I am having a problem reloading the 221 Fireball using either new or once fired (Factory Loaded) Remington brass. Could I have some extra soft brass. I don't have this problem with my 22 K-Hornet.

I cant get the bullet snug enough to suit me, or I am slightly collapsing the shoulder in an attempt to get the bullet tight enough. I have never had this problem with any other chambering. My son is in love with this barrel, and the way it shoots. He is 11 and doesn't like recoil (YET) , or I would have his carbine barrel rechambered to something I can reload.

There was a post here a while back about forming the brass from 222 or even 223 brass. What dies are needed? Is it better to go that route?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Jim

Use a smaller expander plug.

First, if your die is properly adjusted to crimp in the manner you desire and the case doesn't grip the bullet as tightly as you want you should get a new lot of cases. Simply turning the die down to crimp 'harder' is what is collapsing your shoulders. That is clearly the wrong way to go about this.

However, I have to ask you just how much tension on the bullet are you actually getting? What powder are you using? Not all powders require 'hard' crimps and in many cases it might not even be desirable. Most cases will hold the bullet securely IF there is a full caliber (.224" in this 'case' ) of the bullet in contact with the neck. Can you turn the bullet or pull it from the case with your bare fingers? This isn't unheard of. I've experienced this and sometimes your dies are just not going to improve things.

If new cases (presumably from a different lot) don't remedy the situation, then it might be that your sizing die is not adequately constricting the case mouth and neck. To run this down you need to know the before (fired) and after (resized and deprimed) outside case neck diameter.

Keep us up to date on this.

I appreciate the input guys!

When I'm reloading, I've gotten into the habit of taking the reloaded case out of my Rock Chucker and pushing the round, bullet first into a block of wood to make sure I have a tight bullet.

The first time I did that with a 221 Fireball round, the bullet (which had a cannellure) almost disappeared into the case. So I just kept adjusting the seating die in and out in very small increments either collapsing the shoulder slightly or having a loose bullet.

So I got some Hornady 40 grain VMax bullets, and without the cannellure figured I would be OK. It is a lot better, but I can eventually wiggle the bullet out by hand. I know that the bullet would be tight enough to fire the round. I haven't fired any yet. It's just that I've never had this happen before, and it's my son who is shooting this rifle.

The expander ball in the die may be oversize, because the brass really doesn't seem too "soft". They are RCBS dies.

I just wanted to see what you guys had to say about this.

Thanks again!

Jim

Try measuring the expander ball on the 221 dies, vs the K-Hornet, to see if the 221 expander is larger. If the same brand dies, try swapping `em.
You can also reduce the diameter of the expander, by chucking it up in a drill press. Carefully using some wet/dry sandpaper (preferably while wet), reduce the diameter by a 0.001" or so. 600 grit (or higher) will give it a mirror finish.
Your RCBS seater die will have no effect on neck tension, other than as a crimper, and then you have to have the cannelure (unless it's a Lee crimper?).

I knew I could count on you guys! I'll mic the expanders when I get home. I'm sure that's the problem! Thanks for the help!!!!

Can't you try sizing some cases without the expander ball installed?
Jeff

I used my micrometer on the expander ball and it is exactly .224. I will polish it down to the same size of the expander ball in my 22 K-Hornet sizing die first chance I get. I didn't check the size on that one yet.

I did size a case without the expander ball and after seating the bullet it held the bullet perfectly. I never would have thought of sizing a case without the expander ball in the sizing die!

I wasn't trying to hard crimp the bullet, but I wanted it to be snug.

Thanks for the help and suggestions! My son is a happy camper now, and that's what it's all about!

Jim