For the reloading newbs out there like myself, I want to post a tip to help you avoid the same issue I ran into recently.
When FL sizing fired brass from a different rifle, make sure you chamber a few after sizing. Because different guns chambered for the same cartridge have different chambers, the shoulders are often different. As a result, you may have issues closing the bolt on this brass.
I recently FL sized around 150 rounds of Federal Premium .308 brass, fired from a few different rifles, for my 7-08. The neck down was simple and was executed with little effort. I followed the Hornady instructions and set the sizer die to SAAMI standard (screwing down the sizer die until it touched the shell holder) and called it good. I measured several cases at random, and they were all 2.025 +/- which is roughly SAAMI trim length for the 7-08.
I loaded up some rounds for pressure testing, and while some took a little effort to chamber, I was excited for load development and didn't think much of it. After pressure testing I loaded up several rounds to check groups and again had some rounds that were difficult to chamber (some were VERY difficult) even though OAL of the sized cases was within trim spec. This was a pain in the a$$ and made feeding unpleasant to say the least, but firing and ejection were normal.
Well my OCD kicked in over the weekend, and I started researching to see what other guys have done in this situation. After reading several articles and threads from other forums, the consensus was that when FL sizing brass from other rifles and they don't chamber normally, even though the OAL is correct, sometimes you have to screw your sizer die past SAAMI standard to push the case shoulder back further. Folks also said that this exercise should only have to be done once, as after shooting in your rifle's chamber they're fire formed to your exact chamber spec.
To test this, first I grabbed some of the fired brass from my rifle that had been hard to chamber. Sure enough, these cases now chambered normally in the gun.
Next I randomly tested brass that had already been FL sized as mentioned above, and wouldn't you know, most of them took extra effort and then some to chamber.
As a final test, I reset my FL sizer die to SAAMI standard, and then lowered the ram and screwed the die 1/8 turn further down. I lubed up 20 previously sized cases and ran them through the die again. When complete, I took the entire lot over to the rifle and tested chambering. Every one of the cases now fed normally without any extra effort.
Buying brand new brass would almost certianly prevent this issue. However, for those of you that are saving some money buying fired brass, I hope that this note helps avoid the same issue I experienced.
When FL sizing fired brass from a different rifle, make sure you chamber a few after sizing. Because different guns chambered for the same cartridge have different chambers, the shoulders are often different. As a result, you may have issues closing the bolt on this brass.
I recently FL sized around 150 rounds of Federal Premium .308 brass, fired from a few different rifles, for my 7-08. The neck down was simple and was executed with little effort. I followed the Hornady instructions and set the sizer die to SAAMI standard (screwing down the sizer die until it touched the shell holder) and called it good. I measured several cases at random, and they were all 2.025 +/- which is roughly SAAMI trim length for the 7-08.
I loaded up some rounds for pressure testing, and while some took a little effort to chamber, I was excited for load development and didn't think much of it. After pressure testing I loaded up several rounds to check groups and again had some rounds that were difficult to chamber (some were VERY difficult) even though OAL of the sized cases was within trim spec. This was a pain in the a$$ and made feeding unpleasant to say the least, but firing and ejection were normal.
Well my OCD kicked in over the weekend, and I started researching to see what other guys have done in this situation. After reading several articles and threads from other forums, the consensus was that when FL sizing brass from other rifles and they don't chamber normally, even though the OAL is correct, sometimes you have to screw your sizer die past SAAMI standard to push the case shoulder back further. Folks also said that this exercise should only have to be done once, as after shooting in your rifle's chamber they're fire formed to your exact chamber spec.
To test this, first I grabbed some of the fired brass from my rifle that had been hard to chamber. Sure enough, these cases now chambered normally in the gun.
Next I randomly tested brass that had already been FL sized as mentioned above, and wouldn't you know, most of them took extra effort and then some to chamber.
As a final test, I reset my FL sizer die to SAAMI standard, and then lowered the ram and screwed the die 1/8 turn further down. I lubed up 20 previously sized cases and ran them through the die again. When complete, I took the entire lot over to the rifle and tested chambering. Every one of the cases now fed normally without any extra effort.
Buying brand new brass would almost certianly prevent this issue. However, for those of you that are saving some money buying fired brass, I hope that this note helps avoid the same issue I experienced.
