Shoulder dents. Sonofa....

surveyor

Old Mossy Horns
I just found out that a good percentage of the once fired 223 I reloaded has a small dimple on the shoulder, sufficient to prevent it from chambering in my CZ 527.

Needless to say, it sucks like a gigantic carp.

But I can't remember if it was purchased deprimed, or if I FL sized it all 1st.

I'm guessing that the dimple was from an EBR ( evil black rifle). To be honest, when I used to use one, I never bothered examining the spent brass that close.

But will a FL sizing even do anything?

Regardless, I'll need to mount up the collet puller and get some elbow exercise.

And find some more 223 brass.
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Most shoulder dents are caused by one of two things. A light charge is common if it occurs during firing. If it happens during sizing, most likely too much lube is being used.
With that said, you can fix without breakdown. Remove the primer pin from your FL sizing die. Lube case and run it through the die. Probably won't remove the dimple, but will allow it to chamber. Firing will take care of the dent.
 

TobyScreams

Twelve Pointer
Yep. Once in a while I’ll see dents from hitting the brass deflector. Mostly it’s too much sizing lube.
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I did think of another thing that "can" distort your brass in the shoulder area and just below. Seating die. IF you are using Lee dies, the seating die has a crimp adjustment that you can set. If it is set too low or if your brass varies in length, the crimp will happen at different stages of bullet seating. If brass is longer than adjusted for, the crimping will occur prior to full bullet seat and will affectively "crush" the neck to the rear. This can flare the case at the rear of the taper and/or cause them to buckle a bit. Yep, I've done that and now trim to length EVERY case during my processing..
 

Sharps40

Old Mossy Horns
Full length sizing of a loaded round will reduce the diameter of the neck and bullet. If they wont' chamber its time to pull down and resize the empty brass. If that dosn't fix the issue, the brass is likely scrap.
 

DrSpeed

Eight Pointer
I have heard of dented brass coming from firearms with fluted chambers, roller locks being the most consistent. Not sure if the denting was particular to the shoulder though.
 

surveyor

Old Mossy Horns
I'll try to get some pics tonight.

Not sure its lube caused as I noticed one dent that looks like it may have a split at its peak. Really perplexing, and it makes me want to chunk all the brass - as soon as I save the primers....

I already pulled the bullets and powder.
 

firedawg60

Twelve Pointer
Next time shooting the EBR, inspect some cases right after firing to see if they have the dent. If so, the cases are probably hitting just right of the shell deflector and making the dent. I have seen that happen with certain rounds depending on spring/buffer weight. Usually the case mouth opening is dented so that it isn't perfectly round though.
 

HotSoup

Old Mossy Horns
Next time shooting the EBR, inspect some cases right after firing to see if they have the dent. If so, the cases are probably hitting just right of the shell deflector and making the dent. I have seen that happen with certain rounds depending on spring/buffer weight. Usually the case mouth opening is dented so that it isn't perfectly round though.

That's what my 6.8 does, dents the mouth
 

bigten

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor

JMO, but that looks neither like lube or blowback dents. They actually appear to be suffering from metal fatigue. I could easily be wrong on that assumption though. Do you know how many times the cases have been resized? Are the shoulders being pushed back during sizing? MOST cases suffer more at the base after repeated sizing, but that appears to have shifted ends on those pictured.
 

surveyor

Old Mossy Horns
JMO, but that looks neither like lube or blowback dents. They actually appear to be suffering from metal fatigue. I could easily be wrong on that assumption though. Do you know how many times the cases have been resized? Are the shoulders being pushed back during sizing? MOST cases suffer more at the base after repeated sizing, but that appears to have shifted ends on those pictured.
Not sure on the number of firings. It may be a case of "buyer beware"; I thought I got them as once fired, and some of these I have fired during load development.

But I'm going to chunk them and get some new brass, just to be on the safe side.

I've inspected my sizing dies (FL and Neck only) and they appear ok. I neck size only after the first shot in the gun.

As far as lube goes, for FL sizing, I spray a pad and roll one on there and size it, and go another one or two until is starts to feel rough again, then repeat.
 
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