I've been shooting a lot of my son in laws reloads. 23.8 grains of Benchmark / 55gr FMJ X-treme. They shoot great, and I can't beat the price, free for X-mas and Birthdays. But I occasionally see one where the bullet is pushed back in the case against the powder. I've caught a handful while loading mags and I discard them. Today, I came back from the range with a mag that was still half full and when I unloaded it, I found one of the "Bad" ones. Would firing one of these cause either a squib or an over pressure. I'm going to start giving them a tap on the nose before loading into a mag but just for peace of mind I'd like to know if there is a potential for disaster. Thanks
.223 reload fears
- Thread starter Mark40
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Fishinfool
Member
A bullet being pushed back in the case will raise pressures with any cartridge. That said, some cartridges much more so than others. A .40S&W cartridge with its bullet set back in the case any significant amount, for example, could become dangerous to fire.
Larger cases with greater powder capacity, and smaller bullets, less so. I would probably not worry about firing a .223 round with its bullet slightly set back. Now if the bullet is all the way in the case, with just the tip showing, then yea, that's an issue.
Your son in law may be using a rifle with loose neck dimensions, or dies that over expand the neck of his fired cases. Lots of guys only use bullets they can crimp in AR's to avoid this potential issue. Proper neck tension should cure the issue. I test bullet pull / neck tension by pushing a bullet tip against my wooden reloading bench with moderate pressure, If it moves, its is too loose.
Larry
Larger cases with greater powder capacity, and smaller bullets, less so. I would probably not worry about firing a .223 round with its bullet slightly set back. Now if the bullet is all the way in the case, with just the tip showing, then yea, that's an issue.
Your son in law may be using a rifle with loose neck dimensions, or dies that over expand the neck of his fired cases. Lots of guys only use bullets they can crimp in AR's to avoid this potential issue. Proper neck tension should cure the issue. I test bullet pull / neck tension by pushing a bullet tip against my wooden reloading bench with moderate pressure, If it moves, its is too loose.
Larry
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Thanks for the input. I've watched him make them but I confess I don't really know what I'm looking at. He has cranked out literally thousands of them, so I guess some bad ones slipped through. I just went through the remainder of my supply, giving each a firm double tap on my work bench, and they all seem fine.
Wee Hooker
Member
Not to look a gift horse in the mouth but mention your observations to your son in law. If he knows reloading basics, he will be as concerned as you are.
Chances are that the bullets are slipping back in the case under recoil. This should be easily cured with a little firmer crimp in the final stage.
Chances are that the bullets are slipping back in the case under recoil. This should be easily cured with a little firmer crimp in the final stage.
It could be the dies, maybe the extractor or over worked old brass.
He does need to be called on it though, to see if some thing needs
to be fixed, to prevent the bullets sliding back, into the case.
In 55 years of loading rifle, I have never had this happen to me.
So he should check things out. That is not normal.
He does need to be called on it though, to see if some thing needs
to be fixed, to prevent the bullets sliding back, into the case.
In 55 years of loading rifle, I have never had this happen to me.
So he should check things out. That is not normal.
