.223 Getting Pushed Back while Chambering

[jetman624]

Take the loaded round and use your body weight and push the nose of the bullet against your press or a hard surface. Measure before and after. If the length changes it has to be a neck tension issue.

ALL of my body weight? I weigh a good 210lbs...

If the bullet took all my body weight to move, I wouldn't be able to close the bolt without doing the same while trying to chamber the round. Right? It is pretty difficult to chamber as it is. If I was easing the bolt closed and it was coming out shorter, I would totally agree, but with the amount of force that it takes to close the bolt, I can't see how more neck tension solves a problem. I think that would just make it more difficult to chamber.

[ocabj]

NOT an AR. Rem 700 in .223

Your Remington 700 is chambered for .223 Remington SAAMI spec. The 2.260" cartridge overall length measurement is usually applicable to 5.56 NATO (or .223 Wylde). You'll simply need to seat the 55gr deeper so you're not jamming into the lands.

[jetman624]

ok since it is a Bolt - seat a bullet long with just enough neck tension to hold the bullet in the case, empty of course. chamber the round & allow it to contact the lands and be allowed to be pushed into the case - cycle the bolt to eject - measuring the ogive will give you the the chamber length.
seat .020 or .010 (depending on what you read in to) off the lands to start

basically like this;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUWPZNQuZ-w

I have used the Hornady tool for doing this as well as loading "dummy" rounds to test bullet seating lengths-- they all come out much shorter than a 2.26 COAL-- which is what is puzzling me here. Is it normal to get a chamber that won't accept a SAMI spec loaded round? I am thinking not, but I dunno...

[Bumslie]

ALL of my body weight? I weigh a good 210lbs...

If the bullet took all my body weight to move, I wouldn't be able to close the bolt without doing the same while trying to chamber the round. Right? It is pretty difficult to chamber as it is. If I was easing the bolt closed and it was coming out shorter, I would totally agree, but with the amount of force that it takes to close the bolt, I can't see how more neck tension solves a problem. I think that would just make it more difficult to chamber.

You didn't say you were having difficulty chambering, only that the bullet was being pushed back. Then it sounds like you are having an OAL problem.

[jetman624]

Your Remington 700 is chambered for .223 Remington SAAMI spec. The 2.260" cartridge overall length measurement is usually applicable to 5.56 NATO (or .223 Wylde). You'll simply need to seat the 55gr deeper so you're not jamming into the lands.

My reloading book says 2.26 under .223 cartridge info...

You didn't say you were having difficulty chambering, only that the bullet was being pushed back. Then it sounds like you are having an OAL problem.

I apologize, I thought I had made it clear that there was indeed some difficulty in closing the bolt.

[Bumslie]

Have you tried a dummy cartridge that was full length sized with 2.260 OAL?

[ar15barrels]

My reloading book says 2.26 under .223 cartridge info...

That length can vary based on bullet ogive and chamber dimensions.
Drop a bullet into the chamber and push it all the way forward in the chamber.
Hold it in place while you lower a wooden dowel into the bore until it touches the bullet tip.
Now mark the wooden dowel at the muzzle.
Now remove the bullet from the chamber and close the bolt on an empty chamber.
Lower the dowel into the chamber now until it rests on the boltface (firing pin cocked) and mark the dowel at the muzzle again.
Withdraw the dowel and measure the distance between the two marks.
That distance is the OAL of a round loaded with those billets just touching the lands in your barrel.

[jetman624]

Have you tried a dummy cartridge that was full length sized with 2.260 OAL?

I think the only dummy rounds I made were on brass that had only been moderately resized for a snug chamber fit-- and the brass by itself chambers fine.

But the shoulder of the brass should be accounted for either way in the COAL, I would think. If left a tad long, in my case, I would think that the bullet would just be seated a tad deeper to get the same COAL. In other words, I am thinking the seating depth of the bullet is only one factor in determining the COAL and that the distance the should is bumped back is the other. Is that not correct?

Now the round that kicked my brain into thinking I might having a problem and started connecting the dots to the previously loaded dummy rounds, was loaded in a fire-formed piece of brass that was less than a .001 out of spec after just resizing the neck, and was SHORTER than brass I had resized for a snug chamber fit (same brass the dummy rounds were made out of). I am not sure if this means anything, and I am sorry if I just confused the hell out of you... But THAT round would be the closest piece of "spec" brass I have used to reload

[kentactic]

If the bullet is being pushed in by the rifling you will deffinatly have marks on the bullet.

Something else is pushing the bullet in. Have you look for foreign objects, a loose bullet stuck in the bore etc? You ever fired this rifle before? Perhaps there's a bur in the chamber.

[jetman624]

If the bullet is being pushed in by the rifling you will deffinatly have marks on the bullet.

Something else is pushing the bullet in. Have you look for foreign objects, a loose bullet stuck in the bore etc? You ever fired this rifle before? Perhaps there's a bur in the chamber.

The first dummy rounds were made prior to firing the rifle. The latest round I noticed was made and tested after firing, but prior to cleaning.

I didn't notice any tough chambering rounds when I was at the range, but I was focused on other things, so... can't say for sure.

The rifle shot well, I think it could be a sub MOA gun if I could get my cheek-weld down and stop moving my head around...

I think Randall may be on to something though, so I am going to give that a try and see how it goes.

[mroels]

This is a long shot but have had any primers pop out after multiple loads? I can hardly imagine one getting stuck in a chamber of a bolt action but it doesn't hurt to check. I've experienced a bolt override in an AR due to this. Again highly unlikely in bolt action but doesn't hurt to look.

[3RDGEARGRNDRR]

I have seen this issue before, my friends set of lee dies that he states were not sizing correctly, I have a set of Lee that works fine though. We shoot through AR's.
So try a different set of dies.

another long shot, measure the diam of the projectile and ensure it is 224. SOmetimes .223 bullets get used and there wont be enough neck tension.

[JagerDog]

Your Remington 700 is chambered for .223 Remington SAAMI spec. The 2.260" cartridge overall length measurement is usually applicable to 5.56 NATO (or .223 Wylde). You'll simply need to seat the 55gr deeper so you're not jamming into the lands.

That length can vary based on bullet ogive and chamber dimensions.
Drop a bullet into the chamber and push it all the way forward in the chamber.
Hold it in place while you lower a wooden dowel into the bore until it touches the bullet tip.
Now mark the wooden dowel at the muzzle.
Now remove the bullet from the chamber and close the bolt on an empty chamber.
Lower the dowel into the chamber now until it rests on the boltface (firing pin cocked) and mark the dowel at the muzzle again.
Withdraw the dowel and measure the distance between the two marks.
That distance is the OAL of a round loaded with those billets just touching the lands in your barrel.

^^^^^^^these