Reloading help!

[Brushy]

I've been experiencing some difficulty in chambering some of my homeloads. Extraction is also quite a workout. For the record my load is:

 

Lapua brass

45g Reloader 15

CCI BR2 primer

Hornady amax 155g

 

Rifle is a 308 tikka with an aftermarket 30" barrel. This is a relatively warm load but I think the problem is something to do with the cases rather than the load itself.

 

I started noticing difficulty chambering after 4 loadings so FL sized instead of NS but this didn't always help. Long story short, I made a case sooty and the tightness appears to be near the head. Are my dies set up incorrectly? Or is something else afoot?

[banus02]

good evening,i had a similar problem with a 6.5x55 and found I had to turn the sizing die in another 1/2 a turn and it cured the problem,also you cases looks a bit long perhaps trim them back a bit hope this helps and good luck

[furrybean]

No obturation (sp?)

 

My quickload puts that at about 51k pressure, try another half or a full grain of powder.

[Brushy]

I'm not sure I want to go too much hotter as I'm getting between 2850 and 2900 fps (based on 1k drop) depending on the day. Primers are a little flat but no other pressure signs.

 

I suspect it's the die issue. I guess I could screw the another turn, resoot and retry. I'll give that a crack. Any other possible causes?!

 

Fwiw this is a barrel with only approx 1000 round down it and I had a problem on a previous factory barrel. So must be something to do with reloading

[The Gun Pimp]

Before we go any further - please tell me that the brass hasn't been fired in another chamber.............

[Brushy]

only ever fired in this rifle. The rifle was rebarreled but I made sure to FL size all brass between barrels.

Do you think it is just relying on NS too much?

[Grum87]

If you've room for another turn of the die this will disappear. Ideally just enough so they chamber smoothly, but a full turn would prove the point.....

[alpha1]

Have you checked your case length when was the last time you trimmed your cases.

[Brushy]

Case trim length is 2.005" as per manuals. Cases are put through the trimmer every loading - even if most only get a little shave

[Brillo]

I would tend to agree with furrybean. The amount of carbon on the case suggests your cases are not obturating and the speeds your getting would seem to confirm this.

With a 30" barrel you should easily achieve 2950 fps from RL15 without pressure signs and 46.0 grains is a norm for this powder with a 155 - 155.5 bullet (at least with most shooters I know who use it).

 

It might be worth making up just 3 rounds with a higher load to rule out this possibility.

[gbal]

Brushy,as others suggest,this can be "just" a sizer adjust issue,an worth trying a part turn more....but there is still some lack of clarity...eg "obturation" was picked up on-I thought you meant you sooted up a fired case and tried to chamber,to see if tight fit removed soot....your load may be a tad light,but surely the sooted up case did not come from the chamber in that state ?

But please address the GP's question:we get lots of similar 'problems'-a lot come from brass not fired from new in the current chamber,and that seems true here too:it's the barrel/chamber that matters-mostly-so a rebarreled rifle is essentially a 'new' rifle for these purposes.

Can yu give the history of the problem cases-if fires in original chamber/neck or full resized each firing and hoew many firings....itt seems you then full length resized when the new barrel/chamber was fitted and loaded these cases and fired them....but started to get chambering and extreaction problems ONLY after a few firings (with,presumably neck?full resizing after each new chamber firing?

All this matters in diagnosis...one thing for sure is that your new chamber willnot be an exact replica of the original chamber (they are all to SAAMI specs-but that has tolerances+/_ ....if the new chamber is in any way custom etc,do say so....

It may be 'adjust sizing die'-but without the above detail,it's just guessing...

eg if you do get 3 or four firings of your brass in the new chamber,BEFORE any problems,that would suggest trim (wgich you do,so not that) or neck sizing isnt enough after 3/4 firings-shoulder bump?-but we just don't know whether you are full/neck only on the new chamber....so can't eliminate some possibles.............yet..... :-) The fuller the info,the better the diagnosis.

IF you have any new virgin unfired brass,you could load a few and fire a few times in the new chamber,and see if any problem arises...if not.....old brass is the problem;if the new chamber is problematic-after one? or a few firngs of same case,it's more likely to be a reloading die adjust issue,and/or need full not neck sizing more often....in this new chamber..

Good news is you don't need to check your scope! :-)

 

gbal

[Brushy]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for the responses so far. To clarify re carbon: I took a match to the case to make it sooty, with the intention of finding the 'tight spot' on the brass. Otherwise the cases come out of the rifle pretty clean.

 

Re loading process:

Some of the brass has been fired in the previous barrel but was FL resized after the new barrel was fitted. I worked on the assumption that FL sizing would put my back to SAAMI specs which would be fine with the new barrel.

I have not used any range 'pick-ups'.

 

Loadings wise:

 

I tend to go 2-3 NS between FL sizing to maximise case life.....perhaps I need to FL more regularly? I'm keen to know what strategy folks use...

 

I attempted to put the die set-up theory to the test and took some cases where I know there had been a tough bolt on the last chambering & extraction. I FL sized and gently tested some (empty) brass for chamber fit. The ones I tested chambered fine but I'll try and get a few rounds loaded up again to give the theory a thorough test.

[jcampbellsmith]

To full length resize every time would be my recommendation. Neck sizing is not a strategy. I've only ever neck sized while I was waiting for the full length resizing die to be delivered.

 

Regards JCS

[gbal]

Attaboy...it always looked like a die reset,but we have to allow that SAAMI has tolerances,so one chamber a bit to the tight end,and other/same brass fired on a in a chamber toward the more generous end...is always likely to pose issues...don't even mention die tolerances...

 

Hopefully it will sort out-the good symptom was always that it seemed to take a few reloadings to get an issue developing...and that your loading was not ..extreme ..or as it's been described sometimes on here.."pressure normal,just primer cratering and a slightly stiff bolt lift"...ouch!

 

You don't 'normally' need to FL resize every reload,to function,but it varies...and very little is risked accuracy wise by FL-especially for field use,

Rifles and loads are indivuiduals,though,not Komplete Klones-bless 'em ! :-)

g

[Brillo]

To full length resize every time would be my recommendation. Neck sizing is not a strategy. I've only ever neck sized while I was waiting for the full length resizing die to be delivered.

 

Regards JCS

 

I guess 'you pays your money and you take your choice' when it come to neck sizing opposite FL sizing.

 

I used to neck size every time and then FL size when the bolt started getting tight. After recommendations from knowledgeable guys on here I now FL size to fit my chamber every time.

 

Vince, The Gun Pimp can explain how to set the die to suit your chamber better than I can because he'll cut and paste the thread where he explains it.

 

I've now found I get more consistency and nice slick feeding. FL sizing doesn't take much longer than neck sizing anyway.

[The Gun Pimp]

only ever fired in this rifle. The rifle was rebarreled but I made sure to FL size all brass between barrels.

Do you think it is just relying on NS too much?

Start with some new brass! Golden rule - new barrel - new brass!

[baldie]

As above.

 

Brand new brass is UNDER SAAMI spec. This is how it will fit every chamber. Fired in a barrel then put back to SAAMI in a F/L die. Some chambers are wider than others [ depends on who has cut them ]

 

If taken way past SAAMI, the die will push it back to SAAMI, but there will also be some springback.

 

A common example is brass fired in a factory rifle, will rarely fit a custom chambered barrel, even when f/l sized.

 

However, unless the load is hot, you shouldn't have an extraction problem. Brass, however difficult to chamber, instantly conforms to chamber upon firing.