Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles .223 die set-up

We all know that most chambers are cut for 5.56mm NATO. I've yet to load my first .223 round. I do load for everything else and know all about partial sizing and setting back the case shoulder. But this is for an AR-15, so I can't check it by feel.

Do you guys just full length size in .223 dies and bump the shoulder back every time? I wonder because if the NATO shoulder is slightly longer, brass will get worked quite a bit.

Chamber is the same it’s the leade that is cut deeper if I understand correctly.

I use a Hornady case comparator and set the shoulder back 2-3 thousandths, just so it chambers easily.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012743827/?pid=479704

You'll quickly learn there's no such thing as loading for a specific AR. You're loading for all 5...10....maybe 20 ARs you'll end up with. So, yea, resize back to spec for AR's.

Lol. 😂

Just save yourself the trouble, and fl size them. And yes, you'll end up with more than just one..

Thanks for the tips. I have 2 at the moment.

I use a cartridge gauge, Lyman in this case. Checks for proper sizing and case length. If it fits in the gauge, it fits my guns, so far at least. A pocket machinist’s rule easily helps check that the case isn’t sticking out over the steps at either end; just slide the edge over. If a case is sized too much, the corner of the rule will catch on the edge of the minimum step.

+1 😝 I just started down that rabbit hole in November, and already have two, and another upper enroute…

Cartridge dimensions are exactly the same.

Full-length resize, but try not to move the shoulder more than a couple mils. The less you move the shoulder, the less work hardening, the more reload cycles before cracking. I don't anneal.
I reload for 2 ARs, one carbine-length and the other rifle-length gas systems.

I know that the first time I FL-resize range pickup brass I can be moving a lot of metal around. But on subsequent load cycles as little as possible.

I use a Brass Goat.

I set the redding dies up just like the redding directions say and resize the brass, trim to length, load the bullet to just shy of magpul magazine length.

I measured all my fired cases and was surprised at the difference between guns. Had a LaRue that was loose as a goose on headspace and a Krieger that was pretty tight.

Wound up selling both of those and keeping ones that fell in line with the rest of them. Keeping AR brass separated is a pain I got tired of dealing with.

Spend the money for a set of calipers and the Hornady comparators. The brass I resize for the AR's and NATO chambers won't fit in a standard .223. They are 2 different animals. Keeping the brass separate is a pain in the rear but I have the time so I do it. Or you can do like TRW did as sell the ones that don't fit your needs.

kwg

Krieger is generally known for pretty tight. As is WOA generally.