start up on 223 re-loading

[d***340]

round two. warming up to the thought of reloading .223 for my AR (Saint), have spent hours on line, including you tube. seems like the re-size/trim after first shot is important. thinking about setting up a single stage press for re-size/decap. Really like carbide, but want to have the most control over re-sizing (thinking FL).

target: most accurate load @ 100yd or less.

would love to hear thoughts on the best die from a precision re-size standpoint.

thank you in advance,

 

[dallasb]

round two. warming up to the thought of reloading .223 for my AR (Saint), have spent hours on line, including you tube. seems like the re-size/trim after first shot is important. thinking about setting up a single stage press for re-size/decap. Really like carbide, but want to have the most control over re-sizing (thinking FL).
target: most accurate load @ 100yd or less.
would love to hear thoughts on the best die from a precision re-size standpoint.
thank you in advance,
 

My experience is that resizing dies are pretty close to the same. Your technique will have more of an effect on precision than the die itself (assuming the die is machined to spec). Carbide rifle sizing dies are very expensive and you still have to lube the cases, all mine are tool steel. For semi auto rifles FL dies are a must.

My 223 setup is:
1. Lee sizing die FL (also have small base of doing military brass)
2. Swage if needed
3. Trim with Giraud trimmer
4. Send through progressive for primer/powder/seating

You must at least check case length on bottleneck cases. I run mine through the trimmer after every firing to ensure that they are all to the same length.


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[Dolomite_supafly]

The best way to preserve your brass and get accurate loads is to separate the steps.

Use a Redding body die to size the body then use a Lee collet die to size the neck. Take the sizing pin out of the Lee collet die, chuck it into a drill then use sandpaper to polish and remove a few thousandths to increase neck tension. That way you do not HAVE to crimp. And if you decide you want to load for a bolt gun then all you have to do is size the neck. The rest of the case will be fire formed to your chamber so it will help your brass last a lot longer. Unfortunately you MUST size the body with semi autos.

Normal dies squeeze the neck down below the minimum and then pull a mandrel through the neck to get it to proper size. This work hardens your brass and without annealing they will only last 4-5 loadings before the case is unusable. By sizing the body and neck in separate operations your brass will last a lot longer. I would normally get 10+ loadings.