What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

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ray-ray-cat
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What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

Post by ray-ray-cat »

Very new to reloading and not sure what to buy to cut down my .223 brass. Seen several different jigs, some look good, all of them use the little chop saw.
Any suggestions, not sure about the one jig since it is 3d printed, the other one looks like it is aluminum and would do a better job.
https://www.squirreldaddy.com/Ultimate- ... 24-131.htm
https://elite3ddesign.com/products/3223184179281
FreeTacos
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Re: What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

Post by FreeTacos »

I have the old Squirrel Daddy jig, like this https://a.co/d/719nRce and that 3D printed one. I like the 3D printed one better because it locks the case in the jig better.

But it looks like Squirrel Daddy made some improvements. If I didn't already have a working solution, I'd go with that one.
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dellet
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Re: What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

Post by dellet »

300 Blackout, not just for sub-sonics.
30plinker
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Re: What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

Post by 30plinker »

I gotta say.... stop and strongly consider getting into making your own. Between the processing time to do it (the extra steps beyond basic reloading - chamfering case mouths post chop, possibly turning necks if brass too thick, etc) and the cost of the equipment ($50-75 for saw and jig, plus chamfering tool, plus possibly neck turning set up) you are quite possibly better off just buying $100 worth of once fired brass (I got 700-800 for $80 shipped for 1x fired factory headstamped on a different forum, I see similar pricing all the time)
popper
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Re: What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

Post by popper »

Don't remember the mfg, black aluminum with the spring loaded ball detent for the rim. HF chop saw. Very fast. Not a fan of printed plastic parts that will have any stress on them. Not very time consuming, chop, size and trim. Haven't done any in a couple yrs, still got a big bucket of them done. Easy 100 in an hr or so. Even neck turning doesn't take much time.
ray-ray-cat
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Re: What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

Post by ray-ray-cat »

30plinker wrote: Mon Apr 17, 2023 10:22 pm I gotta say.... stop and strongly consider getting into making your own. Between the processing time to do it (the extra steps beyond basic reloading - chamfering case mouths post chop, possibly turning necks if brass too thick, etc) and the cost of the equipment ($50-75 for saw and jig, plus chamfering tool, plus possibly neck turning set up) you are quite possibly better off just buying $100 worth of once fired brass (I got 700-800 for $80 shipped for 1x fired factory headstamped on a different forum, I see similar pricing all the time)
That is what I am doing, did get the Squirrel Daddy jig and it is sweet. Reloading seems to be a pretty cool hobby within a hobby, my plans are to start doing the 9mm stuff too.
ray-ray-cat
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Re: What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

Post by ray-ray-cat »

popper wrote: Mon May 15, 2023 6:33 pm Don't remember the mfg, black aluminum with the spring loaded ball detent for the rim. HF chop saw. Very fast. Not a fan of printed plastic parts that will have any stress on them. Not very time consuming, chop, size and trim. Haven't done any in a couple yrs, still got a big bucket of them done. Easy 100 in an hr or so. Even neck turning doesn't take much time.
Is it like the new one from Squirrel Daddy, I bought one of their other newer style jigs an month or so ago and really like. They just came out with a ball detent model. What is your opinion on this one? It can also cut brass for 300 hamr
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Roadrunner1969
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Re: What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

Post by Roadrunner1969 »

I have a squirrel daddy jig. I either didn't do it right or set it up right or something, but mine did not cut the case off square. It made trimming a real PITA, but that may have been my doings. Anyway, after doing 2 or 3 hundred myself, I bought 250 processed ones, plus a hundred new Hornady and a hundred Starline. So far, I have just used the Hornady and Starline.
I recently weighed the brass for grouping. The Starline was much more consistent than the Hornady, and the converted LC brass was also pretty consistent.
Out of the 100 Starlines, 63 were within 1/2 grain of weight. The Hornadys didn't have more than 25 or so within a half grain of each other.
If I'm not mistaken, you can get new Starlines for about $.29 to .32 each now. Try Powder Valley, Blue Collar, and Midwayusa. Spending $30 for a hundred will save you a lot of time and work.
ray-ray-cat
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Re: What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

Post by ray-ray-cat »

Roadrunner1969 wrote: Tue Jul 25, 2023 10:09 pm The Starline was much more consistent than the Hornady, and the converted LC brass was also pretty consistent.
That is interesting, what do you feel is the reason why the cases are performing differently?
Roadrunner1969
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Re: What is the best jig to cut down .223 to 300 blackout

Post by Roadrunner1969 »

By consistency, I meant in the weight of the brass. I haven't checked, but I suspect that a difference in case weight may signal a difference in case capacity. I do know that when I loaded a batch of rounds using brass within the same 1/2 grain group, my groups and vertical dispersion shrank. Some of that may be due to other factors also.
I read an old post from tikkablk and sorted mine accordingly.
I also read a post where a guy weight sorts the brass and culls out anything that is too heavy or light, using them for fouling shots. Then, if shooting a group and has a flyer that can't be attributed to anything else, that case is culled also. I plan to do the same, as I have plenty of cases.
I am chasing long range subsonic accuracy, which is why I am going to this much trouble. If that is not what you are after, then no need to go to the time and trouble.
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