[nb forrest]

I have tried three different sizing dies but I'm still having live rounds stick in the chamber. It ejects spent cases fine but when I have to unload a live round it takes ALOT of force to get the round out. This happens in both of my rifles so I think it has to be something with my reloads. Should I switch to a small base sizer? Any help would be appreciated.

[MustangGreg66]

Sounds like you have too long an OAL and the bullet is engaging the lands when in the chamber. Could also be you have a tight chamber and the necks are too thick.

Look at the live rounds after extraction, if there are marks on the bullet other than any made durring feeding then the OAL is too long and the round is engaging the rifling.

If that isn't it, try sizing a round and then inserting it in the rifle. If that's too tight still then I'd consider a small base sizer possibly, but truth be told I'm not sure what that is... I thought most dies dized down to the bottom pretty much. I'd make some measurements on your reloads and Factory ammo both before and after firing before going to new dies or anything.

I assume you're keeping your chamber clean and have a clean rifle while this issue is happening...

[calishootr]

blacken the bullettip and see if its contacting the lands(OAL too long) next are you trimmimg your brass to minimum OAL??? (most dont) so you may have a long case, next to see, is if your case neck is porperly headspaced??? more than likely the base of the round is the part that is getting stuck, a small based sizer die will work that problem out or, you can take the die thatyou already have, with the ram/shellplate raised all the way up screw the die down till it touches the plate, lowertheram, and turn the die in another 1/8th to 1/4 turn and try that

dillon sells a case guage....drop in, if they go flush you are goodto go....

[OPENB]

I had the same problem recently, and it turned out I didn't have the sizer screwed in far enough, and wasn't bumping the shoulder back enough. Bottle neck cases headspace on the shoulder. Try the 1/8 to 1/4 more after touching the shell holder, then try to chamber the case. If it still sticks, which mine did, try a little deeper on the sizer. I ended up almost a 1/2 turn past touching. My press "cams over", at full stroke. You'll feel the the arm spring back when you pull it back down, that is the camming action. The small base sizer is tighter down near the extraction groove, the "base". If that is where your case is sticking, then you need the small base sizer. I have found most don't need the small base sizer, Lee dies are already considered small base. I have not used the Dillon rifle dies, but their pistol dies are known for not sizing down as far as the other brands. Lee makes some cheap loading equipment, but I have always liked their dies, from design to performance to price. Try Magic Marker on the whole case, and find out where it is sticking.

[nb forrest]

I just tried the magic marker trick and there were no marks anywhere on the cartridrige. I thought it might be the shoulder not getting bumbed back enough but now I have no idea. Thanks for the input though.

[OPENB]

Did you magic marker the bullet too? If you have marks on the bullet, it is seated too long, and is engaging the rifling.

[nb forrest]

Yes I did and the only marks were a couple of scratches where it went up the feed ramp.

[jmurch]

What are you using to help you decide where to adjust your sizing die? When I've seen this happen on .223 it's usually not adjusting the sizing die to the correct chamber dimensions. I use a sizing die for my chambe and never have a probem. I've seen other that use the wrong sizing die for thier chamber and have your exact problem.

Jeff

nb forrest, on Oct 28 2009, 02:39 PM, said:

Yes I did and the only marks were a couple of scratches where it went up the feed ramp.

[SingleStacker45]

You can save yourself alot of headaches if you get a RCBS precision Mic in .223. Fire 5-10 factory rounds from your gun if it works(if not that's a whole other issue) and use the pricision mic to measure the shoulder dimensions on the factory spent cases. Next, take some once fired cases and lube them up and begin sizing and micing each until you adjust the sizer to .002 to .005 smaller than your once fired factory cases. If your die won' adjust down far enough get a different die or some advocate overcamming but I think that is hard on the press. I have two different dies from dillon and I am able to get the brass to size to factory specs without overcamming. Results will vary due to the quality of your brass.

Mule

[nb forrest]

Problem solved. I didn't have the die adjusted down far enough. I used the RCBS MIC, adjusted the die down and it worked. Thanks for the advice.