.308/remington sps reloading help please

[canuck75]

I've got a problem I can't get my head around here, so any help is greatly appreciated.
I was starting some .308 handloads for my remington sps varmint. Here is what I was trying:
military surplus brass, trimmed to 2.005"
hornady 165 gr btsp. As per the book (sierra) I have, it mentions a COL of 2.800". When I put this in my rifle I can't close the bolt, it's right there but I can't close it. So, I think well maybe it's too long for my chamber, so as per Hornady guide I shrink it to 2.750". Still no luck. I grab a box of Hornady custom .308 150gr spire point I have (and which feed nice and smooth) and compare. They have an overall length of 2.529", which I then try for my handloads. Now my rifle will close on some of them, but not all. I then check the OD of the brass at the top right beneath the seated bullet and get .333" Od, same as the Hornady factory ammo. I'm totally stumped. I'm sure it's something I must be doing wrong and would greatly appreciate any and all help.
Thanks

 

[303carbine]

The brass is probably not sized down enough, the military stuff is also thicker and the powder charge should start lower due to smaller case capacity.
You may have to adjust your dies to properly size the brass, especially if it was not shot in your rifle to begin with.
Loosen off the lock ring on your dies, turn the die 1/4 turn down, lube the case and resize it. If that doesn't work, then turn the die down 1/8th of a turn and try again.

 

[blargon]

Yep, sounds like you need to bump the shoulder back a hair more...

FWIW I am loading winchester brass and 150gr SST in my .308 SPS, length is 2.806, and they feed fine...

 

[frzburn]

Yep, same thing as others told you. .308 cartridges headspace on their shoulder, so you'd have to set them back a little more. 2.800" is a very common COL, so that can't be the issue. Not with a factory rifle.

 

[canuck75]

hey, thanks all. Now to fix my problem. I have 100 primed and charged cases here. (stupid question time). Can one remove the depriming rod from his die and bump the shoulder back on a charged case? It seems iffy but I don't want to have to toss them all. Thanks again

 

[H4831]

I have an old RCBS trim die, the type where you put the die in the press, insert an empty all the way in, then file off any of the neck that protrudes. The top of the die is glass hard, so it doesn't hurt a file and the file doesn't hurt the die. The die happens to be 243.
The die is actually a full length resizing die, with nothing (like deprimer) in the centre of the die. If I had a loaded cartridge that didn't chamer easily, I would resize it with this die. As I remember, the instructions stated this could be done, since nothing touched, or came close to touching, the primer.
I think removing the insert in a full length resizing die, would produce the same results, other than the trim part.

 

[Rembo]

yes, you can do this, but remove the decapping pin only, not the expander ball...if you have Lee dies you might be SOL as IIRC most Lee dies have a one-piece expander ball and decapper pin.....

When starting to load for a new rifle you should always size one brass and adjust the sizing die down and keep resizing it until it chambers...check the next one which will be resized in one pass...sometimes you have to move the die down a bit more on piece #2.....I even check a few pieces later to make sure something hasn't moved and I can still chamber the cases...much easier to fix a problem before you have primers installed....or powder and bullet....

hey, thanks all. Now to fix my problem. I have 100 primed and charged cases here. (stupid question time). Can one remove the depriming rod from his die and bump the shoulder back on a charged case? It seems iffy but I don't want to have to toss them all. Thanks again