Thread: Testing a conventional approach to load development

A wee thought on this. The results are still a bit subject to "other factors". My 223 full length die has been on the same "setting" for years. My last two 223s didn't really perform as well as I expected. Then the latest one gave me a series of light primer strikes, no bang. Hmmm, it's a very well built rifle, everything should be good, what's causing that? I checked firing pin protusion, all good. Headspace is the next suspect, so a trip to the gunsmith, hmmm that's within tolerance as well, the"no-go" wouldn't drop.

A real big Hmmmm. So after some more thought I got a comparator and measured the should length of some fired, factory and reloaded rounds. The measurements are relative but most factory ammo hovered round 2.507" Fired cases from the last two 223s a very consistent 2.514. My sized cases, 2.505 to 2.507 ( including the light pin strike ones). So I dug through some old cases until I found some that were measuring 2.511+, neck sized them and presto, accuracy improved, and the light strikes vanished.

Funnily enough both current 223s have exactly the same chamber length, and both improved accuracy.

My dies must have been like it, potentially causing issues, for at least 5 years since I got a co-ax press.