.222 MAGNUM

[ragwd]

Hello all and thanks for taking the time to read and especially if you reply to my thread. I have been reloading all my pistol calibers for about 2 years, and have been reloading for my 223 for about 8 months with very good results.
Now I am trying , unsuccessfully, to reload for my 222 magnum. Its pretty much a obsolete caliber, but I have a rem 700 with a simmons scope that shoots lights out with some factory loads. I had some (150) older cartridges and some new (100) from nosler custom.
My first attempt, with info taken from Horandy's book, most of my reload would not allow the bolt to close. And the ones that did close were not very accurate. THe store bought from Nosler worked fine. hmmmmm
Second attempt I tried to duplicate the noslers as far as dimensions are concerned. Slightly better results but still 40% not closing on the bolt. hmmm.
I am full length sizing with redding deluxe die set. I have double checked dimensions against the store bought and its all good. So I resized, trimmed , deburred and chambered just the cartridge to make sure before I reload and all allowed the bolt to close. hmmm
So is it in the bullet? I called to make sure I am using the same Nosler ballistic tip 22 caliber(224) 50 grains that the store bought were. hmmm.
A third try, 5 bullets , 3 chambered, 2 dont. there is no significant dimensional different from the book data and the store bought cartridges. +or - .002.
So I am back, yes Shadys back, asking for help. What am I doing wrong, what can I try, what dimension would be more critical? I am stumped at this point. I dont think its the rifle it consistantly closes on the same one and doesnt close on the bad ones.
Sorry for the long winded thread but I felt there were alot of details to be brought up. Thanks for reading.
Gar

[Unclenick]

First, try re-chambering a few fired case you haven't resized yet. Make sure they rechamber no matter how your orient the case head (a spot on the head at 12:00, then at 4:00 and 8:00, just to be sure). If not, you have an off-bore-axis chamber and need some gunsmithing or to learn to orient all your cases the same way every time you load. That is the least likely situation, though.

Next, resize the same cases and try to chamber them again. If they don't go, then the cases have been lengthened by your resizing process. It's normal for that to happen as the case goes into the die and gets squeezed down along the sides, because the extra brass has to go somewhere. It is only when the case shoulder finally touches down on the shoulder in the sizing die that it gets pushed back to length, with the excess brass then moving up into the neck (hence the need for trimming).

Most often, the above situation results simply from not having the FL sizing die turned down far enough. When you resize a case, the force pushing the brass up into the die is enough to stretch the press frame a few thousandths, so if you set the sizing die to kiss the shell holder with no case in place, there will be a gap there when a case is present. The way to tell is to look sideways at the die and shell holder with the press ram all the way up and a light behind them. If there is a light crack you need to turn the die in further in 1/8 turn increments until it disappears. In iron presses it is not uncommon for that to be about a quarter turn or so past contact with the empty shell holder. In aluminum ones with large cases it can be up to as much as 3/4 turn past contact, though half a turn is more common.

If none of that works out. Post again for more ideas. If your sizing die is long, for example, it can be ground back a little. If you remove the decapper, you can slip a feeler gauge inbetween the case head and shell holder to force a few thousandths more resizing.

Unless you saw rifling marks on the bullet, this is unlikely to be a bullet seating depth problem.

[Para Cassatt]

I have heard of that happening with the 222 Rem with an even longer neck.

[ragwd]

Thanks UncleNick, I will try those ideas and repost this weekend.

[jepp2]

If you don't own a cartridge gauge, it is a tool that is very helpful.

222 Rem Mag

Just some of the uses:
-setting the shoulder bump for full length resizing
-checking case length to determine if it needs to be trimmed

[ragwd]

Jepp,
excellent tool, I have one for my 223.

[Buzzard Bait]

have you checked the neck thickness? I'm assuming case length has been checked and is in speck. have you checked to see if your bullets are contacting the rifling? Do the fired rounds show pressure signs? No high primmers?
bb

[m&p45acp10+1]

Try seating without crimping if you have not already. Sounds like some of the rounds may be getting over crimped.

[Buzzard Bait]

I think m&p & 45 and all that stuff is on to it, some dies have a mighty crimp to them if you turn it in just a little too far and that along with a bullet with no crimp grove would bulge the case neck 222 mag is a fine round working loads for will be fun
bb

[Nosparetime]

I also have a Rem 700 in 222 rem Mag. It shoots like a house a fire. I have thought of having the barrel set back and re-chambered for 223. But then its not broke and I don't buy factory ammo anyway.

I used Nosler 55gr BT and had great success. Nosler suggested H335. It worked so well I have never tried anything else.

It sounds like your cases may be too long. Make sure you are not setting the bullets to long.

The 204 is based on the same case.

[ragwd]

Buzzard Bait-I have checked the neck, no signs of contacting rifleing, no signs of high pressure and primers a few thousand under flush. , Nosparetime-I have the oal set to what nosler sold me, those run fine. m&p45acp10+1- this being a bolt gun the first couple tries I didnt crimp, only the last try did I lightly crimp. Tomorrow I will shoot a few and see if those will go back into chamber. Thanks for all the great suggestions.

[crowbeaner]

Try some IMR 4320- around 25.0 to start. Check the oal on the factory loads and set the depth the same. RP brass varies a bit from lot to lot- check the neck wall thickness with a ball mic. You might have to turn them if the thickness is too much. Trim the cases to minimum to avoid the pinched neck syndrome. Don't overlook the RP 50 and 55 grain PLHP bullets- they shoot rings around some other makes. Hope this helps. CB.

[m&p45acp10+1]

Also feel the round to see if you can feel a ridge by the shoulder on the rounds that are not chambering. If so they you definately know it due to crimp. I get better acuracy not crimping in .223 Rem, and .221 Fireball. Had that problem when I first started loading for the .221 as the die would seat and crimp. I started seating without crimping and it solved the problem. The rounds that would not chamber I could feel the light ridge where the shoulder started.

[Buzzard Bait]

I'm still worried about neck thickness mike the neck of loaded round and compair to the book measurement try sliding a bullet into fired unresized case should fit lose too tight of a neck will raise pressure
bb

[ragwd]

Ok sorry about the delay, life happens. Since I could chamber a cartridge before I seated a bullet, I thought it had to be after my sizing prep and priming. So I concentrated my time there, turns out I was crimping them. didnt mean to, but I set the die on the holder then backed off a full turn, I didnt have any problems after that. So as I should have expected it was a simple fix to a operator error. thanks for everyones effort to set me right, this place rocks with all the great advice.
Thanks
Gar