Loading and/or forming cases for 22 TCM

[Quickdraw4u]

Anybody out there reloading 22 TCM or forming cases from 357 Mag or .223 brass? I am having trouble getting reformed brass to go into the chamber of my Contender. No problems with factory ammo. The .223 cases don't want to go all the way into the chamber and the barrel won't close. I can chamber the 357 cases and get them to close sometimes with a little help. Also when reloading factory cases, how do I keep the shoulder from being pushed back? Should I neck size only? I don't crimp much because it's a single shot. I cut the cases, then use forming dies, then reload. I normally load 40 or 45 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips with WW 296 or 2400. What am I missing?

[Outer Rondacker]

I have been reloading this round for 8-10 years I think. The reason you are having issues is the case is to thick on the neck. As for having the shoulder from being pushed back I have never had this issue. I would think you should try bumping the neck less. Once again I think the neck is to thick. When I use converted 5.56 cases years ago I had to neck turn them down. I have never had to do anything other then size prime charge and drop a projectile on a factory case.

I did have a person who screwed up some reloads once on 30-30 and hit the shoulder to hard making the case bow out a bit. I took them and pulled the decaping stem on a sizer and ran them though it lightly and they worked fine. Might want to try that.

[Rapier]

With a contender the bottle neck cases should head space on the shoulder. Sounds lke a combination of a tight neck chamber and a full length resize every reload. Do not crimp a TC cartridge. Check your neck thickness, two ways, measure the thickness per side and/or measure a bullet, then insert, measure the OD with the brass, divise the difference by half. If the thickness is off, by the chamber neck requirement, turn the outside with a neck turner, so that you have a hair line of unturned brass the full lengh of the neck. Then reload the fired brass by neck sizing, leaving a 1/16" lube mark above the shoulder/neck joint.

Your 357 fired brass should be full length resized after every firing. It should be fully prepped the first time, before firing, and do yourself a favor and get a taper crimp die. Any small growth in brass length will be negated by the taper crimp. All you do is streighten the case mouth, seating and crimping are seperate steps.

[ebb]

A person on one of my other forums tells me that Armscor must modify the 223 cases to get 100% reliable function on there 1911s chambered in 22TCM. they do something to the extractor groove to make them function better. On a bolt action, or a Thompson this may be unnecessary, but may be something to remember with 1911s. What Rondecker said the necks sound too thick.

[BrassMagnet]

I have not yet formed any. However, my case form die set includes a neck reamer.

[Littlewolf]

agreed with the thick necks. i had same problems with 7.62 nagant into 32-20 32-20 requires a neck wall of .006-.007 thickness and the nagant is .012-.014 so i went with a forster neck reamer followed with an outside neck turn for a final thickness of .0065" and perfect function in my savage sporter.

[gnappi]

I've seen 22 TCM brass for sale at R3... just sayin'

[tunnug]

For those of us who don't know (me) what is R3?, 22TCM brass has been hard to find, thanks.

[gnappi]

R3brass dot com

Some sites who shall remain unnamed (rhymes with pith and lesson) frown on links :-)