Reload Chambering Issue

Clarktar

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Well, I am having an issue chambering reloads. This has not happened before so I am kinda of lost here. When I got to chamber a round I have to force the bolt down. It takes a moderate amount of force. Once fired it is extremely difficult to extract the case. The bolt lifts but it is impossible to pull bolt back and it takes me hitting the bolt handle back with something (rubber mallet for instance).

I have rechecked my notes by taking measurements again (this will be noted by 'CONFIRMED').
Springfield 30-06 (remington 700)

C.O.A.L. to lands: 3.440 CONFIRMED
My reloads are 3.428 (aka 3.430). This is a purposeful 0.010 off the lands.
My notes indicate this should result in a Case bottom to Ogive (CBTO) of 2.8135. My reloads measure a CBTO of 2.8130 CONFIRMED

I took one of the rounds that is being troublesome and ran it back through the seating die and move the bullet deeper into the case. This measured a CBTO of 2.719 and a COAL of 3.346 which well below my "to the lands" COAL measurement of 3.440. Tried to load this round, same issue.

At this point I grab a factory loaded hornady 178 gr eldX and it chambers and extracts just fine.

I measurement neck diameter of hornady factory load (.3325) and the neck diameter of one of my loaded reloads (.3355). My notes indicate my loaded neck diameter has been .335 and I am using a neck bushing of 0.333.

Below is a picture of the factory hornady round next to one of my reloads (lapua brass, 155 gr lapua scenar).

Any ideas?

Too add to this mystery, this was not a problem when I developed this load...
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Last edited:

huntnful

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Your chamber is probably cut small, so the sizing die isn't sizing your fired case enough at the case head for it to go back in smoothly. If this is the case, new brass goes right in and comes right out on the first firing. After that first firing, things won't operate near as smoothly because the brass is now slightly larger, but your sizing die isn't squeezing it back down enough to get it to chamber and extract smoothly again.
 
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Clarktar

Clarktar

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I measured one of fired cases and the case length is 2.485, so I don't think trim length is the issue.
 

87TT

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I found that brass that had been fired in my Mod94 Winchester would not chamber in my Marlin no matter how much I tried to resize it. The chamber on the Marlin was tighter right by the rim.
 
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Clarktar

Clarktar

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Are you neck sizing, or full length sizing?
I am using the Redding Type S bushing style neck sizing die.

So I guess my issue is that this die is NOT sizing the body (shoulder) at all.....

So if you are using this set of dies


you need to run brass through the body die first, then run it through the neck die with bushing of choice, then run through bullet seating die..?
 

huntnful

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I am using the Redding Type S bushing style neck sizing die.

So I guess my issue is that this die is NOT sizing the body (shoulder) at all.....

So if you are using this set of dies


you need to run brass through the body die first, then run it through the neck die with bushing of choice, then run through bullet seating die..?
Yeah you’re not sizing the case body at all. That’s your issue. Get a full length die it’ll probably be fine
 
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You're missing 2 relevant measurements: base to shoulder datum, and case head diameter. Measure those and you'll see that you need to size the body, either in a full length sizing die, or a body die.
 
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Clarktar

Clarktar

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This die set doesn't seem that efficient. I thought the redding type S dies had a full body die that would take a bushing thus allowing you to size body (bump shoulder) and set neck tension at same time. Then all you need to do is swap to a seating die and seat bullets.

But with the set I have, I need to run brass through three dies. No me gusta
 
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Clarktar

Clarktar

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You were thinking of the type s full length sizing die, not the type s neck sizing die.
Damn it. I guess words have meanings and those meanings can be important. Been too long and too many house moves since I reloaded anything but new brass!!

So, I think I will buy type S full length sizing die.

And a bullet puller. I need to pull all of these now and try to save the components!

Thanks ya'll!

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
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Clarktar

Clarktar

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Well, measured fired case with the proper bump gauge insert and set sizing die. Now with a .002 shoulder bump I am getting the two fired cases to chamber very nicely!

Anyone recommend a bullet puller so I can go back and pull all bullets, dump powder and bump the shoulders?!
 
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Well, measured fired case with the proper bump gauge insert and set sizing die. Now with a .002 shoulder bump I am getting the two fired cases to chamber very nicely!

Anyone recommend a bullet puller so I can go back and pull all bullets, dump powder and bump the shoulders?!
Any of the hammer type ones work. Pulling bullets sucks though...
 

nhyrum

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The whack a mole pullers work. I gave myself tendonitis pulling about 150 rounds once, so either just do a few at a time or get something like a collet style, or a puller I've been meaning to purchase, grip n pull. Looks pretty slick and is supposed to not leave any marks on the bullets.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
 
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Grip n pull works alright with lite neck tension. Sometimes I still have to loosen them up with a hammer style or get it close then grip n pull to avoid the mess and save the powder easier.
You have to squeeze hard though and I do mark up bullets frequently with grip n pull.
 
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