What happened?

[bbearhntr]

So I was loading some 223 wssm rounds today with 60g nosler partitions when I ran into a snag. As I was seating one bullet the press felt like it cammed over I pulled the cartridge out of the press and it measured .025 longer than the rest of my rounds. I put it back in the press and it felt the same way, like I was full length resizing. The bullet will not go any deeper into the case. Should I be nervous about shooting it? These fat cases do not fit in my RCBS hammer puller so if I need to pull the bullet what would you guys recommend?

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Were these cases all once fired from your 223 WSSM?

If not that could possibly explain the stickiness when you were trying to seat the bullet.

If the case was not resized the same as the others, that too would explain the difference in cartridge overall length (COAL).

If these were factory new cases that have not been fired in your particular rifle yet or were given to you by someone else with a 223 WSSM, it could be that the case was defective or just not properly sized. Hard to say without seeing it...

This is one I had yet to hear of. Interesting my dear Watson. :|

 

[bbearhntr]

These were factory new Winchester cases that I ran through my full length resizing die. Thats why I found it so puzzling. There was also another case that seemed to have a very loose neck. the bullet seated very easy. So should I pull the bullet? With what? :?

 

[JD338]

Get a collet bullet puller.
It will remove the bullet without a mark.

JD338

 

[Greg Nolan]

You might check and see if they slipped some 243WSSM cases in to your brass. If they are full length resized to 223 they will be longer. I've run into this before.
Greg

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Also make sure you didn't over fill it with powder.
That could be bad.
I'd pull the bullet and figure out what happened before I shot it.

 

[1Shot]

As a last resort you can remove the die from your press and raise the round up until the bullet sticks through the empty hole in the press and grab the bullet with pliers and hold on to it and then lower the the ram away and this will pull the bullet. It will mess up the bullet most of the time but at least you can pull it.

 

[corbin9191]

You might check and see if they slipped some 243WSSM cases in to your brass. If they are full length resized to 223 they will be longer. I've run into this before.
Greg

+1, I have had this happen a couple of times as well.

 

[bbearhntr]

So I looked at the stamp on the case and it matches all of the other ones. I shook the case and heard the powder sloshing around, no double charge. I measured the case length, width no forseable differences. I raised the case up through the press, put a VISEGRIP pliers around the bullet and tried pulling the case back down. IT WILL NOT BUDGE AT ALL :evil: I was applying so much pressure I thought I was going to separate the case! Needless to say the die threads on my press got a little mangled. I am sure glad I didnt attempt to fire this round. I wonder if the neck is too thick and when I raised it up int the seating die it compressed the neck tight around the bullet? Should a person measure neck thicnesses before loading? Hmmmm..... :? Any suggestions now on what to do with this mess?

 

[glane5910]

Are you sure you don't have the seating die screwed down too far, causing it to crimp the bullet in before its seated? Could be just the die needs adjusting? I screw my seat die down on the empty case then back it off 1/4 turn so its no where near the mouth when I seat my bullets.

 

[chet]

Sounds like you crimped it (inadvertantly)

Thats what you felt (camming like when sizing)

and now the bullet will be difficult to pull.

This one crimped because it was a tad longer than the rest.

and now oal is longer because the crimp started before the bullet was fully seated.

If your load is under max, just shoot it.

 

[IdahoCTD]

Most of the time I use wire cutters instead of pliers to remove bullets. It will cut into the bullet better for a better grip. Grap the bullet as hard as you can with the cutters and then lower the handle until the cutters sit flat on the press. Then smack the press handle with your hand. I haven't pulled any crimped bullets but it gets all the others I've tried out. Plus if the cutters are sitting flat on the press it wont screw the press up.

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Also I had this happen with some 8mm Rem Mag cases, If your die is seated too low to get the desired OAL instead of the bullet seating pin you can crimp the case mouth and crumple the shoulder and neck slightly therefore making an otherwise normal looking round that won't chamber. Man I am curious to find out what this problem is!

+1 to using wire cutters to pull the bullet instead of vice grips. The bullet is ruined but your threads are not!

 

[bbearhntr]

I back my seating dies up a full turn above the case mouths when seating as per RCBS instructions. The bullet before it seated perfectly fine and the bullet after it seated perfectly fine. I guess it will remain a mystery as to why the bullet got stuck. On a side note I absolutely could not pull the bullet out of the case with either the side cutters or vise grip pliers and some washers to protect my press threads so I used a pipe cutter to cut the case in half and dump the powder out. Then I used a 5lb. hammer to pound the 60g Partition out of the neck :shock: . That sucker was really wedged in there! Talk about one tuff bullet though, through all of the abuse it really held it shape better than I expected :lol:

 

[glane5910]

Wow!! No telling then..

 

[SJB358]

This needs some pictures. Seems like something was amiss that words were not working on. I am glad you get everything sorted out though. Scotty