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mstarling · #1 10-31-2009, 02:50 PM

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 · #2 10-31-2009, 03:21 PM

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 · #3 10-31-2009, 04:29 PM

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 · #4 10-31-2009, 05:07 PM

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 · #5 10-31-2009, 05:17 PM

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 · #6 10-31-2009, 05:32 PM

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.

mstarling · #7 10-31-2009, 06:49 PM

Actually did it in a lathe with a 6 jaw true-set chuck. Took 0.020" off the shell holder. Is just beginning to work. The shell holder claw was only 0.090" to begin with ... so I may be getting close to the most I can go.

Cases are chambering with the help of the forward assist now. Need to be looser than that!

How hard are sizing dies? Need to grind rather than cut them with a carbide cutter?

pug · #8 10-31-2009, 08:14 PM

The only dies I have cut have been steel dies and they cut ok with carbide. My shellholder is at .050".

I know you have a new build and want to try it out but perhaps you may want to stop for a minute and ask yourself again "why isn't this working?". Setting the shoulder back a few thousandths more just so the base gets sized enough to chamber is one thing but if you are pushing it back .020" more to get it to chamber then something else seems wrong.

The reason I have a cut back shellholder is because of fooling with other wildcats not the 300/221. In fact I have the 300/221 reamer from PTG which cuts a fairly tight chamber and I have no problem with the Redding dies and standard #10 shellholder. If I FL size brass for that chamber the brass rattles in there and falls out easily if you turn it upside down and that is not with the die turned down to the shellholder. Take a breather before turning your die down. Just my opinion.

mstarling · #9 10-31-2009, 08:33 PM

Pug,

I don't have the reamer ... tp555 did the work on the chamber and the gauge. I suspect his work is bang on. The other work on the barrel indicates he definitely knows what he is doing and has good tooling. Can't blame him at all!

The Redding deluxe die set I have is actually marked 300/221 Remington. Appears to be new old stock (NOS) as the die bodies are marked 91. I don't know if they mark the year of manufacture the way RCBS does ... and I can't find the year the Whisper was introduced.

I did check the BCG I'm using with the 300/221 barrel in an M4 with military gauges. It only closes on the GO gauge ... just as the M4s BCG does.

I suspect there is a mismatch between my die set and the chambering reamer. Other than that, I do not know how to proceed.

pug · #10 10-31-2009, 09:09 PM

Without you having the 221 fireball headspace gauges I am cautious to tell you any work arounds. I don't think you would have any trouble if you took another .020" off the shell plate giving it a .050" claw but really can't say you should do it.