I bought a used .270 WSM which came with brass, dies and some handloaded ammo. Well I shot all the loaded ammo and it's time to reload. Most of the rounds that came with the gun were hard to chamber (it was a difficult to close the bolt). Well I neck sized the brass and ran them through a body die only to find that that did nothing to help. Well I've turned the body die down a few times but it still hasn't helped. I measured the cases and I know they aren't too long, so that's not the problem. What can I do get them to work properly? How far can I keep turning down the die before it's pointless? Is the brass toast? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
Reloading Help Please
- Thread starter Yoteboy
- Start date
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
If adjusting the full length die doesn't work anymore, then it's time to shave down the shellholder. This problem seems to be a very common one.
I was having the same problem,I'm also new to reloading and to 270WSM
I had to "trim" some off my shell holder,rubbed it with very fine sandpaper.
That helped.
Some brass seemed very un-round,I just rotated the brass in the shell holder and resized.I'm not sure if this shortenes the brass life or changes the temper too much but my reloads chamber smoothly now.
Those 2 things solved all of my hard to chamber problems.
I hope this helps.
I had to "trim" some off my shell holder,rubbed it with very fine sandpaper.
That helped.
Some brass seemed very un-round,I just rotated the brass in the shell holder and resized.I'm not sure if this shortenes the brass life or changes the temper too much but my reloads chamber smoothly now.
Those 2 things solved all of my hard to chamber problems.
I hope this helps.
Measuring the length of the case is a start.
However there are numerous other factors that affect if the brass will chamber or not.
All the measurements have to be correct. The diameter of the case. The diameter of the neck. The shoulder of the case has to be set back the right amount or that will stop the case going into the chamber.
If you have a set of good calipers you should check all the measurements of the fired cases against the dimensions from a reloading manual. That should tell you where the brass is hanging up.
However there are numerous other factors that affect if the brass will chamber or not.
All the measurements have to be correct. The diameter of the case. The diameter of the neck. The shoulder of the case has to be set back the right amount or that will stop the case going into the chamber.
If you have a set of good calipers you should check all the measurements of the fired cases against the dimensions from a reloading manual. That should tell you where the brass is hanging up.
"...shave down the shellholder..." You should never have to do anything to the shell holder.
"...hard to chamber...seemed very un-round..." That suggests they may not have been fired out of that rifle originally. Full length resize them and see if they'll go into the chamber empty.
"...hard to chamber...seemed very un-round..." That suggests they may not have been fired out of that rifle originally. Full length resize them and see if they'll go into the chamber empty.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
With a quality Redding die like that, I very much doubt that there is an issue requiring the shellholder to be trimmed.
I suspect you are doing something wrong yourself during the reloading process.
Crimping? STOP!
Read the instructions that come with those dies, full length resize, and do it right.
I suspect you are doing something wrong yourself during the reloading process.
Crimping? STOP!
Read the instructions that come with those dies, full length resize, and do it right.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
Sometimes , even with the most expensive dies , a little has to be removed from the shellholder.
I have had more than one qualified gunsmith show me this, it works.
Sometimes 1 thou is all it takes to make the round chamber properly.
- Location
- North-Central Quebec
Ditto with what John Y Cannuck said. Start with that first. Then if that doesn't work you can move on to more drastic or creative solutions
I have a .308 that will only easily chamber rounds if there is no space between the shelholder and the die during resizing. Needless to say, necksizing is out of the question with that rifle.
I have a .308 that will only easily chamber rounds if there is no space between the shelholder and the die during resizing. Needless to say, necksizing is out of the question with that rifle.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
There is a writeup over at sniper country where they are shooting the Remington 700 300 Winchester DM Police rifle, they use about 6 different sized shellholders to get the headspace exact.
I guess if a different thickness of shellholder works....
Yes they did come from the same rifle and yes I was trying after full length resize. They where dummy rounds,I was finding my lands.
Some brass would chamber great but turned 90deg. or more it was much harder.
All the same lot of once fired brass from the same rifle reloading for the same rifle.
With the shell holder "trim" and rotating the brass and resizing again(only with Win.brass,I've found) All my problems with hard chambering went away.
I suggested the shell holder idea because:
1- I hope someone starting to reload is smart enough to check and re-check all of the "normal" things.
2- It's a cheap fix.
3- I got the idea from a post on CGN
4- It worked for me.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
I've shaved shell holders myself, and had it work, but I doub't on a die like he's using that the die would be the cause of any trimming needed. There is the issue of the brand of shellholder however. Shellholders from different manufacturers are NOT always the same thickness, sometimes there is substantial difference. A Redding shellholder would be best.
If a cartridge chambers hard then easliy when rotated more than 90 deg., this suggests the case head is not square to the sides of the cartridge. You may be able to see this by standing the fired brass on a flat level surface (glass table) and see if the brass is perpendicular to the table. Compare to unfired brass.
Your bolt face is not perpendicular to your chamber if this occurs after firing.
NormB
