Slight stiffness closing the bolt

[Megastink]

I have some .243 loads that I made up with 87gr VLD's. I loaded about fifteen for a ladder test. I used a case gauge to measure the prepped cases before priming. I did NOT check them in my rifle chamber. The bolt requires ever-so-slightly more pressure to close that with an empty fired case. I can still close it with one finger, it just requires the tiniest bit more effort.

I'm new at reloading, and certainly learned a lesson here already, but am I ok shooting these loads? Rifle is a Savage 11 action with a Shilen sporter barrel. Thank you all in advance.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I have some .243 loads that I made up with 87gr VLD's. I loaded about fifteen for a ladder test. I used a case gauge to measure the prepped cases before priming. I did NOT check them in my rifle chamber. The bolt requires ever-so-slightly more pressure to close that with an empty fired case. I can still close it with one finger, it just requires the tiniest bit more effort.

I'm new at reloading, and certainly learned a lesson here already, but am I ok shooting these loads? Rifle is a Savage 11 action with a Shilen sporter barrel. Thank you all in advance.

Are you saying that after firing, if you try to chamber the fired brass it’s harder to chamber? Thats standard. When you resize you need to bump the shoulder back .002-.003. Then it’ll close without additional effort.

 

[Megastink]

Are you saying that after firing, if you try to chamber the fired brass it’s harder to chamber? Thats standard. When you resize you need to bump the shoulder back .002-.003. Then it’ll close without additional effort.

No, I’m talking about my unfired handloads.

 

[hereinaz]

Are you saying that after firing, if you try to chamber the fired brass it’s harder to chamber? Thats standard. When you resize you need to bump the shoulder back .002-.003. Then it’ll close without additional effort.

This, bump the shoulder back. Or, if many firings trim the neck.

 

[Ucsdryder]

No, I’m talking about my unfired handloads.

Ah ok. Yeah, you didn’t bump the shoulder back. Do you have a Hornady headspace gauge? Put a fired case in it, zero it, then continue to screw your sizing die until you get -.002 on your calipers.

 

[Megastink]

Ah ok. Yeah, you didn’t bump the shoulder back. Do you have a Hornady headspace gauge? Put a fired case in it, zero it, then continue to screw your sizing die until you get -.002 on your calipers.

I realized this after I primed and loaded the casings. Can I fire these or is it too dangerous?

 

[Ucsdryder]

I realized this after I primed and loaded the casings. Can I fire these or is it too dangerous?

All I can tell you is what I would do. If it were me and I wasn’t above pressure I’d fire away. I probably wouldn’t use them for load development or final zero. You can always pull the bullet and dump powder, remove your pin so you don’t pop out the primer, and size them correctly.

If it’s BARELY harder to close I wouldn’t worry. After 2-3 times of not bumping the shoulder, you won’t be able to close the bolt.

 

[pbroski]

I realized this after I primed and loaded the casings. Can I fire these or is it too dangerous?

It is 100% safe to fire the rounds. Start with the lowest charge and watch for pressure signs as you go up the ladder.

 

[LaHunter]

I have some .243 loads that I made up with 87gr VLD's. I loaded about fifteen for a ladder test. I used a case gauge to measure the prepped cases before priming. I did NOT check them in my rifle chamber. The bolt requires ever-so-slightly more pressure to close that with an empty fired case. I can still close it with one finger, it just requires the tiniest bit more effort.

I'm new at reloading, and certainly learned a lesson here already, but am I ok shooting these loads? Rifle is a Savage 11 action with a Shilen sporter barrel. Thank you all in advance.

You are probably ok firing them, but what you can do is this:
Get a sharpie and color one of the unfired rounds, all of it, brass and bullet.
Chamber this round and then eject (without firing). Inspect round and see where the sharpie color is rubbed off. This will at least let you know where contact is being made.
If it is the bullet contacting the lands, this will likely increase pressure some. How much is hard to say.
If is is the brass being slightly oversized, probably isn't a big deal.

 

[Castle Rock]

I have some .243 loads that I made up with 87gr VLD's. I loaded about fifteen for a ladder test. I used a case gauge to measure the prepped cases before priming. I did NOT check them in my rifle chamber. The bolt requires ever-so-slightly more pressure to close that with an empty fired case. I can still close it with one finger, it just requires the tiniest bit more effort.

I'm new at reloading, and certainly learned a lesson here already, but am I ok shooting these loads? Rifle is a Savage 11 action with a Shilen sporter barrel. Thank you all in advance.

You will be fine shooting these rounds
There is nothing wrong with a bit of resistance

After 2-3 times of not bumping the shoulder, you won’t be able to close the bolt.

Nonsense unless you’re doing something silly like trying to neck size with a fls die

I neck size mostly and probably fls on average after 10-15 loads

 

[A382DWDZQ]

If it is the bullet contacting the lands, this will likely increase pressure some. How much is hard to say.
If is is the brass being slightly oversized, probably isn't a big deal.

This is a great point about the bullet contacting the lands. If you already know your CBTO length, you can check that. If not, you might want to either measure that for your rifle, or pull one and then chamber the unfired case.

 

[Ucsdryder]

You will be fine shooting these rounds
There is nothing wrong with a bit of resistance




Nonsense unless you’re doing something silly like trying to neck size with a fls die

I neck size mostly and probably fls on average after 10-15 loads

You must be babying your loads if you can go 15 shots without fl sizing. Put some powder in that 308!

 

[Vern400]

If your bullets are jamming into the lands, you need to address that. Now.

If you didn't trim your brass and it's too long, forcing the brass into the chamber and crimp the brass into the bullet and cause an unsafe situation.

If your head space is a little tight, that does not usually impact pressure at all. Next time, adjust your full length die to push the shoulder back about 0.002 to 0.003. bolt action guns are typically very sensitive to headspace interference. If you have 0.001 of interference, you'll feel it and have some difficulty closing the bolt. If the interference is 0.002 or 0.003, you'll need a hammer to close the bolt, which of course means don't do it. That's based on experience with my actions.

 

[Castle Rock]

You must be babying your loads if supine can go 15 shots without fl sizing. Put some powder in that 308!

The last time i seriously shot a 308 it was out of an M60
I don’t think they are around these days

Cases don don’t grow from hot loads, they grow from poor reloading practices

Take a case that has been used with any load and rechamber it, it will fit fine unless the chamber is out of round

 

[SloppyJ]

I'll just say that whatever Castleroxk does is his thing. I've found that meck sizing wasn't for me and that after a couple firings my bolt would be hard to close so I use a FL sizing die to bump the shoulder back 2 to 3 thousandths every time. I've had that discussion with him before.

M60s are still around. I shot a whole carry case full of ammo through one not too long ago.

Back to your point. You need to see why the bolt is hard to close. If it's from the shoulder, you'll be okay. If it's not, you need to fix it.

 

[NevadaMike]

It has probably been covered but make sure your primers are not proud. I was out with a friend once and he was having the same issue on some of his rounds. I do not remember how we figured it out but you had to look very close to see some of them stood proud from the case.

 

[Ucsdryder]

The last time i seriously shot a 308 it was out of an M60
I don’t think they are around these days

Cases don don’t grow from hot loads, they grow from poor reloading practices

Take a case that has been used with any load and rechamber it, it will fit fine unless the chamber is out of round

I have some 300nmi that are 2x fired in my basement. They’ll close with some significant force. My 7saum is the same way. Cases grow and shoulders need to be bumped back down. Anybody that can reload 15x without bumping the shoulder is doing some voodoo magic.

 

[Vern400]

You have reached perfection if they're all the same.
It's a zero clearance fit to the shoulder.

Let's talk about next time. You better push your shoulder back about 0.002 so you can just feel the cartridge in the chamber. I'd recommend that you don't jam the dial all the way down and push the shoulder back hard because it will make your bass wear out quicker.

You just have to fiddle with the die setting little by little. And don't try to use the same cartridge again and again. It will work harden and throw off your results. It might be as little as maybe 1/16 of a turn from your old setting. We're talking very fine adjustments .

The difference between just feeling it as you close the bolt, and very difficult to even pound the bolt shut with your hand can on occasion be 0.002 of interference. I'll shoot the ones that are a little snug, but I don't force anything. It really happens now because I've got it under control.