Doing something wrong?

[Revelation2939]

So I recently sized an loaded a bunch of 223. When trimming my cases I started noticing a big varriance in the accuracy of the trimming with my Frankford arsenal trimmer. I had it set at 1.749 and it started going anywhere between 1.742 and 1.755 and it was vibrating like crazy.

I thought it was the trimmer. The cases trimmed good and even just way off. I ended up resizing the brass a second time and it ended up being on point. Problem was I loaded a bunch of ammo before I figured out the problem. I also realized it happened when I switched to a new FL die.

I need to get a head space coparitor and check I realize that now. My question is do I pull all those bullets and throw away the cases if they are not safe to fire. I put a bunch through a case checker and some were a little out of spec and Im going to pull those but the ones that passed is the shoulder bump too fsr off. Can I check shoulder bump on a loaded case?

Thank you guys for hearing me out and ready for the scolding I deserve for not using a comparitor like I should have been.
Im pretty green but I have loaded about 1500 before with no issue not using one but now I see the need.

 

[Capt45]

I'd shoot em. You shouldn't have a problem unless you load hot.

 

[morning would]

Get the comparator and see how far you bumped the shoulder back. I’m not sure how you could ever trust anything if you are not measuring what you are doing. You need to know if you are bumping .002 or .020. Gonna make a big difference in the finished product. Also, the FA case trimmer indexes off the shoulder. You may be getting inconsistent shoulder bumps from your die that will cause trim lengths to be all over the place. It happens to me when I use any mixed headstamp brass. Each brand seems to bump a little different. At least for me anyways. That’s why I’ve just standardized what i use.

As far as are your rounds safe, I would never personally answer that question. I wouldn’t want to be wrong. Measure the loaded rounds with your comparator and then a fired round from the rifle you will be shooting from. Then your question of safety may be able to better be answered. But just know that some factory brass i have used before fireforming had a bump of .011-.012. Quite a bit. It ran fine and sized fine after.

 

[Revelation2939]

I'd shoot em. You shouldn't have a problem unless you load hot.

28.2 of cfe223 55grn so maxed yea its storage ammo for well the bad times. I will just have to measure it with the comparator when I get it.

 

[Revelation2939]

Get the comparator and see how far you bumped the shoulder back. I’m not sure how you could ever trust anything if you are not measuring what you are doing. You need to know if you are bumping .002 or .020. Gonna make a big difference in the finished product. Also, the FA case trimmer indexes off the shoulder. You may be getting inconsistent shoulder bumps from your die that will cause trim lengths to be all over the place. It happens to me when I use any mixed headstamp brass. Each brand seems to bump a little different. At least for me anyways. That’s why I’ve just standardized what i use.

As far as are your rounds safe, I would never personally answer that question. I wouldn’t want to be wrong. Measure the loaded rounds with your comparator and then a fired round from the rifle you will be shooting from. Then your question of safety may be able to better be answered. But just know that some factory brass i have used before fireforming had a bump of .011-.012. Quite a bit. It ran fine and sized fine after.

Yes I noticed that too but it seems the brand new die ran different than the used die i started with. It never got that wild of variations.

 

[supercorndogs]

If you want long term store ammo, buy factory ammo.

 

[Capt45]

Yeah that's probably right. I noticed that the only ammo I have setting around is factory; I shoot up all my reloaded ammo.