Author Topic: First .223 reloads - Sucess and Major FAIL (Read 8425 times)

00BUCK · « **Reply #20 on:** February 25, 2013, 09:22:42 AM »

Wow that might be a bad batch. .221 is not right.
Here is a Hornady .224 55gr FMJWC in the mic.

Oleshome · « **Reply #21 on:** February 25, 2013, 10:18:28 AM »

Well crap. Hopefully this is just one bad box and not the whole damn case of 1000. Otherwise, i'll have to throw them really hard at the target not sure my arms that good anymore. Getting old... Makes me wonder how the other 26 worked then too.

Oleshome · « **Reply #22 on:** February 25, 2013, 10:20:35 AM »

How does any of this explain the factory round that did the same thing though? I can understand the reloaded ones but I tried one from the factory. When that pushed in too I knew for sure something bad was up.

cckyle · « **Reply #23 on:** February 25, 2013, 10:45:25 AM »

Could it be that the bullet that was sitting in your barrel wasn't even far enough down the barrel to allow the next round to be seated in the chamber all the way? Then when you cycled it, the next round hit that bullet and forced the bullet from the next round into the case? The next round hitting this not letting the BCG to move all the way forward and lock into place, thus not allowing it to function properly when you pulled the trigger?

Are there primer strikes on those 3 rounds? I'm guessing not.

00BUCK · « **Reply #24 on:** February 25, 2013, 11:00:57 AM »

If you are shooting an AR make sure that if the upper has M4 feed ramp cuts that the barrel also has them. This issue pops up on ARFCOM now and then.

Oleshome · « **Reply #25 on:** February 25, 2013, 11:14:12 AM »

I'm thinking that CCKyle may have hit on it. I'm not sure how far past the chamber the squib was. I should have measured it but at the time i was far more concerned about getting the bullet out. That would explain why I didnt get a much worse result.

Oleshome · « **Reply #26 on:** February 25, 2013, 11:16:09 AM »

I'm not sure about the feed ramps. I'll have to check. I'm really thinking the squib kept the other rounds from chambering fully. that theory just makes sense considering the results. Now i'm curious though..

NENick · « **Reply #27 on:** February 25, 2013, 11:20:05 AM »

Quote from: Oleshome on February 25, 2013, 10:18:28 AM

Well crap. Hopefully this is just one bad box and not the whole damn case of 1000. Otherwise, i'll have to throw them really hard at the target not sure my arms that good anymore. Getting old... Makes me wonder how the other 26 worked then too.

Take a picture of the box for us, with all of the details on it. Such as ".224 FMJ RN-BT"

Oleshome · « **Reply #28 on:** February 25, 2013, 11:33:05 AM »

Can do once i get home.

jonm · « **Reply #29 on:** February 25, 2013, 11:41:07 AM »

Quote from: 00BUCK on February 25, 2013, 11:00:57 AM

If you are shooting an AR make sure that if the upper has M4 feed ramp cuts that the barrel also has them. This issue pops up on ARFCOM now and then.

If that is the issue, why doesnt the mil have the same problems?

NENick · « **Reply #30 on:** February 25, 2013, 12:22:17 PM »

Quote from: jonm on February 25, 2013, 11:41:07 AM

If that is the issue, why doesnt the mil have the same problems?

I would guess that since the military is using new ammunition, all the little variables that can cause this are cooked out from the start. The projectiles, cases, crimps, etc are all correct. The absence of M4 feed ramps probably doesn't generate the issues as often for them as a result. Since we're picking up used casings, we've got to look for them, and weed them out ourselves.

jonm · « **Reply #31 on:** February 25, 2013, 12:58:41 PM »

That is my point. The feed ramps arent the problem, the ammunition is. Sure the feed ramps can help, but there is no way around making the ammo correct from the start.

Neeco · « **Reply #32 on:** February 25, 2013, 01:02:32 PM »

I am going to venture a guess and say that cckyle had it right. The squib was to close to allow the next round to chamber completely and the bullet was smashing into it. That would explain the factory round being smashed in. If there are no primer strikes, then it wasn't chambered correctly/completely, and that in turn saved at the very least, your weapon, and maybe even yourself.

When I reloaded my first 100 .223, I checked EVERY measurement on EVERY case/completed round. If it wasn't spot on, it wasn't used, or it was fixed...

Glad everything worked out for you, and you have all your parts intact!

00BUCK · « **Reply #33 on:** February 25, 2013, 01:44:39 PM »

Quote from: jonm on February 25, 2013, 12:58:41 PM

That is my point. The feed ramps arent the problem, the ammunition is. Sure the feed ramps can help, but there is no way around making the ammo correct from the start.

You weren't paying attention. If you use an M4 feed ramp upper and a non-M4 feed ramp barrel you can AND WILL have this happen. I didn't say that WAS the problem, but one thing to check. Sheesh!

sidearm1 · « **Reply #34 on:** February 25, 2013, 02:59:57 PM »

Just coldly analysing what happened. Did you see a bullet strike with round #6? Since I don't know for sure what weapon you were using, I will assume an A.R. type. Did the weapon cycle on its own or did you have to cycle round #7 into the chamber? Once you have to manually cycle a semi auto, you should stop and check out why. You would have then found the stuck bullet. I believe that you are using the wrong size bullet. .221 is a size more commonly used in rounds such as the .220 Russian that used to be used in bulls eye type competition. I also believe that you had a load with a primer only and no powder. (When I am loading initial rounds, I always look in each case to make sure there is powder in them) This pushed the bullet into contact with the rifling. The next round (even the factory round) then hit the stuck bullet and was pushed back into the case. .224 is the correct size, but you probably would have had the same problem with a squib load.

Again, not picking on anyone, just analysing what could have gone wrong and how to correct it.

Oleshome · « **Reply #35 on:** February 25, 2013, 03:54:46 PM »

@ Sidearm1, No, I didnt see a bullet strike. Since the bullet was in the barrel I couldnt have. At this point after talking about it so much I'm no longer sure whether I cycled it or not. I'm thinking I did. I've had occasional FTE's before so its not totally a shock if/when it happens. Honestly, if i have an FTE I don't habitually check the barrel. Given the situation clearly this time I should have. I'll have to check the boxes again but i now for a fact that when i purchased the bullets they were sold to me as .224. However, i didnt mic them before loading. Another lesson learned. I do know there was powder in the round though obviously not enough. I've looked at the other rounds and the primers were not impacted which is why I still have a complete weapon and my various parts. You're not the first to chastise me for not looking into each casing either. No offense taken. My point behind even creating the topic was so others might learn from my mistake and from the comments as folks analyzed and observed.

00BUCK · « **Reply #36 on:** February 25, 2013, 06:12:01 PM »

Squib prevention should be almost a certainty if certain steps are followed.
Visually inspect all components, measure a sampling of the bullets.
1 Cases cleaned, decapped, sized and trimmed (if needed).
2 Case mouths are expanded if required.
3 Cases are inspected and primed.
4 Cases are charged then put into a loading block. Drop the powder, set case in loading the loading block. Once the loading block is full visually inspect each case - If a case has little or no powder, or way too much compared to the others you will be able to see that. Under no conditions does a case get put into the loading block without a powder charge.
5 Bullets are seated and COL measured.
6 If you decided to crimp them do so after measuring a sampling of your loads.

I realize that this will not work for people using a progressive press - and it is the number one reason I'll stick with my single stage.

Oleshome · « **Reply #37 on:** February 25, 2013, 06:18:45 PM »

I said i'd post a pic of the box of bullets I used. The one on the left is the one I used. The box on the right is the second purchase I got. Below are the links to their product pages. Btw, both mic out at .221.

http://www.nosler.com/Bullets/Ballistic-Tip-Varmint.aspx

http://www.nosler.com/Bullets/Combined-Technology.aspx

Oleshome · « **Reply #38 on:** February 25, 2013, 06:20:21 PM »

second bullet from Nosler

M7025-06 · « **Reply #39 on:** February 25, 2013, 07:18:47 PM »

Yeah...that's not good. I would check every bullet in both of those boxes and then call/email Nosler.

I just got a couple boxes of Accubonds in the mail for my 243 and will definitely check everyone before it gets seated.