

I ordered one of the Redding .223 Small Base Sizer Dies from Midsouth on Thursday. It arrived today and i used it on some 300 Fireball FL sized brass I whipped up out of miscelanious .223 and 5.56 cases. I cant find one headstamp that wont feed into the rifle.

This is it guys. For chambering problems due to case body tension go with the Redding Small Base Sizer die.

Good Deal!!!