308 Help

[Colt562]

So I was out prepping some 308 brass and was going to check my rifle for its COAL, I I loaded a inert round with no powder or primer, and tried to load it in my bolt action but the bolt would not close.

I tried in another case and this time it did close.

The first case was a once fired Winchester piece of brass that was sized by me, the second one was a lake city brass sized by someone else, now the kicker is that they both fit perfectly in the Lyman case gauge. I tried other Winchester and some would fit and some wouldn't.

Does anyone have an idea what it could be? Sizing?

[Colt562]

I also tried factory loaded and it closed perfectly so I loaded a couple inert to that length and some closed and some didn't.

[SixPointEight]

It's not the OAL of the bullet. It's the shoulder. Your shoulder is probably a little too far forward. .005" is enough to keep the bolt from closing. Make sure your die is touching the shell holder with a piece of brass inserted in the die. Unless you have a way to measure to the datum on the shoulder to make sure you're bumping the shoulder back a couple thousandths on sizing.

[Colt562]

Ok I'll have to go and try that, so I just need to screw in the die a little further?

[joelogic]

A case gauge is a good starting point and useful for pistols and semi auto rifles but for a bolt gun nothing beats the chamber.

[Colt562]

It's not the OAL of the bullet. It's the shoulder. Your shoulder is probably a little too far forward. .005" is enough to keep the bolt from closing. Make sure your die is touching the shell holder with a piece of brass inserted in the die. Unless you have a way to measure to the datum on the shoulder to make sure you're bumping the shoulder back a couple thousandths on sizing.

Thanks man that helped a bunch, went and put a bullet in some and loaded them and worked flawlessly thanks again

[Colt562]

A case gauge is a good starting point and useful for pistols and semi auto rifles but for a bolt gun nothing beats the chamber.

Well from my experience (just from today) the case gauge is very helpful, I have a full length sizing die, so it pretty much helps a lot, and don't really planning on just getting a neck sizing die until I can out shoot my gun and ammo

[joelogic]

Using the chamber as your case gauge has nothing to do with neck sizing. My point was that the bolt gun chamber can be tighter than a case gauge. As you said your rounds case gauge just fine but wont case in the chamber. You set the die based on the case gauge reading and then bump the shoulder back if they wont chamber.

[SixPointEight]

A custom case gauge, cut to minimum chamber spec can be helpful. I've heard rumor that most case gauges are cut just how chambers are, and there is some variation on whether or not they are cut to minimum spec. Joe is correct though, use your bolt gun chamber as a case gauge, set your sizing die down little by little. Brass that hasn't been sized at all likely won't chamber. As you screw the die down, first it will get harder to chamber the brass as the shoulder moves forward a bit as the body of the brass is sized. Then when the shoulder of the die starts to hit the shoulder of the case and move it back, the case will all of the sudden become easy to chamber. When it does, lock down the die. This will ensure you have just enough shoulder set-back to fit in your chamber, but not so much set-back that you will have premature case head separation.

[Colt562]

Ok I'll have to try that then, I just assumed that I would use that, however when they fit perfectly in the case gauge it was very easy to chamber the rounds

[Colt562]

Do I have to seat a bullet? Or can I just use a case?

[joelogic]

The bullet does not effect chambering.

[Colt562]

The bullet does not effect chambering.

I know that, now that I think about it, it was quite a dumb question.