Still having a hard time chambering case after full length resize

dfraser

dfraser

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Hi all,

My rifle has been having a hard time chambering fully assembled cartridges at the range last couple of times out.

So I switched from neck resizing to full length resizing for this last time out to the range this morning.

Still having issues chambering when I got to the range this morning, bolt gets stuck in the nearly locked position, to the point that I have to stand the rifle on it's buttpad and hammer down on the bolt handle until it comes free and releases the cartridge

So I just got home and testing a bunch of cases that I full length resized but I haven't primered or reloaded, and I am getting lots that still cannot chamber, and I have to hammer down on the bolt handle to release the case.

Trying to figure out why this is happening, don't know if it's the rifle or my case resizing technique.

I reload 4 different calibres and none of my other rifles experience this.

This is for my 338-378 Weatherby Magnum, and I am using RCBS FL and Bullet Seater Dies, and a Redding neck sizer die. Using 225Grain Hornady SST bullets, Alliant Reloder25, and I always use a load below maximum indicated in the 2017 Manual

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, as I am lost as to what is happening, Thank you

Regard
 
Do you have a case gauge? Could it be that the shoulder needs to be bumped down a bit?

What if you FL resize a case and chamber it. What happens?
 
roadcarver said:
Do you have a case gauge? Could it be that the shoulder needs to be bumped down a bit?

What if you FL resize a case and chamber it. What happens?
Click to expand...

Hi roadcarver, this is happening after I full length resize. I gave up just neck sizing only on the last go around and went to FL resizing, and still this is happening

Regards
 
I'd say you need to take a measurement from the case head to the shoulder. If you have a comparator with the right diameter bushing it is a piece of cake.
Possibly your sizing die is the problem, if it wasn't made to the right dimension.
 
All the above is good advice. If you have not had success with your full length sizing die before, it could be as suggested that your chamber is slightly smaller than the diameter of the sizing die. In that case a small base die may be needed.
 
Consider:

more or better case lube.. some new gen lubes, really aren't all that wonderful. One of the easiest to find is the RCBS liq lube in the 2oz container... rub on a light even coat.

Spring back on press. If your press "cams over", set up the FL sizing die so the Shell plate hits the bottom of the die well before the press lever gets to the bottom of the stroke.

If all else fails, take a skim off the bottom of the FL die until you can bump the shoulder enough to chamber properly. Problem with a belted case is the die will eventually stop on the belt and moving that belt is pretty much a non starter.

My suspicion is the first two options should resolve your problem.

good luck.

Jerry
 
Mystic Precision said:
Consider:

more or better case lube.. some new gen lubes, really aren't all that wonderful. One of the easiest to find is the RCBS liq lube in the 2oz container... rub on a light even coat.

Spring back on press. If your press "cams over", set up the FL sizing die so the Shell plate hits the bottom of the die well before the press lever gets to the bottom of the stroke.

If all else fails, take a skim off the bottom of the FL die until you can bump the shoulder enough to chamber properly. Problem with a belted case is the die will eventually stop on the belt and moving that belt is pretty much a non starter.

My suspicion is the first two options should resolve your problem.

good luck.

Jerry
Click to expand...

Thank you for chiming in on my post, I actually do use case lube2 by rcbs in the 2oz bottle

I use a Lee Turret press, and I am readjusting the dies slightly tighter, looks to be 1/8 turn extra, as I type this.

Regards
 
While steel cases can wear out (theoretically), I suspect this is not the case here. If your rifle chambers factory ammo without any problem, make careful measurements of factory and resized cases at critical points like length of case, length of neck,
diameter at the base and measurements at the shoulder and neck base. There all define critical points of contact between case and chamber and case and bolt face.
 
How many firings on this brass before FL sizing it? I had the same issue and my shoulder needed to be bumped back. I adjusted the die 1/8-1/2 turn after it contacted the shell holder as others have said
 
dfraser said:
Hi all,

My rifle has been having a hard time chambering fully assembled cartridges at the range last couple of times out.

So I switched from neck resizing to full length resizing for this last time out to the range this morning.

Still having issues chambering when I got to the range this morning, bolt gets stuck in the nearly locked position, to the point that I have to stand the rifle on it's buttpad and hammer down on the bolt handle until it comes free and releases the cartridge

So I just got home and testing a bunch of cases that I full length resized but I haven't primered or reloaded, and I am getting lots that still cannot chamber, and I have to hammer down on the bolt handle to release the case.

Trying to figure out why this is happening, don't know if it's the rifle or my case resizing technique.

I reload 4 different calibres and none of my other rifles experience this.

This is for my 338-378 Weatherby Magnum, and I am using RCBS FL and Bullet Seater Dies, and a Redding neck sizer die. Using 225Grain Hornady SST bullets, Alliant Reloder25, and I always use a load below maximum indicated in the 2017 Manual

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, as I am lost as to what is happening, Thank you

Regard
Click to expand...

My guess is that the case belts have expanded considerably, while the chamber is tight in this area. This will cause the difficult chambering and subsequent extracting that you describe. I've seen this happen before when loading soft brass to too high pressures. The sizing die will not size the belt down once it has been expanded. Unfortunately the cases are ruined, unless you can find a way to turn a few thousandths off the belt. If you have a micrometer, you can measure the belts of the problem cases and compare those measurements with the belt diameter of new cases. Then to verify if this is in fact the problem, try using some sandpaper to reduce the belt diameter of one case, then see if it chambers normally. Let us know if it works.
 
packstring said:
My guess is that the case belts have expanded considerably, while the chamber is tight in this area. This will cause the difficult chambering and subsequent extracting that you describe. I've seen this happen before when loading soft brass to too high pressures. The sizing die will not size the belt down once it has been expanded. Unfortunately the cases are ruined, unless you can find a way to turn a few thousandths off the belt. If you have a micrometer, you can measure the belts of the problem cases and compare those measurements with the belt diameter of new cases. Then to verify if this is in fact the problem, try using some sandpaper to reduce the belt diameter of one case, then see if it chambers normally. Let us know if it works.
Click to expand...

Hi, Thanks for the heads up on this. All these fired brass have been 4x fired and resized

I checked this belt area and the area just underneath the belt on the body of the fired brass, and it is close to my factory unfired cartridge.

Belt diameter: 0.595" factory, 0.594-0.600" fired brass
Body just underneath belt Diameter: 0.576" factory, 0.577-0.580" fired brass
Body just underneath shoulder radius: 0.553" factory, 0.561-0.564" fired brass

Looks like the body area just underneath where it almost about to meet the shoulder radius is about 0.01" difference, whereas everywhere else is about 0.002-0.004" difference

Regards

PS: I also checked my freshly FL resized brass that was not fired today, and it is 0.01" over the factory cartridge body to shoulder area.
 
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