Semi-Auto Reloading Question

[Gadsden]

I've read that once brass has been fired through a rifle there should no longer be a need to run it through a full size die because the brass should now conform to the dimensions of the rifle. I am not finding this to be the case. What I am seeing is, if I try to only size the neck and not run the brass through the full size die, the charging handle gets jammed and brass gets hung up in the chamber forcing me to get it out manually. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[Aries]

Usually, neck only sizing is recommended for bolt action rifles. Full length sizing is generally recommended for semi-autos for the very problem you're describing.

 

[rockchalk06]

Adding to what Aries said, Gas Gun: Full length size your brass. Unless you know how to bump the shoulders back .003" while sizing the body of the case, full length size it. My 20" M5's chamber is so tight, I ended up getting a small base die to size the body down even smaller to run reliability. If you play around with the right load, you can get pretty kick ass accuracy FL sizing.

 

[Firpo]

You need to get yourself a bolt-gun.

 

[SPDguns]

You should always use small base dies when reloading 5.56/.223 for AR’s, Mini’s and the like.

 

[thor447]

 

[dennishoddy]

You should always use small base dies when reloading 5.56/.223 for AR’s, Mini’s and the like.

They don't make them for the .243WSSM in the AR platform. RCBS advised me to run the sizing die down an additional 1/8 turn over factory recommendations to make sure the brass is actually fully resized. It was camming over before making the full resizing trip making me think it was good. My brass wasn't going into full battery and required grenading to extract the round.
That was years ago. It's all good now.

 

[diggler1833]

I've read that once brass has been fired through a rifle there should no longer be a need to run it through a full size die because the brass should now conform to the dimensions of the rifle. I am not finding this to be the case. What I am seeing is, if I try to only size the neck and not run the brass through the full size die, the charging handle gets jammed and brass gets hung up in the chamber forcing me to get it out manually. Am I doing something wrong?

Sorry to hear about your situation.

Whoever wrote what you read, made a generalization that is usually more incorrect than it is right.

As already noted above: small base dies for semi autos add a bit of insurance for reliable feeding because they get the entire body of the case back down. Most standard dies will stop sizing on the case body that last 10-15% up from the base (case head). Most small base dies will also compress the brass an additional .0005 - .001. Great for reliable feeding...less great for brass longevity.

I use small base dies in my 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC...but I continue to use a standard die for my .223 and .308. I haven't noticed any reliability differences...but that is just me. YMMV. I also set mine to bump the shoulder .004 in gas guns. That might be excessive to some, but it works for me.

I'll add that neck sizing only was a trend for a while, but is now rapidly fading among experienced reloaders. Way too many occurrences of chamber's not having been cut perfectly uniform...and then you run into needing extra force to chamber and extract reloads because the next time that case is loaded it might be 180 degrees from when it was last fired. That's less of an issue on a bolt gun...but not something you want to add to a semi auto. It also frequently doesn't give the extra accuracy advantage that many proponents originally claimed. Really, the argument FOR neck sizing is just longer brass life, and it should really only be done in a bolt gun.