I don't think I'm sizing properly

[alfred1222]

So I just started some 308 loads, and I tumbled, sized, trimmed, tumbled again, than primed, charged, seated, and taper crimped. Perfect, right? Well when I went to chamber it, it went in smooth, but the bolt doesn't close. When I looked at the brass, it appears that the bottom 1/5 of the brass didn't get sized. What's my fix?

[Don the savage]

Are you using full length dies? What kind of dies? Where did the brass come from? How are your dies adjusted?

[hermosabeach]

Does the shell holder almost contact the bottom of the die?

Was the brass previously fired from your gun or what gun?

[rsrocket1]

You need to adjust the die so the shellholder touches the die with a case in it.

I test chamber each resized case in the gun before going any further. Takes all of 5 seconds. Making corrections early on saves a lot of time rather than trying to correct things later. Of course that's impractical with an autoloader, but a headspace gauge can also be used so long as you've already verified everything with a test cartridge.

[Bill Steele]

You need to adjust the die so the shellholder touches the die with a case in it.

I test chamber each resized case in the gun before going any further. Takes all of 5 seconds. Making corrections early on saves a lot of time rather than trying to correct things later. Of course that's impractical with an autoloader, but a headspace gauge can also be used so long as you've already verified everything with a test cartridge.

This.

If you get a headspace gauge, it will allow you to adjust your sizing die so you only bump the shoulder back the required amount to chamber the round reliably, thus working your brass a little less.

Good luck, have fun.

[alfred1222]

Are you using full length dies? What kind of dies? Where did the brass come from? How are your dies adjusted?

Yes, FL Hornady .308 sizing die. All brass is once-fired LC 09 brass

Does the shell holder almost contact the bottom of the die?

Was the brass previously fired from your gun or what gun?

no the shell holder doesn't it has maybe an inch of clearance between the shell plate and the die, and no, the brass is a trade from a buddy of mine, it's all once fired in military M40 rifles.

[Dutch3]

no the shell holder doesn't it has maybe an inch of clearance between the shell plate and the die

The full length of the case is not going to get sized if it isn't entering the die.

[707electrician]

You need to set the die so the shell holder contacts the bottom and the handle cams over when you pull it all the way down. Like others have said

[NoNOS67]

no the shell holder doesn't it has maybe an inch of clearance between the shell plate and the die, and no, the brass is a trade from a buddy of mine, it's all once fired in military M40 rifles.

I don't think you're sizing properly either.

[alfred1222]

I don't think you're sizing properly either.

Hahahahaha thanks guys, it looks like I'll have some bullets to pull

[Bill Steele]

Hahahahaha thanks guys, it looks like I'll have some bullets to pull

I am surprised you had any neck tension.

[alfred1222]

I am surprised you had any neck tension.

I actually had good neck tension, that surprised me as well

[NoNOS67]

How did you go about setting up your sizing die?

[Bill Steele]

I actually had good neck tension, that surprised me as well

The neck is roughly .300" long, call it .200" from the head to the top of the shellplate, maybe you were actually closer than an inch? Otherwise I think the neck tension you had was there before you sized it... the good news is you were not going to stick a case.

Anyway, good to hear you figured it out.