A Good Reloading Tool

[Wado II]

SAAMI drawings. I looked up .243 Winchester to see what the maximum cartridge dimensions are and confirmed what I thought was wrong with Fiocchi .243 brass. The necks on some of my loaded ammunition is measuring .2765 to .2770 and one was .2780 no way they would chamber. Maximum cartridge diameter is .276 and minimum neck diameter in the chamber is .277.

When reloading it would be a good idea to use these drawings as a reference because all components are different from brand to brand brass is probably the most inconsistent.

[CSN]

Most reloading manuals have the SAAMI drawings, but I guess they’re not the full tolerenced versions though. Is that what you’re referring to?

[Wado II]

Yes, most do I also wanted to see the chamber dimensions of course you are never really sure what your particular chamber is. Depends on the condition of the reamer maybe a little under or over or dull. Not every piece of that Fiocchi brass was overly thick but enough to convince me to chit can all of it. My Hornady book has a cartridge drawing and it is the same as the SAAMI it is max just like the drawings I got from SAAMI. Back when I was converting .223 to 300 Blackout I had to make sure I used the right 223 brass some of it was thicker and when you formed it the necks were too thick and you would have to neck turn them. That's just too much BS there was a list of brass not to use and I stuck with either Remington or Lake City never had any problems then Blackout brass became almost free and I don't even mess with converting it unless I am bored out of my head and want to punish myself. Lots of people get their recipes from the internet and don't even think about the cases or measurements I have had some factory ammunition not chamber even had one in this .243 already it was just an oddball I guess not fully sized or I have a tighter chamber. I have a fixture to neck turn in my lathe here but it sucks I don't think resizing that stuff is going to "fix" it.

[Stammster]

Wado II - did you measure the diameter of your bullets? Maybe the issue wasn’t just the brass.

I bought a Hornady L&L cartridge gauge for all the calibers I reload for. Last step in my process is to verify it drops in and fits.

[Wado II]

These must be loaded ammo checkers I didn't know Hornady made them Lyman does but I only have the case length gauges. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUDZyH0WrN8

[Wado II]

I measured the Berger bullets with a micrometer they are exactly .243 Noslers were actually undersized by two ten thousands so were some Speer. I measure the case neck thickness with a tube micrometer calipers aren't accurate the Fiocchi are definitely thick. I don't know if a case gauge will tell you if neck dimensions are off or case head swelling my Lyman gauge doesn't.