My first 100 rounds

[Chris2087]

I just completed my first 100 rounds of 223. I did 50 each of PS and PMC headstamps. Receipe 24 grains of Benchmark, CCI 400 primer and 50 grain V-max. Case trimed to 1.75 and bullet set to 2.24 OAL. Just above the min load from the Hornady book.

Lessons Learned
1. Trim the case before the sizing die.
I had some cases that where over my 1.75 after the sizing die and that after I trimed the case it opened the case up too much that there was not enough neck pressure for bullet seat. This was of course after I had primed the case.

2. Its fun. I enjoyed it so much that I am already looking for a FL die to reload some ammo for the AR. Anyone want to loan me one?

I have yet to shoot any just yet, but if I get to I will post the results.

Chris

[SA Friday]

What did you use to trim the length? I've used an RCBS hand trimmer for years, and never had it open up the neck to where I had no neck tension. The normal procedure is to resize and then trim because if you trim and then resize, you stretch out the neck during resizing and the length is a crap shoot then.

[Chris2087]

I used a LEE trimmer.

But I used a Neck size die that would provide the crimp. I was checking sizes of each case after I trimmed and sized and they where within tolerences (175.2 - 1.75.3). The cases I had a problem with all had starting sizes greater then 1.63 after size and then I trimmed them. Causing the leck to open up just enough.