Howa 1500 "sticky bolt" Question

[Vern400]

I am hand loading for a new 308 Howa 1500. Everything seems normal but sometimes the bolt sticks closed. 60 shots fired now.

Bolt RAISE is easy. Rifle is clean. Pressures are moderate. 150 grain bullets and 45/46 grains precision rifle powder. But I can't stay in shooting position and pull the bolt back

Every 4th or 5th shot, I have to hold the gun vertical and bump the bolt to open it. This has happened with LC brass I'm loading, AND one Federal factory FMJ round im using for fouler shots.

What am I doing now? I am continuing load development. I am neck turning to 0.0145 wall thickness (removing the high spots) all the way to shoulder touch. I have noticed some assymetry in the brass relative to the neck ID - more than usual really. I think neck turning for a Sporter rifle may be total Overkill, but I have noticed the crappier the brass is the more benefit there is. At any rate with the next test lot, neck and shoulder conditions will be a total non-issue and if something sticks it's highly likely the gun.

Any helpful ideas to add?

 

[Harvey_NW]

Color the bottom of the body .2" above the case head with a sharpie and chamber a fired case, if it has contact there it's possibly an undersized chamber from a worn reamer. To confirm if it's undersize, try to find a spacer .2" thick or mark as precisely as you can above the case head, and measure the diameter of a fired case. Technically need a blade mic, but you can usually tell within a thou or two with calipers and confirm. SAAMI diameter on the chamber drawing is .4714"/+.002", so if it's got contact and it's less than that dimension, that's your culprit. Just went through the same issue.

 

[DaveCB]

Might be from a hot chamber? LC brass is military brass and usually heavier., which will increase pressure.
Neck turning is a personal choice.
How clean is the neck and chamber when the sticky bolt occurs?
how many times have you shot that lot of brass. Over worked brass sometimes will not spring back.
Trim length is 2.005"
Like Harvy said.
Could be a short chamber.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

if the chamber is in spec, it could be poor primary extraction, which is basically a bolt handle/action body fit issue.

 

[Loo.wii]

I used to have this issue with my 300 wm 1500. As soon as I changed my barrel I had
no more issues. It’s a chamber issue