223 Rem with 55 gr FMJ cannelure question

[Rule3]

So in loading these to pretty much factory ammo, where exactly should the little bump cannelure be in relation to the mouth?. I have seen some fully in the case mouth some with a little showing. The whole thing is maybe .05".
I have been seating them to the top of the groove with a slight taper crimp. It is a Win componet bullet but the same with the Hornadays.

 

[Rule3]

So in loading these to pretty much factory ammo, where exactly should the little bump cannelure be in relation to the mouth?. I have seen some fully in the case mouth some with a little showing. The whole thing is maybe .05".
I have been seating them to the top of the groove with a slight taper crimp. It is a Win componet bullet but the same with the Hornadays.

 

[Rule3]

Sorry, I should have been more specific. This is for a bolt action rifle. None of my load data has info for 55gr fmj. They have for soft point. Just like trying to find fmj for 9mm or 45acp info.

I have them right at about 2.210, a little longer than the 2.200 for the sp info.

 

[john traveler]

The cannelure is provided for crimping the case mouth into the bullet. This helps to prevent bullet movement during cartridge feeding impacts and movement in the magazine. Since you are loading for bolt action, these considerations do not apply. You can even skip the crimp for your application.

 

[Rule3]

It has a box mag and holds 5 plus one. If I load them one at a time yes, I could skip the crimp. I keep the brass seperate and only neck size them now.

 

[BUFF]

I handload for and shoot a lot of rifles of a lot of callibers. With the exception of cartridges intended for lever actions with tubular magazines, I very rarely crimp rifle ammo. It is just one more variable to account for.

If your die, expander ball, bullet and brass are in spec dimensionally, neck tension will be more than enough to hold your .223 bullets in place, especially for a bolt gun. I don't crimp my .223/5.56 ammo even when it is intended to be shot in my AR-15.

 

[Rule3]

Yes, the neck tension is pretty tight so they should be fine.
I still am not sure of where to seat the bullet in relation to the small cannelure. Fully in the mouth or halfway???

 

[BUFF]

As long as the loaded cartridge fits in the magazine, you are fine.

Looking at factory loaded W-W 55 gr. FMJ and Federal American Eagle of the same flavor, I see the bullets are seated to the point that I can still see the striations in the crimping grooves, but just barely.

 

[Rule3]

Originally posted by BUFF:
As long as the loaded cartridge fits in the magazine, you are fine.

Looking at factory loaded W-W 55 gr. FMJ and Federal American Eagle of the same flavor, I see the bullets are seated to the point that I can still see the striations in the crimping grooves, but just barely.

Thats what I noticed on some also while the Remington were fully seated so I guess it is not that critical. I had no problem with mine fully seated to the groove so I guess i will leave it as is. Thanks

 

[Pisgah]

If you are one who loads so as to have the bearing surface of the bullet a certain distance off the rifling, find it for that bullet and use that length, and ignore the cannelure. Otherwise, just seat to the mid-cannelure, and don't worry about it. I don't usually crimp loads for bolt actions and single shots, but if you do, that's fine, and that's certainly the reason the cannelure is there -- or at least, that's one reason for a cannelure...

 

[gregintenn]

Once you find a load to your liking, I'd suggest you try several batches loaded to different overal lengths. You'd be surprised how much this can sometimes affect accuracy. Sometimes crimping versus not crimping and varying ammounts of crimp can have an effect as well. As others have stated, it is rarely necessary to crimp a bottlenecked rifle round. Unless you are crimping, the location of the cannelure isn't important.

 

[gregintenn]

Usually, the cannelure is cut in the bullet in such a way that the top of it is barely visible when loaded. However, this could vary when loading the same bullet in different caliber designations; eg. 22 hornet, 22-250, 223, 220 swift, 22- hi-power, etc.

 

[Rule3]

I am just running it through a Lee factory crimp collet die at a very light setting. More or less just smoothing it out.