How's this look?

[jscwerve]

Maybe I explained my reasoning a little wrong. From what I've read, the reasoning to use small base dies is if you are reloading military brass that may have been used in fully automatic rifles. Also chamber dimentions vary from manufacture to manufacture in semi auto rifles. Small base dies (the RCBS anyways) sizes the case closer to the miminimum spec, .002 less than their regular full length dies. Also from what I've read is that there are very few people that have problems using regular old full length dies, but I have seen a couple of instances with chambering problems that were remidied by changing to full length dies. I use them because it is what I bought and even if regular sizing caused no problems in my rifles, why even take the chance, the dies were the same price when I bought them and I don't have a bolt .223.

I don't know anyone that reloads, so all I have to go by is the research I do on a product or process.


Back on track, I will definitely adjust to make less crimp when I get home. I appreciate all of the responses! Thanks!

P.S. the shells in the pictures are dummy loads, no powder or primer, just used for setup. Didn't want to screw up the crimp and waste an entire bullet.

[low drag]

Try loading some dummy rounds, just the case and bullet.

Pull the bullet, if you have a ring on the bullet where you cripped it you are using too much crimp. As alway, just my .02.

[SA Friday]

Crimping ammo is for three reasons; machine gun use, tubular magazine, and strong recoiling revolvers. I've been shooting reloads for over 20 years now and I have never crimped any of my semi or bolt cartridges. Even my mags don't move the bullets in the box magazines. Seat the bullet and move on. Crimp causes more problems than it cures for this cartridge short of shooting it fully auto.

SB dies will cut your brass life in half. Once again, unless you are shooting full auto, SB dies are just not necessary for the modern day AR. the SB probably won't cause any major issues, but it just harder to resize during reloading and will shorten how many reloads the cartridges will last.

[gnihcraes]

Seat a bullet without crimp, look at the bullet point on, see if the brass neck is touching the bullet all around, if so, you probably don't need any crimp. If there is a slight gap, adjust the crimp just enough for it to close that gap.

Install the die and adjust the body of the die until it just touches the brass at full height in the press. Should be just about right, if not, maybe another .5 turn on the die. Then work on the bullet seat depth.

I'll measure my COL tonight and see where mine are compared to yours, I'm curious. I might be screwing mine up!

[jscwerve]

I figured they look like that because I trimmed to 1.749, could trim more, but it is what it is.

[mc223]

Crimping ammo is for three reasons; machine gun use, tubular magazine, and strong recoiling revolvers. I've been shooting reloads for over 20 years now and I have never crimped any of my semi or bolt cartridges. Even my mags don't move the bullets in the box magazines. Seat the bullet and move on. Crimp causes more problems than it cures for this cartridge short of shooting it fully auto.

SB dies will cut your brass life in half. Once again, unless you are shooting full auto, SB dies are just not necessary for the modern day AR. the SB probably won't cause any major issues, but it just harder to resize during reloading and will shorten how many reloads the cartridges will last.

What he said! No crimp. No SB die.

[DSB OUTDOORS]

The tighter the crimp the more preasure it creates, which causes more problems and or break downs. The crimp on your's looks a little to tight fore my taste. But like SA Friday said you shouldn't have to crimp. Unless when you charge the round into the chamber and by doing so that it seats the bullet farther into the case to an unsafe level / COL lenght. I would start with no crimp 1st and see how that does. Chamber a round, do not fire it, eject the round and then check the COL and see if it had moved and then crimp if nessary.