Ever had Fire Formed Brass have a hard bolt close?

Luked

WKR
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
1,195
Started to do some Load Dev on my 243 Win this eavning.
Using Norma Brass that has been once fired from Factory Norma ammo.
Full length sized.
Loaded the first round. Went to check the make sure it fit in the mag well as its a blind mag. And the bolt would barely close.
Tried a empty case from the batch and even it was hard to load.

Im still a newer reloader but this was a first for me.
 
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Luked

Luked

WKR
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
1,195
Unsure of shoulder bump. Not 100% sure how to check that.

Headstamps all look fine. there are no pressure signs from the last firing.
Tried multiple cases also. And also ran them back through thr full length seater die.

I have some old reloaded rounds that need pulled that I did years ago but didn't record anything, so I'm unsure what they are loaded at. Had plans of pulling them and just keeping the brass. They are Win and Federal brass, and they loaded in the chamber just fine and bolt closed like normal.


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sveltri

WKR
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Jun 22, 2016
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SALIDA
I would suggest buying the hornady comparator kit, it’s fairly inexpensive. In the meantime, I would just make slight adjustments to your die until the brass chambers normally. Small changes, don’t want to over bump the brass.
 

Tx_300wsm

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 26, 2018
Messages
110
If you ran them through the sizing die and they still aren’t chambering, turn the die in a 1/4-1/2 turn and resize them again. Do this until they chamber. I would put money on it that this is the issue.

To measure shoulder bump you would need a comparator.
 

pbroski

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
170
Location
Northern BC
Turn the sizing die in a tiny amount (1/4 turn is too much) at a time until there is virtually no resistance when closing the bolt on a sized case.

Resistance when closing the bolt on a fired case is fairly common. It means the fired load was up there in pressure. Probably at, or close to saami max.
 

Jfjfrye

WKR
Joined
Oct 21, 2020
Messages
306
Need to adjust the sizing die to jump the shoulder. Eric Cortina has a good video on YouTube.
 
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