Chasing concentricity

[Rosebudteg]

I’m chasing concentricity with my reloads. These reloads are just 223 blasting ammo. Issue is I’m using mixed brass. If I was using consistent brand brass I would just go with a bushing die.

Here is what I’ve tried so far.

I started with pushing the expander ball instead of pulling. So I would full length resize the case with no expander in the die. Then on the next step I would put the expander back in and put it way down in the die so I could expand on the downstroke. Didn’t help. In fact, I didn’t really notice a change at all from just regular resizing with the expander ball.

Then I decided to try using a neck sizer die and then a body sizing die. Two separate operations. I dunno… I read about it on a reloading forum 15 years ago. This actually marginally improved concentricity though.

I’m concerned that a bushing die will be great for brand A brass, but not give the correct bullet tension for brand B brass. And for blasting ammo I’m not interested in sorting by brand. Is that something I should be worrying about?

Do you all know any other tricks to improve concentricity? Should I just buy a bushing die and be done with it?

Non-concentric cases are so ugly when they come out of the Giraud power trimmer.

 

[spife7980]

Buy better brass.

 

[Chickentoast]

Collet die - lee stocks 'em for 223

 

[Edsel]

I’m concerned that a bushing die will be great for brand A brass, but not give the correct bullet tension for brand B brass.

I think bushings are most applicable to folks who neck - turn their brass and are certain of their necks’ wall thicknesses.

Neck thicknesses from Lake City 2012 brass can range between 0.01065” to 0.01250”, often on the same piece of brass.

That alone will throw concentricity nirvana out the window.

With blaster brass - whatever’s convenient should suffice, adjust expectations accordingly.

“Polishing turds” really isn’t worth it.

 

[jpjulian]

If it's just blasting ammo, why bother worrying about concentricity? Make sure your loads are reliable, load and go shoot.

 

[Huskydriver]

Put a oring under your die lock ring and float the die