Stiff Bolt w/ Neck Sized Reloads

Slug870

Slug870

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I recently got out and tested some reloads I had done for my .223 rifle to further my load development process. The brass was once fired Lapua, neck sized with a Lee Collet die. Brass was trimmed, chamfered, etc as well.

When chambering the neck sized rounds, I noticed that they all caused quite a stiff bolt on closure. I am wondering if this is common, and if anyone has any tips on tweaking the Lee Collet die to mitigate this stiff bolt?
 
Was the once fired brass fired in your rifle?
Neck only sizing is for brass that was previously fired out of your rifle that has been fire formed for your chamber.
if not you will have to full length size your brass for the first time being fired in your rifle,
then after that you should be good to go with neck only sizing.
 
The issue would normally be with the main body of the case and not the neck.
I am not familier with Lapua brass so maybe the brass is soft and really exspanded when last fired,
or loads were hot enough to do the same?
Also try chambering a loaded round, then remove it to see if bullet is seated too far out.
Paint the case with a majic marker to look for un even scuffing
Try the same loads to see if they work better if cases are full length sized to rule out
neck area issues.
Ensure you brush clean the chamber as well.
 
chamber a neck sized brass with no bullet. Note if the bolt closes easy or stiff.
Then chamber a neck sized brass with bullet seated to SAAMI OAL. Note if the bolt closes stiff.
If bolt closes easy on brass with no bullet, but exhibits stiff closure with bullet, then its your case neck -
 
Fired cases will eventually expand in both diameter and length around the shoulder area. The easy solution is a Redding body die which can be set to bump the shoulder as needed for proper chambering.

If you neck size, bumping shoulders is inevitable.

Now with lapua brass, they can be overly thick in the neck which can lead to the necks jamming in the chamber... this is very dangerous and must be addressed.

so the next question is WHERE is the case hitting the chamber causing the stiff bolt close.

There are simple solutions for both.

Jerry
 
There is the possibility that you are distorting the brass when seating the bullet. Like chrismc said try with neck sized only no bullet. See if it closes. It may be your seating operation that is causing the problem especially if crimping with the seating die.
 
Mystic Precision said:
Fired cases will eventually expand in both diameter and length around the shoulder area. The easy solution is a Redding body die which can be set to bump the shoulder as needed for proper chambering.

If you neck size, bumping shoulders is inevitable.

Now with lapua brass, they can be overly thick in the neck which can lead to the necks jamming in the chamber... this is very dangerous and must be addressed.

so the next question is WHERE is the case hitting the chamber causing the stiff bolt close.

There are simple solutions for both.

Jerry
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting Jerry, I am glad you did.

What are your recommendations to address this issue? Given the fact that this is only the second firing, I am thinking that the shoulder wouldn't require bumping back, however having never been exposed to "bumping", I cannot say for sure.

Also, I am unfamiliar with how to properly check where I am making "bad" contact, so I am unsure of how to proceed there. I would greatly appreciate any advice you might offer.

As a previous poster mentioned that my loads may be hot which could be contributing to this issue; I feel as though I should examine my spent casings a little closer. They are all still sitting in the gun room with fired primers still in and what not, so perhaps I will make a separate thread on that topic and have some folks who have a lot more knowledge than I offer there opinions on my brass/primers/load. I am not too proud to admit that my knowledge in this area is very limited, and given the potential danger of the situation, I am not ashamed to ask for help.
 
doc25 said:
There is the possibility that you are distorting the brass when seating the bullet. Like chrismc said try with neck sized only no bullet. See if it closes. It may be your seating operation that is causing the problem especially if crimping with the seating die.
Click to expand...

Excellent point, thank you. I am using a Forster Ultra Micrometer seating die, and I am not crimping.
 
Slug870 said:
Thanks for posting Jerry, I am glad you did.

What are your recommendations to address this issue? Given the fact that this is only the second firing, I am thinking that the shoulder wouldn't require bumping back, however having never been exposed to "bumping", I cannot say for sure.

Also, I am unfamiliar with how to properly check where I am making "bad" contact, so I am unsure of how to proceed there. I would greatly appreciate any advice you might offer.

As a previous poster mentioned that my loads may be hot which could be contributing to this issue; I feel as though I should examine my spent casings a little closer. They are all still sitting in the gun room with fired primers still in and what not, so perhaps I will make a separate thread on that topic and have some folks who have a lot more knowledge than I offer there opinions on my brass/primers/load. I am not too proud to admit that my knowledge in this area is very limited, and given the potential danger of the situation, I am not ashamed to ask for help.
Click to expand...

Simple checks.

With the fired brass, see if a bullet will fall freely into the case. NO hesitation in the neck

Jiffy marker the top half of the case and chamber. It will rub off where it is hitting the chamber.

Neck size and repeat.

What type of rifle?

What is your load - powder, bullet and primer?

Did you work up the load or just use a receipe off the internet?

Jerry
 
One more thing to check: primer pocket depth and protruding primers. I've had plenty of .223 cases with shallow primer pockets requiring uniforming to get primers flush or below flush without pressing them in hard. Check for round swipe marks on the face of the primer after chambering. A proud primer in a fire formed N/S case will cause stiff bolt closing.
 
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