.223 reloading problem

[gramps42]

Having a problem with reloading .223. After normal process of depriming , trim and debur cases, clean and swager if needed, prime , powder and here's where my problem is - when I go to put bullet in I can push the bullet in to case by hand. Is it necessary to use a neck sizer die or what? Have reloaded 308, 300 win mag and numerous handgun loads and never had this problem.
Thank you

[Sevens]

Hi Gramps and welcome to TFL.

You aren't giving an exactly detailed account of what you are doing -- either that, or you didn't also tell us that you are indeed running this brass through a full-length size die. You do mention that you are depriming -- which does usually happen during the resizing part of the operation.

Here's what I do:
--bring brass home
--tumble clean it
--lube case body (NOT shoulder!) using Imperial
--run case in to full length size die (takes a lot of muscle!)
--above step also deprimes
--remove case lube
--measure for length
--trim, chamfer if necessary
--prime
--powder charge
--seat bullet
--ENJOY!

The process of resizing makes the brass fit properly in your rifle -AND- reduces the case mouth so that a bullet will sit tightly and properly in there.

[Unclenick]

If you have a standard resizing die, check that they installed the right expander. It should measure smaller than the bullet diameter, usually by a thousandth or two. If not, then write the manufacturer and they'll likely get you the right one.

If the brass is old and well-used or was fired previously in a very generous chamber, it can be work hardened to the point of being springy, and is springing back from resizing. Some brands of brass, Remington in particular, often have thinner necks that work harden and get too springy in just a couple of reloadings. Here's how to test for it and deal with it:

Dampen a towel. Light a candle. Hold the head end of one of the cases between your fingers and roll it back and fourth while letting the candle flame play over the neck and shoulder, building up soot. When the head starts to get too hot to hang onto, slap it down on the wet towel and drag it to wipe the soot off. Try resizing again to see if it now sizes OK.

What that process will do is anneal the neck and shoulder gently. Once you have done that, you will no longer have excess springiness in that part of the brass. The reason for stopping when the head starts feeling hot, other than avoiding burned fingers, is you do not want to anneal the head, which could become dangerously weak if you did.

Still another thing you can try is just another brand of case. If the other brand behaves normally, it verifies you've got an issue with your brass.

[JeepHammer]

When the case is coming out of the sizer die,
The DEPRIME rod will have a 'Ball' just above the deprime pin.

Doesn't matter if it's a neck sizer, or a full length case sizer,
The top of the die compresses the case to SLIGHTLY UNDERSIZE,

When the case is coming out of the die, the 'Ball' on the deprime rod opens the case mouth up to 'Standard' size.

NOW,
Either the case isn't going far enough into the sizer to undersize the case neck, so the ball can't expand it to the correct size,

Or more likely, since you are an experienced reloader,
You have a expander ball that is OVER SIZE.

This is VERY common!
About 1/4 of the dies I get have OVERSIZE balls, and I have to take them out,

Spin the rod/ball in a drill,

Use a very fine emery cloth,

And take a little at a time off the ball to get it back down to the right size for what I'm doing.

----

Less likely, the case neck compression in the die is just too big.
That NORMALLY doesn't happen, but it's possible...

Nothing you can do with a hole that is already TOO BIG but get a die that makes the neck a little undersized, so the ball can expand it to the correct size.

Hard to add material that is missing already,
Easy to make a ball too big a little smaller.

While the decap/expander ball rod is out,
Resize a case, see if it comes out too small for the bullet.
If it does, it's the ball,
If it DOES NOT, it's the die...

[the led farmer]

Originally Posted by gramps42

...After normal process of depriming , trim and debur cases, clean and swager if needed, prime , powder and here's where my problem is - when I go to put bullet in I can push the bullet in to case by hand. Is it necessary to use a neck sizer die or what?

You gotta resize it one way ( full length) or the other (neck size)