02-16-2021, 04:06 PM
Klem, the Hornady 123 FMJ is a bullet that's sold exclusively through MidSouth Shooters Supply. I don't know if it's something they actually make themselves or if they pimp their name out. https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/i...nt?Tk=DFBU
Neck OD is .287" unfired, 2.90" loaded and .298" fired.
COAL is 2.24". I just used the setting on my Forster Micrometer Seating Die that I use for the Scenars. I think that was my mistake. I made a dummy like I always do and it chambered and extracted just fine with no markings. I didn't measure with my Hornady comparator, but I did last night and it looks like it's just 0.01" off the lands. My Forster die tends to wander to longer (COAL gets longer but the top adjusting section doesn't move) and I'm guessing I didn't keep on top of it since I was making "plastic baggie ammo". So I was too close to the lands to start with and one probably did jam into the lands from being either a little too long due to the die wandering when seating, or the bullet slipping forward when it was chambered. I'm pretty confident that's what happened, but I'm sitting here looking at the 30 or so rounds I have left and don't see myself seating them deeper and lighting them up. And I'm certainly not going to complain that the bidding on GunBroker is up to 39¢ per for 24¢ bullets.
Took the barrel off yesterday, got the lug out and gave the extension a good scrubbing. Everything looks fine and it's back on. Which is good since changing it out is not something I would attempt myself, and I doubt I could find a gunsmith who could do it in a period not measured in months these days.
FWIW, I've got about 1500 of the bulk Hornady 55gr .224 FMJ that can still be had for a dime at MidSouth. I actually get around MOA out of them in one barrel. I measured them and most are .2235 with a few at .2230. The same calipers give me .224 for all of the Sierra, Nosler and Speer bullets in my (substantial) .224 stash.
Neck OD is .287" unfired, 2.90" loaded and .298" fired.
COAL is 2.24". I just used the setting on my Forster Micrometer Seating Die that I use for the Scenars. I think that was my mistake. I made a dummy like I always do and it chambered and extracted just fine with no markings. I didn't measure with my Hornady comparator, but I did last night and it looks like it's just 0.01" off the lands. My Forster die tends to wander to longer (COAL gets longer but the top adjusting section doesn't move) and I'm guessing I didn't keep on top of it since I was making "plastic baggie ammo". So I was too close to the lands to start with and one probably did jam into the lands from being either a little too long due to the die wandering when seating, or the bullet slipping forward when it was chambered. I'm pretty confident that's what happened, but I'm sitting here looking at the 30 or so rounds I have left and don't see myself seating them deeper and lighting them up. And I'm certainly not going to complain that the bidding on GunBroker is up to 39¢ per for 24¢ bullets.
Took the barrel off yesterday, got the lug out and gave the extension a good scrubbing. Everything looks fine and it's back on. Which is good since changing it out is not something I would attempt myself, and I doubt I could find a gunsmith who could do it in a period not measured in months these days.
FWIW, I've got about 1500 of the bulk Hornady 55gr .224 FMJ that can still be had for a dime at MidSouth. I actually get around MOA out of them in one barrel. I measured them and most are .2235 with a few at .2230. The same calipers give me .224 for all of the Sierra, Nosler and Speer bullets in my (substantial) .224 stash.
Let's go Brandon!