On of my buddies just picked up a Ruger #1 in .25-06. Didn't have any dies, so also purchased a new set of RCBS dies. Being short of .25-06 brass, he cleaned up some Federal .30-06 brass and ran a couple of test cases through the full length die to see how they would form. Answer - not worth a damn! He is getting a slight bulge on the shoulder of the case. Hardly noticeable, but enough that it won't chamber. O.K. all you experts! - what's his problem?

Thanks - Juneau

Juneau,

Before Remington produced the 25-06 commercially that is how we formed our 25-06 cases.

Yes, we had a bump, or a second shoulder also. However, using the loads in boltguns gave no problems as the camming action of the bolt would force the shell into the chamber.

I can see how this bump would be a problem in a Ruger #1. Anyway, the first firing would fireform the shoulder to a smooth contour and headspace was zero.

For a Ruger #1 perhaps forming from .270 cases might be better. However, you will then have to trim the cases, as the .270 is one mm or .46 thous. longer than a 30-06. Lucky for me that my rifle didn't know the difference!

[This message has been edited by Herb D (edited 01-08-2002).]

I just got rid of a Ruger #1 varmint barrel I had used for many,many years. I did so many experiments with it, on in and around it that the barrel finally just gave up. It started shooting patterns instead of groups. I had the trigger so smooth and light it was a joy to shoot. Sent it back to the factory for a new barrel and they installed a bunch of other new parts and just F----- up the trigger. I traded it in on a Rem 22-250 Sendero.

I used 30-06 cases many times, military, Win, Rem, Fed, and all had the shoulder bump but they all chambered with a bit more squeezing than normal for the first go round.
I also used 270 and 280 brass and trimmed them to 2.520 to fit my chamber which was 2.535" Reforming 30-06 will cause the case to get longer but not as long as the 270/280 would get.

After the first firing they chambered normally and only showed pressure signs when I got a magnumitis and jacked up load parameters..

One thing I found over the years is make sure to FL size with the die turned down so ALL the slop is taken out of the linkage AND some dies, all brands, size more or less than others.

You might try another brand of die or if you have a gunsmith buddy have him grind a few thou off the bottom of the die or the top of the shell holder. No more than 0.005"

Doing the Shell holder is quicker but you will need to keep that one separate so you don't use it with any other caliber. I've done it both ways and have the dies and shell holder marked so I don't mix them up.

After fire forming and checking that all the measurements were correct, I put a shim between the lock ring and top of the press to get back to standard and used the die without another thought.

That will allow the shoulder to be set back just enough to chamber good. This works better with falling blocks or break open such as R #1's and T/C Encores and Contenders.

Usually the caming action of a bolt action rifle will close on a baulky case unless there is a whole bunch of things going wrong at the same time.

This should help get you going.

I believe you would get your problem solved
by first using a 270 die. It works fine for
my 25/06 Encore barrel.

First, run the 30/06 case through a 270
full length die, trim a little, then through
the 25/06 die and trim to proper length. I
get no bulges doing it that way.