243 Win Mag Doughnut Help

[mosh338]

Hi

Ive been reloading 243 Win Mag Norma brass which I have shot once. Accidentally I neck sized 50 cases without checking for doughnuts. Is there any way of checking for doughnuts on resized cases?

I would hate to loose 50 new norma cases

 

[Mikecr]

I doubt you would create donuts on necking down 300wm cases. You've fire formed the necks to expansion, and as long as you aren't FL sizing the necks, and/or seating bullet bearing way down into neck-shoulder junction, you shouldn't have a donut issue early on.
I wouldn't panic about it.

Pin gages are useful to quantify donuts. A bigger donut would prevent bullets from dropping freely into fired cases with unsized necks. Try that.

 

[mosh338]

Thanks for the reply

The problem is that I sized the cases so there is no way of dropping a bullet down the case. I really just want to know if there would be any serious danger of reloading them without checking considering that they have only been shot once.

Its a 243 Win mag not a 300 WM

 

[Mikecr]

Forget what I said earlier.
Never heard of a 243WinMag, can't find it anywhere, and Norma doesn't show brass for it.

 

[mosh338]

Re: 243 Win Doughnut Help

Hi

My apologies. Its not a magnum just a 243 Winchester

 

[MagnumManiac]

I don't know where you get this doughnut notion from for loading a standard cartridge. You have far too little knowledge and need to read a reloading manual from cover to cover.
A 'doughnut' only forms when necking up a cartridge from a smaller size, it is where the original shoulder was.
This will NOT be a problem in your 243, forget you ever heard about doughnuts, it is not your concern.

Cheers.
gun)

 

[mosh338]

Thanks for the advice. I have read several articles on the net that highlight the possibility of doughnuts forming in a conventional 243 win. Once such article is-

R A Dynamic - Guns and Ammunition Distributor - 243 Winchester

 

[AZShooter]

I have loaded many 243s and never encountered the "dreaded donut".

I read the article you linked and think the author has been cleaning too many rifles with strong solvents in an enclosed room.

This is the paragraph from that link that mentions the donut:

"The excellent straight body design of the .243 Winchester counters case head separation, but it does not stop case growth. It has a tendency to form doughnuts at the shoulder and neck junction and case care is imperative with the .243 Winchester and all its peers.
Keep neck wall thickness, overall case length and doughnut forming in check through regular attention. You would not like to see you cases come out of the chamber looking like peeled bananas."

The 243's shape counters case head separation????? Only proper FL sizing does that.

What is case care that prevents donuts????????

How does one make a pealed banana shaped case when the chamber is the same as cartridge?
I have seen that when a 284 is fired in a 7 rem mag chamber where the cartridge is shorter.

The author has some peculiar thoughts IMO.

 

[mosh338]

Thanks for the help.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Thanks for the advice. I have read several articles on the net that highlight the possibility of doughnuts forming in a conventional 243 win. Once such article is-

R A Dynamic - Guns and Ammunition Distributor - 243 Winchester

Biggest load of rubbish I have ever read.
Forget the internet, get yourself a reputable reloading manual like Nosler, Speer, Lee, Hornady or other bullet manufacturers and read it. There are no hidden secrets to reloading good ammunition, buy good quality tools and the rest will take care of itself.
The only thing I can recommend is to get yourself a headspace measuring tool and only bump your shoulders .002", forget about neck sizing and all the other 'benchrest' techniques touted on the interweb, they rarely make a difference in a generous factory chamber anyway. There's no need to over complicate things, keep it simple.

Cheers.
gun)