OK, so I've read all the threads about reloading the WSM catridges.

I just got back from the range (nice day here in Houston, by the way). I was shooting 2 new WSM's - a M70 Featherweight 300WSM and a M70 Classic Laminated 270WSM. The 270WSM was shot once before, and reloaded the fired cases - neck sized only with Redding Competition dies. No problems whatsoever - and this thing is shooting sweet. BUT . . . in the 300WSM, I was shooting some factory loads (don't have dies yet) - Winchester 150gr PowerPoints - the bolt was pretty stiff after firing, and a fired case would not re-chamber.

The bolt on the 300WSM is fairly stiff period - even when there is no cartridge present. The bolt/lug areas were lightly greased but did not really make a difference. The primers were maybe a little flattened, but not bad . . . and no cratering around the firing pin indention.

Any thoughts? Could the factory ammo just be too hot for my rifle?

Some of the Winchester loads are pertty hot. I only shot a few in mine and they were up there. Try H4350 in the 300 WSM.

I second the recommendations for H4350...it's my go-to powder for 165-180 grain bullets in my 300WSM.

Flat primers from factory ammo is normal...as is LIGHT cratering of the primer. This is a high pressure round and is loaded to max by the Winchester it seems.

I would thing the stiff bolt, since it happens even on an empty chamber, is not ammo related. New rifles may take some time to loosen/smooth up. Some guys lap/polish/sand the raceways to smooth them up, some cycle the bolt a few hundred times, I just go out and shoot.

I too had issues with the Win factory ammo in my 300wsm back when it was first out. I began reloading as soon as I got some brass, so don't know if they cut back a little on the loads since then.

I use IMR4350 with good results. Similar to H4350.

Just neck sizing the WSM's will not work. Everyone I know only gets two or three reloadings just neck sizing. Brass is cheap so I just full length resize each time.

I get tack driving results with my .270 WSM using reloader 19 and 22.

I have to join the list of people to say that 300WSM factory loads are loaded hot. I do not bother neck sizing for my WSM. I am now using IMR4350 as my powder of choice for bullet weights from 165-180 grains. I have tried Varget for 150 grain, but have yet to develop a load.

Some of the M70 WSM chambers are out of round to a great degree. This is another reason why your fired brass may not chamber easily.

Mic. your fired brass on the body and if it's out of round try to return the rifle. I have a M70 in 7mm WSM and its chamber is way out of round. USARC/Winchester would not do anything about this complaint and they are a crummy company anyway.

Also as mentioned many WSM rounds are loaded hot.

Otherwise a WSM case should necksize as well or better than other cartridges with normal loads and a normal round chamber. On the other hand I FL size everything these days.

TXRam, just to add some spice, I submit the following. I PFLR my WSM brass, and have had no issues. The WSM brass enlarges quite a bit for sure, in Wilson case holders for example, there is a holder for unfired and fired brass.

I have had several WSM's that I have helped with or owned, that needed the chamber polished, in order to elininate what appeared as pressure signs. I also agree with Savage 99, that you could have non-concentric chamber, but I actually doubt it, I think you just have a little tight chamber that might need polishing, and your bolt will most probably 'free up' with a little use and wear, I've seen that happen several times, with many different rifles, and not just WSM's.

I agree with others on the 4350 powders, I also have good luck with Win 760, which is what I believe Winchester loads their factory ammo with.

Good luck to you, I am sure you will see your 300 round into shape, everyone I have is a real shooter!

Regards--Don

Factory Powerpoint WSM loads can be very hot . Many factory Winchester WSM chambers out of round due to a design / manufacturing problem . Most will still shoot quite well but require FL sizing of cases .

OK, I sent Winchester an email containing the info I posted here - they mail me a request to send them the remaining ammo for them to inspect, and they will send me a reimbursement. I've read quite a bit about the Win PP ammo being hot.

I have never had this problem with factory ammo - I guess I figured all factory ammo would be well below max. But I have had similar issues a couple of times before - loads were too hot.

As far as the different Wilson holders - they make new and fired holders for most rounds, that has nothing special to do with the WSM's in particular.

I'll wait to get my dies before I draw any conclusions on neck sizing vs. partial full-length sizing. I don't see any reason why you should not be able to neck size. Like I mentioned, I am neck sizing for the 270WSM with NO issues at all (Redding Competition dies - no expander ball).

TXRam, you are certainly right, you should have no issues to be able to neck size for the 300 WSM, I have several friends that do with great results. As to the wilson case holders, they make new and fired holders for several cases,certasinly not most--they are for those cartridges that see a fair amount of case expansion (according to LE Wilson)--or else there would be no need to do so--my point is that the 300 sees a fair amount of expansion, and if you were to have an non-concemntric chamber, it would be easy to have brass not want to rechamber. I haven't had/have or been around a rifle--over 100 I'd say, where the brass would not rechamber in the rifle it was fired in, so it seems you have a bit of an issue there unrelated to the loads themselves.

Good luck and Good shooting.

Fish, I think we agree - was just pointing out that the WSM's aren't unique in having the new & fired caseholders available. Guess I should have said, for most of the calibers that I own , they have both available.

What kind of dimensions would constitute a non-concentric chamber? .001"? .005"? More/less? I guess I'm talking about variation in diameter at any point along the chamber. I should be able to take some measurements of some fired cases to give me an idea as to whether it is a chamber concentricity issue, huh???

Thanks again for all the help.

TXRam, that is a good question on how far out your chamber would have to be to give problems. I suppose it would have to do with the length of the case, I think a longer case would have to be less out to give a problem??? At any rate, I think in a relatively short case like the WSM it would have to be a fair amount. Maybe a smith on the forum will chime in, but I'm guessing it would have to be ten thousandths or so, just cause I would think you could push the case past .005 with the pressure you could put on the bolt, but that's just a guess.

I would think if you have polished your chamber and are using fireformed brass that the headspace wasn't changed somehow during your neck sizing op's, and you still have issues, it's got to be the chamber. One of my friends had a Kimber that had this same sort of issue, and we polished the chamber with some 1200 grit emory cloth, followed by some lapping compound on a shotgun bore mop (to give a good snug fit--it was a 20 ga. in his 300 WSM) and his problems went away immediately. He used both Win factory ammo--several types--and Fed premium and after firing the factory rounds to fireform, he only necksizes, and has really excellent accuracy. It's probably worth a try before sending it back to the factory....

Hey Fish, the lapping compound/polishing agent on a 20g bore mop was EXACTLY what I was thinking of trying - haven't yet. I think I actually asked about this in a post above and no one ever commented.

How did you do the emery cloth thing? On a dowel rod that has been shaped to approx. cartridge shape???

Since I'm neck sizing with the Competition dies - no expander, neck sized with a bushing .002" under loaded round neck diameter - I can't see any way anything besides the neck is going to get moved.

Thanks again for the help!!!

TXRam, I just read your other post on the gunsmithing forum about what degree of chamber inaccuracy would cause your issue--some intresting responses. Particularly interesting was Malms suggestion that polishing your chamber could cause more of an issue. I would not challenge him, as he is a praticing smith, and I am actually preparing a package going to him for some work!

Having said that, I CAN"T imagine it would cause any issue. As I mentioned, I have been involved with polishing several chambers on WSM's, specifically .270's and .300's, curing sticky bolt lift and the fired brass not wanting to rechamber issue.

Also, one of my friends sent his back to Kimber for exactly your issue, and it came back with a work ticket on it stating 'Polished Chamber, test fired and no further problems with fired brass not wanting to chamber'

So.....some of the other guys who posted on the Gunsmithing forum have way more knowledge than me, and they are trying to help as well, I would still polish the chamber. For the emory cloth stage, I just cut a 3/8" wooden dowel to the length I wanted, an sliced vertical slot in the end of the dowel and then put a length of emory cloth into the slot. Chucked that into my cordless drill and then back and forth at pretty slow speed for 30 seconds or so--didn't remove any material that I could discern, just polishing--as the intent--after that we put some lapping compound onto the bore mop, and same drill with the drill (pun intended )

This cured the issue at hand in each case with these rifles, 8 of them, two were M-70's.

One other though as well, how did your rifle shoot accuracy wise? If it was in fact fairly accurate, I think that would rule out some of the mis-alignment issues suggested on the Gunsmithing forum--just a thought.

Good Luck--keep us posted--Don