i cant see to figure out what the cause of the problem is. its not that easy to close the bolt (or unload it) when im trying to load one into the chamber, even without a projectile in it. I have tried trimming them. running them through the FL sizer and trimming them a little bit more. the cases have only been fired about 3 times each, its all of the cases that are doing it. but when i grab a factory round it loads up nice n easy.

The dies i am using are Redding, rifle is a 300WSM.

Paul, you probably aren't completly fl aizing the brass. Reloading presses have a bit of flex in them. When you set your dies to to touch the shellhold when the press is at the top of it's stroke, go ahead and give the die about another 1/16 to 1/8 of a turn. Try resizing a fired case to see if it will then fit the chamber.................DJ

I just neck size mine after the first firing untill wont fit the chamber then I run them through the full length sizer. Some presses have more spring than others.

Rad

Assume these cases were fired in your rifle? If so, they should chamber without sizing at all.

Are you crimping the bullets. If you screw the seating die down too far, it will over-crimp the bullets which will expand the case and make it oversized at the shoulder.

Try sizing the case and insert in chamber. Does the bolt close? If so, load and seat a bullet and see if bolt closes. If it doesn't, back off your sizing die and try another case.

Regards,
hm

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:
Paul, you probably aren't completly fl aizing the brass. Reloading presses have a bit of flex in them. When you set your dies to to touch the shellhold when the press is at the top of it's stroke, go ahead and give the die about another 1/16 to 1/8 of a turn. Try resizing a fired case to see if it will then fit the chamber.................DJ

yeah i tried winding the die in a bit more so that when im running it through the sizer the shell holder hits it.

quote:

Originally posted by hm1996:
Assume these cases were fired in your rifle? If so, they should chamber without sizing at all.

Are you crimping the bullets. If you screw the seating die down too far, it will over-crimp the bullets which will expand the case and make it oversized at the shoulder.

Try sizing the case and insert in chamber. Does the bolt close? If so, load and seat a bullet and see if bolt closes. If it doesn't, back off your sizing die and try another case.

Regards,
hm

yes these cases have only been fired in this rifle. same thing happens with a bullet in the case. I am not crimping.

the bolt closes it just takes a bit of effort to get it there

Hey Paul

9 times out of 10 what you describe is because you are not setting the shoulder back far enough. I don't know about Redding FL dies but with RCBS you have to adjust the die down to the shell holder when the ram is raised and then lower the ram and adjust the die down an additional 1/4 turn (according to the instructions). If you had a Stoney Point Head and Shoulders Gauge you could monitor exactly how far you are moving it. Or you can set your rifle up and chamber the case after each resizing and keep setting the die down until it becomes easy to chamber. Once you reach the point that the die starts to move the shoulder back it will take very little adjustment to go from a crush fit to easy to chamber with the cases in your rifle.

I didnt get any instructions with my dies on how to set them up. ill trying winding the die in a bit further and see how i go.

ahh got it, had to wind the die in somewhere between 1/2 a turn and one full turn. thats some case squashing action...

Now back the die back up until you find the exact point at which you go from a crush fit to easy chambering. What you want to do is push the shoulder back as little as necessary for a Partial Full Length Resizing. If you push the shoulder too much you will be working the brass too much and your accuracy may suffer.

My resizing goes usually goes like this

• New Cases
  
• Neck Size (Lee Collet)
  
• Neck Size (Lee Collet)
  
• Check for crush fit, Neck Size (Lee Collet)if possible if not Neck Size and then push shoulder back .0015" (Redding Body Die and Stoney Point Head & Shoulder Gauge)
  
• Neck Size (Lee Collet) and push shoulder back .0015" (Redding Body Die)

From then on you will have to push the shoulder back on each subsequent firing with those cases.

i dont have a head and shoulders gauge. but i have wound the die out a bit. actually about half a turn. only crushed the first case good. i might have a bit of a play with it later on and figure out where the minimum ammount of sizing is

Have you trimmed your brass? If you haven't and it's too long, that will cause difficult chambering.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul from nz:
i dont have a head and shoulders gauge. but i have wound the die out a bit. actually about half a turn. only crushed the first case good. i might have a bit of a play with it later on and figure out where the minimum ammount of sizing is

Not trying to be preachy, but some sort of device to take a base to datum measurement is very handy in reloading.

I don't know how easy it is to get Stoney Point or other devices of that type in NZ.
If you can't purchase them at a reasonable price, just have a machineist drill a datum diameter hole in a conveniently sized block of hardened aluminum or stainless steel and use it to measure base to datum with a dial caliper.

Might save some head scratching in the future.

Good luck

Covey16

Sometimes the inside expander ball will pull the neck forward a schoshi bit. Use a dab of Imperial die wax (if you don't use it you should) and lube inside the neck at the neck/shoulder junction.
Good Luck!

It could be your chamber is toward the minimum size. I've got a 257 Roberts that requires maximum full length sizing to close the bolt easily. None of my other rifles require the dies to be set down so far. This rifle shoots well and I have learned to live with it.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul from nz:
i dont have a head and shoulders gauge.

Hey Paul, Good! One less headache-making "thingy" in the way.

quote:

...i have wound the die out a bit. actually about half a turn. only crushed the first case good. i might have a bit of a play with it later on and figure out where the minimum ammount of sizing is

You are on the right track. You just adjust it until there is a slight "crush" as you close the Bolt on the chambered Case. When you get to that point, you have achieved "Zero Headspace" and have reduced the chances of Insipient Case Head Separation to almost nothing.

Make sure the top of the press and the FL Resizing Die's "Lock-Ring" don't have any trash build-up where they mate. And be sure to use the exact same Shell Holder in the Press each time.

The only time you really need to resize the Case more is if you would be Hunting Dangerous Game. Then you want a bit more slack, just in case a bit of trash gets into the Chamber.

Sounds like you have it figured out to me. Best of luck to you.

quote:

Originally posted by Paul from nz:

quote:

Originally posted by hm1996:
Assume these cases were fired in your rifle? If so, they should chamber without sizing at all.

Are you crimping the bullets. If you screw the seating die down too far, it will over-crimp the bullets which will expand the case and make it oversized at the shoulder.

Try sizing the case and insert in chamber. Does the bolt close? If so, load and seat a bullet and see if bolt closes. If it doesn't, back off your sizing die and try another case.

Regards,
hm

yes these cases have only been fired in this rifle. same thing happens with a bullet in the case. I am not crimping.

the bolt closes it just takes a bit of effort to get it there

Have you tried closing the bolt on a fired case without doing anything to it first? The question is, do your fired cases go back into the gun easily BEFORE you size them? If so, then something you are doing to them after firing and ejecting them the first time is keeping them from going back into the chamber eassily-if this is what's happening, then you have to detect what's happening to them in the resizing process.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by Paul from nz:
i dont have a head and shoulders gauge.

Hey Paul, Good! One less headache-making "thingy" in the way

I guess some people think it's better to act like a mushroom, stay in the dark and don't care what you get fed.

quote:

Originally posted by woods:

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by Paul from nz:
i dont have a head and shoulders gauge.

Hey Paul, Good! One less headache-making "thingy" in the way

I guess some people think it's better to act like a mushroom, stay in the dark and don't care what you get fed.

You can produce rounds that fire with a Lee Loader and a rock.
Some like to take things a little further.

Covey16