OK, I have reloaded quite a few straight walled pistol and M1 carbine cartridges, but am now starting to work on .223 This is my first experience with bottleneck cartridges. I have a good quantity of used cases that I have decapped with a Lee universal decapping die and have them all cleaned up nicely with wet tumbling using SS pins. After lubing a batch, I ran a few through my Lee sizing & decapping die that is supposed to full length resize the case and expand the neck enough to permit a bullet to start. I ran about a dozen cases through the die and tested them with a Hornady 55 grain .224 dia. bullet for fit. I could only get about a third of them to accept a bullet to start. I disassembled the die and it appears to be in good order. I measured the expansion/decapper rod and it is .223. A couple of the cases internal necks measured .219 - .221 after resizing. I am guessing the expansion/decapper rod is not thick enough to properly expand the neck. All my dies and single stage press is Lee. I bought these dies used, but they appear to be in very good condition. What say you that are experienced with bottleneck cartridges?

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