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  #1  
Old 05-10-2019, 05:06 PM
randyman randyman is offline
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Default .223/5.56 brass to 20 VT

This past winter I made about 500 rounds of 20VT brass from a bunch of .223 and 5.56 brass I've scrounged up. I did all the .223 stamped brass first and they came out pretty good. Everything chambered OK so I moved on with the rest of my brass so I could return the borrowed die sets a friend was kind enough to let me borrow. After loading up a hundred of so with powder and bullets and heading out for a squirrel shoot I realized about 50% of my rounds wouldn't chamber (bolt wouldn't close). When I got home I started checking to see why some would chamber and others wouldn't even though headspace length was the same with the comparator. Everything seemed to measure the same all along the case body. I don't know why but I started looking at the headstamps on the ones that chambered and the ones that didn't and realized that almost everything marked .223 chamber and everything stamped 5.56 (or not stamped at all) wouldn't chamber. I know you can't shoot 5.56 out of a .223 but .223 in a 5.56 is OK-at least in my AR. I built my 20VT with a 700 action and had the barrel made by my gunsmith. I made most of my brass with .221 Fireball and had no problems. Is the 200 rounds or so of the 5.56 brass I made into 20VT junk or is there a way to save it? Long post but wanted to include as much detail as possible. Randy.
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  #2  
Old 05-10-2019, 05:09 PM
csterner csterner is online now
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Fired brass you scrounged up? I'm guessing it's expanded at the web. Measure the diameter about 1/4" up from the base of the case vs the 22 rounds that will chamber. You might need a 223 sm base die with the guts removed to squeeze the body back down? Just a hunch. Blacken a case with a sharpie and see where it's hitting? Neck dia right? Web too fat?
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Old 05-10-2019, 05:16 PM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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Think you will find Randy, that any of the brass fired in and marked 5.56 will need ran through a small base die to size it down, as it expands at the web when fired in chambers for a 5.56.

I would guess that that is why you can not close the bolt on those cases. BIll K
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Old 05-10-2019, 05:25 PM
randyman randyman is offline
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Thanks guys! Didn't think about a small base .223 die. I have one that I have to use when sizing for my AR. Will give it a try here shortly. R!
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  #5  
Old 05-11-2019, 01:04 AM
dungheap dungheap is offline
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A small base .223 sizer may cure the problem; a Redding .223 body die may also work. I'd say there's also a possibility that some of your formed cases may be too thick in the neck area to chamber. Best do some measuring, I think. Neck turning or inside neck reaming may be in order.
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  #6  
Old 05-11-2019, 03:44 AM
Kevin Gullette Kevin Gullette is offline
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Exclamation Even after using a SB die.....

......you may run into "bolt click" later on.

Time will tell.

Kevin
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Old 05-11-2019, 12:15 PM
L.Sherm L.Sherm is offline
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I would be careful of mixing different headstamp brass if your running near max. loads different internal case volume can increase pressure.
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  #8  
Old 05-11-2019, 02:30 PM
TinMan TinMan is offline
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I have seen some 5.56 military brass that was shot out a bona fide machine gun or other open bolt weapons that have very large chambers, especially when they get real hot. Maybe your 5.56 brass was like that, especially if it was range pick-up brass.
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Old 05-11-2019, 03:33 PM
ken158 ken158 is offline
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I tried all the ways I could think of to get reliable VT brass from 223 and 5.56 and even bought some here a while back that one of the guys was making but never got a satisfactory end product. So, I just process Remington FB brass and good to go in Cooper 21.
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  #10  
Old 05-11-2019, 04:34 PM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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Just curious as to what was wrong with the brass from formed 223/5.56 ? I have bought some from two members on the site and have had no issues with either of their brass.
All I needed to do when I receive it was just run them through my sizing die, check length, chamfer the mouths, seat primers, load them and shoot.
Bill K
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