223 reloading question

[cheesehead]

I'm new to reloading the 223/5.56, I have done extensive handgun rounds. In the process of preparing cases, I just resiszed 100 rnds of once fired 223 and when attempting to case trim I find that the neck is about .210 ID and will not accept the pilot.
I had just finished a similar size batch of Lake City 5.56 and did not have this issue, the necks are about .220, which is the pilot dia.

This brass is all under max. length and don't need trimming. My question is, will this be too tight on the bullets?
I'm using a Hornaday 2pc die set.

Any light you can shed on my dilemma will be appreciated.

Read More

 

[speeddemon94]

I just give it a wiggle and it goes.

 

[Throckmorton]

I put a tiny bit of case lube on the pilot.after trimming I chamfer the case mouth a smidge,works fine for me.

 

[cheesehead]

Problem is, the pilot will not go into the neck. neck is .010 smaller than pilot. I would have to force the pilot into the neck and probaly it would expand it. I did try lube on the pilot, just too much size difference.

 

[Otter]

I would give the wiggle method a couple more trys.

Pretty sure those Hornaday dies have a sizing button that expands the mouth is it passes back out of the case. Any case you run through there should have the exact same inside diameter. My only explaination is the latest brass you ran through the dies had more springback than the first set of brass. Might try running the brass through your die once or twice more and see if maybe that doesn't fix the problem. You only risk is work hardening the brass a little

If you are using a bushing type sizing die without an expander, that is a different story. Try a busing one size larger.

 

[ma96782]

Talking about the pilot on your trimmer.....

You could sand/polish the pilot's diameter a bit. Chuck it in a drill and go lightly.

Aloha, Mark

 

[deadshot2]

What kind of trimmer? A lathe type with a short tapered pilot or a LEE with a long pilot/length gauge combination?

For the lathe type just give a slap to the turning knob and it will enter the case. The lee is a little more difficult.

You may need to buy a separate expander die and run all the cases through this first. Check Sinclair for one. They expand the case mouth, after sizing, using a mandrel rather than a "ball" and the cases often end up far straighter than just what you get from a typical sizing die. This can also pay off in better accuracy due to more even neck tension.

 

[civilian75]

I stopped the pilots with my RCBS trimmer a long time ago. I have trimmed thousands os cases this way and have messed up less than 0.1% of them. Just keep the blades lubed.