.223 Hornady die problems?

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.223 Hornady die problems?

Postby longnkrnch » Mon Sep 17, 2012 9:45 am

Just wondering if anyone is using the Hornady new dimension .223 dies, and if you are having any problems with stuck cases. Ive been using RCBS, but ordered a Hornady set for the guided seater die. Now, I am reading lots of reviews claiming stck case issues. Anyone here experiencing this issue with them?
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Re: .223 Hornady die problems?

Postby Hoot » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:51 am

longnkrnch wrote:Just wondering if anyone is using the Hornady new dimension .223 dies, and if you are having any problems with stuck cases. Ive been using RCBS, but ordered a Hornady set for the guided seater die. Now, I am reading lots of reviews claiming stck case issues. Anyone here experiencing this issue with them?


My experience with the New Dimension dies I've used is that's what happens when the particular cases you are reloading have thicker than average walls. When the bullet seats, there an inherent small amount of neck expansion. If the walls are too thick, it adds up to greater than the clearance in the sliding guide or whatever it's called. I haven't read up on this happening with .223, but I'd bet a donut to a dollar that it involved thicker walled milsurp brass. I know the wall on 7.62x51 NATO brass is thicker than commercial .308 Win brass from experience, so I suspect the same is true for the 5.56x45 vs .223.

If that is your scenario and who doesn't like Lake City 5.56 brass, then you'll need to open up the size of the sliding guide a little or turn your necks.

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Re: .223 Hornady die problems?

Postby lungingturtle2 » Mon Sep 17, 2012 1:55 pm

I've seen this problem more than a couple of times, friends of mine seem to think they need small base dies. I've never seen std. dies fail to adaquately full length size in ar's ( I've had more than 15) the problem occurs when the seating die is set too deep in the press and partially collapses the shoulder bulging the case at the shoulder. You can use a magic marker to mark the shoulder then chamber the round to see where the rub is. (be extremely careful, this should be done outside in a safe area as we are dealing with loaded ammunition. Or use a micrometer, or dial or digital calipers to measure the case at the shoulder of loaded ammunition comparing it to case specs. (in your reloading manual) The bulge may be so subtle that you may not feel the bulge by hand. Hope this helps, Mike
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Re: .223 Hornady die problems?

Postby Wicked Hunter » Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:09 pm

I reload alot of .223 using the hornady dies. I suffered from stuck cases at first. The porblem was because i was using the One-Shot case lube and not getting it all the way down to the base of the case. The base of the case that was in the reloading block wasnt getting any lube. I finally figured it out and have not had a problem since. I like the One-Shot lube also.
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