New Reloader question?

[Lucky Scott]

Quick background:
Got a set up for Christmas from a friend. He was selling his RCBS single stage, and his Dillion Square Deal progressive so that he could get a new set up. I really wanted to buy it, but was just too broke. My wife bought it for me for a Christmas present. Great wife!

Been reloading for my .38 special on the Dillion and for my Remington 700 7mm Rem Mag on the RCBS. Took the OC reloading class with Big Bronco and have had a couple friends help me get going. I am very happy with the results, the Remington shoots way more accurate with the reloads. I have been trying different ladders of powder to determine what the rifle likes.

Here is my question..............
I have one or two reloads that are just like the others that do not want to chamber in the rifle. When I go to shoot them, the bolt will not close. So I set them aside and the rest of the reloads chamber and shoot just fine. I look at them and dont see what is preventing them from chambering. The OAL is the same, I dont feel any burrs, and dont see anything crooked or bent or distorted.

What should I be looking for?

[Witch Hunter]

Use a sharpie and mark the brass, chamber it and look for rub marks. It could be just that the case is too long.

[ptmn]

Most likely has to do with the shoulder not getting bumped back to original specs during full length sizing. Get a Wilson headspace gage and use that to adjust your sizing die, or use the actual rifle that you are loading for to adjust.

[kpdiamond54]

Get a case gage from Dillon. They make them for all different calibers. If it fits in the gage it will chamber. It will save you time and money, well worth it.

[joelogic]

You would not be able to identify a die setup or shoulder bumping issue by eye.

At least for an ar I think the difference between go and no go gauges are just a few thousandths.

[Bastard]

Use a sharpie and mark the brass, chamber it and look for rub marks. It could be just that the case is too long.

+1 my first thoughts were the case it too long.

[mark501w]

F/L size your brass properly check length of your cases

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

Sharpie is a good suggestion. Personally, I smoke mine with a match or candle (after the powder and primer have been removed).
black out the casing at the neck, base of the neck, shoulder and around the belt. Where it's rubbed off is where your problem is. If it's rubbed off around the belt, I think you're done with that casing. Now, how to solve the problem...

To start, understand that not all brass can be resized to chamber again. I had a M700 many years ago in 7mm Rem Mag that apparently had an oversize chamber. It was a tack driver but try as I might, I couldn't reload for it. Once fired casings fired in that rifle would not rechamber.

That said, the most common problem is the sizing die is not screwed down far enough.
Break down the problem round so it's just the case.
Resize it again (Go easy and the primer will slip right out), then try chambering it. If it's still tight, adjust your die down 1/8 to 1/4 turn and repeat until it either chambers easily or you can't cam over the press. If you reach the point that you can't cam over the press, throw that casing in your brass bucket, reset your sizing die to it's original position and move on.

Assuming you can get it to chamber, put your seating die into the press, adjust it so that you are positive it's not crimping. Using one of the rounds that will chamber, adjust the seating stem so that you can seat a bullet to the same OAL as the rest.

Try chambering this dummy round. If it doesn't chamber easily, mark the entire neck with your sharpie and try again. If the rub off is around the neck, you have a casing which has a thicker neck than the other rounds. You can either trim it or toss it. I'd toss it.

If it does chamber easily, then you are likely over crimping. Crimping only works if all of your brass is the same length and you're using bullets with a cannelure.

Put the dummy round in your press, put the ram to the top, back out the seating stem so it doesn't touch the bullet and screw in the seating die until you feel it touch the case. If you don't want to crimp, back it off 1/8 turn, adjust the seating stem to touch the bullet and lock everything down. If you do want to crimp, retract the ram, turn the die in 1/8 turn, and extend the ram. Remove the round and examine it. It is crimped enough for you, try it in the rifle. If still chambers, you're good. If it doesn't, you have over crimped (e.g. slight over crimping will cause the case to bulge slightly just below the shoulder.)

I've probably left a few things out. Comparing your existing rounds with the problem round, assuming you have micrometer, would be another way to go.

[Divernhunter]

No need to crimp.
Probably need to set the shoulder back more.

[ptmn]

I forgot to mention in my earlier post...I'm jealous! I wish my girlfriend would get me reloading equip for Christmas. Sounds like you have a pretty good girl

[knucklehead0202]

brass may just need to be trimmed. after several firings some of my brass had stretched to where I couldn't chamber my reloads. after trimming and reloading, they worked perfect. probably close to 20 firings on some of my 6.5x55 brass and only retire 1 or 2 with split necks every loading. could be the resize job too. check it all out and let us know. yeah, my old lady would never buy me anything gun-related, much less a whole reloading setup.

[madjack956]

had the same problem in .308.. I set the shoulder back and all is well.

[barrage]

had the same problem in .308.. I set the shoulder back and all is well.

^ Same problem/solution here.

[thai562]

It's yours shoulder, common problem when reloading necked ammo. Get a case gauge for your case, and check every case after sizing.

[brettkeating]

I forgot to mention in my earlier post...I'm jealous! I wish my girlfriend would get me reloading equip for Christmas. Sounds like you have a pretty good girl

He's not the only one! My wife got me a Rock Chucker kit for this last Christmas too!