I have been reloading handgun ammo for decades but just started reloading rifle ammo (.223) this year, about 8 months. My reloads work great 99% of the time, yesterday I had a slam fire then a short time later I had a feed jam. A tough one. I took my AR lower assembly off and tried to get the bolt out with no luck. Finally when I got home I was able to pry it apart only by putting a screw driver in it and giving the screw driver handle a whack with a plastic hammer.

Any ideas what is causing this a I re-size each cartridge when reloading.

Sounds like more of a weapon problem than an ammo problem. Not sure why your rifle locked up but a slam fire isn't caused by faulty ammo. Check the operation of your bolt, sounds like you've got some issues there.

I wonder if a slam-fire could be caused by a primer that's not seated all the way . . . ?

A slam-fire could also happen if you're using primers that are too soft . . . like Federal primers. Use some nice Wolf primers or CCI #41 primers. What kind of primers are you using?

As for the feed issue, you'll have to describe that in more detail. Was it a double-feed, with two cartridges trying to fit into the chamber at the same time?

When you have a stuck bolt, you can typically get it open by:

- Put the gun on "safe" if you can. Keep your finger away from the trigger.
- Hold the gun muzzle-up.
- Pull back on the charging handle; keep pressure on it, I know it won't move.
- Slam the butt of the rifle (or end of the pistol buffer tube) into the ground.

Between the slam and the pressure you have on the charging handle, the bolt will usually come open.

The slam fire can be caused by a slightly raised primer. Make sure they are fully seated.

The jammed round can have a couple of causes

Failure to size the case all the way to the bottom. A short stroke on the press or improperly adjusted die. Best way to prevent this is to buy a case gauge and use it when setting up the sizing die. When the die is screwed in enough the cases will fit the gauge with the case head flush. If they stick out of the gauge then you haven't sized the case far enough down it's length.

Second, and most common problem is that the seating die is set to seat and crimp at the same time. Unless EVERY case is the same length this can cause uneven crimping and if over crimping it tends to bulge the case right at the shoulder area. This causes the case to wedge tightly in the chamber.


To clear a jam of this type, follow the US Army manual for clearing jammed rounds from an M-16. Put the safety on, make sure there is nothing overhead then while pulling back on the charging handle strike the buttstock on something firm like the ground or a sand bag. You can't pull the handle enough to loosen the stuck case but by following this procedure you get the benefit of INERTIA from the Bolt Carrier Group. Rarely if ever will this cause the round to fire as the hammer is blocked from the firing pin (that's why it didn't fire to begin with) but as a matter of safety, be sure to check the overhead and surrounding area so that "almost impossible discharge" won't hit anyone should it happen and your rifle isn't pointed perfectly UP.

Best way to prevent the jamming is to not crimp with the seating die. Invest in the inexpensive Lee Factory Crimp die and crimp as a separate operation. Better crimps and no distortion of the cases.

Make your resizing and trimming your brass (1.750) in that order

No kidding? I've never seen a slam fire that didn't have a dent from the firing pin engaging the primer. Gonna squeeze my hand primer a little harder now if that's the case.

I don't think anything we've said here contradicts that, does it . . . ?

If the primer is raised, then it's going to get hit a little harder when the floating firing pin whacks it, when the bolt is closed.

How are you reloading these? What's your OAL? How consistent is your OAL? What primers are you using?

just curious, whats the load here your using? bullet weight, powder charge, primer, etc..

Get a "go - no go" gauge (about $25) because it your brass isn't resized properly it'll jam in the barrel and be incredibly difficult to get out "ask me how I know" - Actually this happened to a friend so he went and visited Sagewa and quickly found out his brass wasn't resized correctly.
Someone else said resize and trim to 1.750 and I concur. The book says 1.76 but at 1.75 you'll be good to go a few firings.
Resize 1st because those little buggers will grow .002 to .004 when resized!
.223 is a different animal than pistol brass. Sagewa also offers brass processing of your tumbled/cleaned brass for $40 per thousand. He runs them through a Dillon 1050 to deprime, resize, de-swage the primer pockets, trims to length (1.75 is what all mine were when I got them back) burrs and chamfers the tops. All my new brass goes to him before I reload it. Then I keep track of new vs used.
Highly recommended!!!

I had the very same issue...I bumped the shoulder of my brass back .010....no more issue.

The slam fire is only the second time it has ever happened to my reloads, I never looked at the case as it fell in with the others, my mistake. I use CCI primers. 55gr.bullet - A2230 - caliper check each one for length, make sure powder is in each so I'm lost.
The jam was a MF, everything was jammed up, the charging handle would not move more than an inch, forward assist was no help. I waited a couple minutes and then worked on it siting on my lap pointing down range. I had to separate the upper and lower and the bolt was jammed in at the very front, the part around the ejector area. I finally waited until I got home and took a screw driver and put it against the bolt and gave it a smack with a plastic hammer and it came out.
WEIRD thing is the bullet was loose in the cartridge and no powder in it. I use a cheapo Lee 4 Die turret press so the seating die is not the crimping die. It has never happened with a 20 rd Mag only the 30 magpul but I thank that is just a fluke.
This is also the third time it has happened out of a couple hundred reloads. over a few months.

CCI 41, 400's or BR4's? The 400's have a thinner cup than the 41's and are more prone to slam fires.

It's not the Lee Dies. It sounds more like you have a brass problem. What was your COAL and what type of brass are you using?

You also should consider a cartridge gauge. I prefer Dillion, but there are several good gauges out there.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/content/ ... Case_Gages

What charge on the aa2230? What case, primer?

I have very good luck with aa2230 in lc cases with cci 450 mag primers, and no problem to date..Also check all my cases with a LE wilson guage, caught a few bad ones with it.

Don't have to ask. I've been to the "same school".