Ever had Fire Formed Brass have a hard bolt close?

[Luked]

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.

 

[sveltri]

Did you check your shoulder bump?

 

[Wrench]

A fired unsized case is hard to close? Hows the headstamp look?

 

[Tx_300wsm]

You probably didn’t size them down enough.

 

[Luked]

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.


Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[sveltri]

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]

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]

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.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Do you have one of these? Watch a YouTube video about shoulder bump.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/hornady-lock-n-load-headspace-kit?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=BPS%7CShopping%7CPMax%7CCatchAll%7CGeneral%7CNAud%7CNVol%7CNMT&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD1TgtcUKJ6IRq9ILnOzFULhIx-MX&gclid=CjwKCAiAl4a6BhBqEiwAqvrqujGjekWiEWMNlUgEDQhLEq17azlq-j5GMhPrbCjr2euRDx8HmJYT2RoCzIkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Jfjfrye]

Need to adjust the sizing die to jump the shoulder. Eric Cortina has a good video on YouTube.

 

[49ereric]

Measure the shoulder cheaply use a deprimed 9mm case or any pistol case you have over the neck and measure and record the measurement of the case when it doesn’t chamber then bump the shoulder a tiny bit and see if it chambers if so measure again and record the measurement.

 

[TaperPin]

Was the once fired brass fired in this rifle?

 

[Luked]

Thanks fellas. Ill do some researching and reading and video watching.

And Yes the brass was fired from this rifle.

i dont have the headspace kit. Ill have to pick one up.

 

[sndmn11]

Is brass still "fire formed" after it is full length sized?

 

[2muchhp]

That was my first thought? Of course like mentioned, the die was short stroked,

 

[49ereric]

Is brass still "fire formed" after it is full length sized?

Takes a few reloads usually to fully fit the chamber lengthwise with a factory rifle.I neck size until the brass won’t chamber then bump the shoulder back 2 thou but more opinions coming.

 

[49ereric]

Thanks fellas. Ill do some researching and reading and video watching.

And Yes the brass was fired from this rifle.

i dont have the headspace kit. Ill have to pick one up.

Just watch a video on bumping the shoulder back cuz no need to spend $

 

[2muchhp]

Takes a few reloads usually to fully fit the chamber lengthwise with a factory rifle.I neck size until the brass won’t chamber then bump the shoulder back 2 thou but more opinions coming.

Yeah, but he is hard closing he's already there, and a full length sizing with a full stroke would typically bump the shoulder more than .002.

 

[Wrench]

Smoke a case with a candle and see where the rub is.