crushing 223 cases????

[Hank Zudd]

loading Hornady full length resized brass, used graphite lube inside neck, trimmed same length yet crushed 2, checked die & seat depth with unprimed brass, then tried to seat next bullet & did it again; checked the inside of the seater die for gunk, nothing; screwed down & backed off per directions;  what am I doing wrong?

Loaded 100's of mil. cases w/o a problem (after adjusting dies) with same dies (Lee RGB 2 die set)

thanks,,,still trying to work up a load for my 223 handi

[Graybeard]

That is "almost" always a result of having the seater die screwed down too far or cases too long for the setting which is kind of another way of saying the same thing.

Take a case that is just a VERY FEW thousands over max length and set up your seater die for that. Then you should never see the situation again so long as you do not let your cases grow beyond max length.

It can also result from failure to chamfer the inside of case mouth especially so when using a flat base as opposed to boat tail bullet.

That really is about the only situations I've crushed cases like that in over 40 years of reloading.

[huntducks]

Your seater die is screwed in to far back it out 2-3 full turns or more and make any adjustments using the seat stem not the die body.

[Hank Zudd]

thanks; sometimes we just think too much,,,,,

[securitysix]

Yep, that's pretty much it.  I've also had this problem trying to use the Lee Factory Crimp die that came with my 8mm Die set despite following the directions to the letter.  I'm thinking those directions may not quite work with the Lee Hand Press, though.  I've yet to try it in a normal, bench-mounted press.

[Steve P]

GB is right on!!

If you pull the bullet in those cases, you can resize them.  Pull bullet, empty powder, pull stem out of sizing die and resize the brass. 

If you have trimmed your brass grab one piece and follow the following rule.  If you have not trimmed your brass, measure the length of 10, get the longest one, and follow the rule below.

Rule:  Put sized brass into press and pull handle so ram is in highest position.  Get seating die and screw seating stem all the way up.  Screw seating die into the press until you come into contact with your sized brass.  Turn die back up 1/2 turn and lock adjustment ring into place.   Crushing should never happen again with that die/brass unless your brass gets to be too long and needs trimming.

Steve