Return of the .223 case stick problem

[Kart29]

When I first got my .223 Handi-Rifle I had a frequent problem with sticking cases.  I polished the chamber with Bore Paste and the problem went away.  I was only shooting factory ammo at the time.

Now, I've started reloading and the problem is back.  I've been using once fired brass that has been neck sized only.  I hate to go to full length sizing because it seems the fire-formed brass is one of the primary reasons we are able to get good accuracy from handloads.

Any suggestions for other ways to deal with the sticking .223 cases other than full length sizing?

[stimpylu32]

Kart29

If I had to guess , I'd say it was case lube on the brass or in the chamber that is causing the sticking problem . Give the chamber a good cleaning and make sure the brass is clean of lube also , this should cure the problem . If not its somewere to start .

stimpy

[Kart29]

I had recently cleaned the rifle, so perhaps there was some solvent or lube left in the chamber.  As soon as the problem started happening I wiped the inside of the chamber with a dry patch.  But that didn't help.

Another benefit of neck sizing with the Lee collet neck sizing die is that I don't use any lube on the cases before sizing.  I do use some brass polish in the polishing media.  Perhaps some of that brass polish remained on the cases and contributed to the problem.

Do you think it's worth cleaning the chamber and outside of the cases with a little brake cleaner and giving it another try?

[Stan in SC]

Are you trimming your cases?You probably need to go to full length resizing.

Stan

[quickdtoo]

I'd R&R the ejector and put a BB in front of the spring as recommended in the FAQs, 99% of all stuck cases are lightly stuck, it doesn't take much to knock them out, in fact I've had them fly out while I was retrieving a rod from behind the firing line!! The BB will also remedy a weak spring, you can get a replacement spring from Brownell's or H&R for a couple bucks.

The springs usually end up a little bent out of shape and that makes them not so effective, I've used a small screw instead of a BB, leave the screw shank as a short guide within the spring to keep it straight as well as the screw head as a spacer to increase pressure to help eject better.

Tim

[ECV Slick]

FWIW, I used to own a .308 military semi-auto that would "stick brass" occasionally..  I solved the problem by using an old T-shirt that I had lightly "misted" with WD-40, and dropped all of my ammo on that shirt and massaged it well to clean it up.  Yeah, I know that WD is supposed to kill primers and do all kinds of "bad stuff", but in reality - all I did was lightly clean off the exterior of the shell,  I never had another malfunction and always had smooth extraction.  Besides, the WD is not going to hurt anything in the few minutes that I used it until I fired.   I say it's worth a try - as it's one of the "cheapest solutions" you could try..

[Kart29]

There's a couple of good tips.  I didn't know it was possible to R&R the ejector.  I'll give the BB a try first and if that doesn't totally eliminate the problem, I try the WD-40.

My cases are definitely lightly stuck.  If I wait a few seconds to a minute it seems like the case/chamber cools down and contracts enough that the case pops out.  It's not a huge problem at the range.  But it could be more than a little frustrating if I was out hunting at the time.

[MSP Ret]

Just to check, how do the primers look on your reloaded and fired rounds? Are the loads that are sticking fairly hot or over factory pressures with any signs of excessive pressure?....<><....

[Dee]

You probably have a slightly rough chamber. This is gonna get some howls but I have used this method in my shop for years, especially on rifles that have gone uncleaned, and unfired for years.
Take a pistol cleaning rod say about 4 to six inches long, and put an old cleaning brush on it. Wrap the cleaning brush with 4-0 steel wool, and spray with oil. Put it in a high speed drill and gently move the steel wool in and out of the chamber a few times to polish it, and take out the roughness or corrosion. It doesn't take but a few seconds so don't over do it. Then clean the rifle and barrel of all residue and the problem will probably be cured permanently.
Sans a bad ejector, I have never had this fail to cure the problem.

[quickdtoo]

There are several methods of polishing the chamber listed in the FAQs, one of which is using a suitably sized bore mop with a patch and Flitz on a short section of cleaning rod chucked in a drill, has worked for me very well.

Tim

[Kart29]

I already polished the chamber using JB Bore past and a patch connected to a power drill.  That seemed to polish the chamber nicely and solved the problem on the factory ammo.  It is only since shooting once fired, neck-sized only, reloads that the problem has returned.

I"m fairly new to reloading for .223 although I have been reloading for a lower pressure .35 Rem for a few years.  I regularly load my .35 Rem well in excess of the published maximums.  But, I feel I'm being very conservative with my .223 loads.  Primers don't show very crisp edges after firing and I'm still a full grain below book max of 27.5 grains of Varget.  Bullet is not touching the lands.  I have no reason to suspect my pressures are too high.  But, thanks for the reminder anyway.

[quickdtoo]

Chamber one of the neck sized rounds or cases and close the action, hold the rifle up to a light source and look at the barrel/standing breech joint, if there's a slight gap at the top that's not there when the chamber is empty, the brass needs to be FL sized to push the shoulder back.

Tim

[MLP]

Another possibility?

Had a case sticking issue with my .223 Handi and NATO-spec 5.56x45.  Since switching to SAAMI-spec .223REM the problem has not resurfaced.   

M


 

[knight0334]

If it hasn't already been said..   you only necksize brass for a firearm that has been fired in THAT firearm.   Chambers vary from gun to gun, make to make, even model to model.   If you necksize brass fired from a Rem 700 bolt gun, it may not match your Handi's chamber.

Once you've fire formed brass in that rifle's chamber you can necksize it for that gun - well, most of the time...

[Fred M]

Factory ammo does not stick, that alone should give you a hint. Neck sizing and Handi's will sooner or later give you trouble. Sticky cases is one, cases too long from the shoulder back, dirty chamber the others. Forget neck sizing Handi ammo.

Cases in the Handi will stretch preventing the action to close fully. That is really bad news. A proper set up FL die will shoot just as well.

I send my FL 6x47 die to have it converted to a bushing die and honed for minimal body sizing, the shoulder is set back in each loading so the case is flush with the back of the chamber.

And you know what cases still stick after many rounds of shooting when the chamber gets dirty.