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13-11-2018, 07:27 #11
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- Mar 2012
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- Port Elizabeth
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- 5,955
Re: "New" flat point .223 Frontier problems
The action of a semi-auto is violent, nothing like a bolt action. This may be the cause of setback. I also found that trying to determine my COL by using the cleaning rod method did not work as my rounds would not fit into the magazine. Load as long a COL as you can, but in a way that your ammunition fits into the magazine.
Try a batch with no crimp, light crimp as per the die setup instructions and full crimp. This should give you an idea of what works best. In my experience a full crimp solved my problem and i haven't had a problem since. I haven't found a problem with weakened jacket issues on the bullets and shot accuractely out to 250m, but i haven't pushed the new FP out to that distance yet, those were the old Frontier bullets.
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13-11-2018, 07:29 #12
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- Mar 2012
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- Port Elizabeth
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- 5,955
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13-11-2018, 07:33 #13
- Join Date
- Aug 2013
- Location
- Randburg, Gauteng
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- 38
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- 1,281
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13-11-2018, 07:58 #14
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- May 2014
- Location
- JHB
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- 2,657
Re: "New" flat point .223 Frontier problems
Maybe take a picture and post it up of your crimp? As how much crimp being applied can be fairly subjective from person to person.
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13-11-2018, 08:15 #15
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- Nov 2011
- Location
- Kempton Park
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- 36
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- 2,809
Re: "New" flat point .223 Frontier problems
Assuming your sizing die is set up correctly, the only reason for the bullet setback can then be a bullet tip slamming into some part of the chamber when it is being loaded.
I would avoid excessive crimp, especially on fragile bullets. Not much is needed.
Your COL on a FP bullet should not be the same length as a spire point. If it is, it may be that the COL is too long for reliable feeding and the flat bullet tip may then contact the top of the chamber when being stripped from the magazine.
Instead of measuring COL, measure from case head to bullet ogive. Make this measurement the same as your loads that work. My bet is that you will then find your COL shorter than before on the FP bullets, and most likely more reliable feeding.
I have experienced jams in the past when loading hollow point monolithic bullets for my AR. The bullet had to be seated some way deeper for the round to be stripped off the magazine and clear the top of the chamber without contacting the tip of the bullet. (Long bullet with an exposed hollow point.)
Step one, move over to FMJ’s...especially considering your barrel twist rate.
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13-11-2018, 08:24 #16
- Join Date
- Oct 2011
- Location
- Polokwane
- Age
- 49
- Posts
- 241
Re: "New" flat point .223 Frontier problems
I also had this issue where the chamber seemed quite long but the bullets would not fit in the magazine. The longest I could make them whilst still fitting in the mag was 57mm.
Remember not to just try to fit one bullet in the mag, load about three to four as the mag seems to taper a bit.
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07-03-2019, 14:50 #17
- Join Date
- Dec 2009
- Location
- Johannesburg
- Age
- 41
- Posts
- 370
Re: "New" flat point .223 Frontier problems
Update on the process.
After excessive amounts of cursing and pulling my hair out if think I found the problem and the solution.
A little bit of background from the beginning of the journey. I never had setback on cambering the round. The setback was achieved with my thumb being able to push the bullet back on almost every single case. I stopped and didn't load any of these into my rifle for that exact reason.
I had the die set up with it touching the shell plate and up to 3 additional full turns in. This all gave me the setback problem.
In my mind there was no way of not sizing the brass all the way and I went as far as to buy the Hornady case comparator to see the numbers "moving' as I was resizing.
On my last loading session I was just not able to achieve a shoulder "bump" and no matter how much I was turning the die in, nothing happened.
I inspected my press only to find that the handle linkage had cracked. The moment I got onto the handle to torque the linkage would open and not press the ram up.
New linkage, backed off the die and no more setback problem.
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