6.5 TCU giving me fits!

[Chuck40]

I picked up a used 14 inch 6.5 TCU to shoot UAS and HSUAS.I've had one before, and was glad to find a good deal on another. I even still had 150 pieces of fired 222 Mag brass from the old barrel. But.. ..
Getting cases to chamber has been a mess, to put it mildly.
I have a bunch of experience with 7TCU from back in the day, and thought I knew how to set up the full length die.
Even screwed all the way down to touch the shell holder, I still get rounds that won't chamber.

I backed the die off after fireforming some cases thinking that fire forming those cases for the new barrel was the problem. It was even worse! Back to screwing the die down.

Is it possible that the RCBS shell holder and the Hornady dies don't work well together? I would think all shell holders share the same dimensions. Any ideas?

[JACKIE40X40]

I can’t remember exactly which one I had problems with?
I do remember I had to have the shell holder machined down 0.20 I think???

[nutcase]

My 6.5 TCU also gives me fits every once in a while. But mine has a random round that will go into Safety when fired. If I slam the action closed, it will fire. Mine all chamber fine. still trying to track the problem but rarely shoot this gun.

I do have the same Hornady dies as you. But my Brass is made from Lapua .223 Match brass and has been neck turned.

you may be right on the dies though. too much coincidence between the 2.

[aggshooter]

Case length?. Your 222 mag brass starts off .090" longer than 223 brass. If the chamber neck is a little short, your empty brass will chamber but loaded rounds may not. You might take a empty 223 case, open the mouth, see if it chambers, then stick a bullet in it and see if it still chambers. I had that problem in a 7br I bought with a custom barrel. It had been throated just a little short. Old brass that had been trimmed several times would fit, but newer brass would not.

[braud357]

Chuck, I would ditch that old brass and start over with .223 brass. The gun that the 222 Mag brass was used in might have had a barrel that was not quite "spec", and your dies cannot size it correctly. I have owned several 6.5 TCU barrels, and always used once-fired .223 brass with good results

[Chuck40]

Chuck, I would ditch that old brass and start over with .223 brass. The gun that the 222 Mag brass was used in might have had a barrel that was not quite "spec", and your dies cannot size it correctly. I have owned several 6.5 TCU barrels, and always used once-fired .223 brass with good results

Phillip,
That was my thought. These cases might be messed up from the earlier gun, which didn't give me this much trouble. I'll try to find some .223 brass and start over with a new lot. Failing that, it's the shellholder/dies or something. I'll figure it out - I have to, I just bought a bunch of 6.5 bullets!

[Chuck40]

Thanks for the help, gents! Going to start with the brass, and then go from there. If anyone finds a Hornady #16 shellholder anywhere, let me know.

[aggshooter]

Thanks for the help, gents! Going to start with the brass, and then go from there. If anyone finds a Hornady #16 shellholder anywhere, let me know.

Chuck,
I've picked up quite a bit of once fired 223 at our range, probably from an AR15. If you need some, PM me with your address and I'll send it in a flat rate box.

[xp-100]

try using a small base sizer die to resize the brass then fire form and use you 6.5 TCU dies after.

[hardtoseeovergut]

Almost all my issues disappeared years ago when I got a Forster co-ax press.
The differences in dies and she'll holders was maddening for sure