tight bolt when chambering a reloaded round

CanuckWR

CanuckWR

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Just want a few opinions on this. I loaded some 308 win rounds last night and noticed that the bolt felt tight when chambering. I was well under the COL at a few thou shy of 2.8 inches runout was within .004inch. I did have a few primers that were a little tight going in and I didn't prep the primer holes as I was just making some plinkers.

I am using once fired win brass that was sized but not trimmed as I was only 0.005 over lenth but otherwise prepped properly to my knowledge.

Any thoughts? Any suggestions on what to check?
 
This is not likely brass length, but rather the FL sizing die is not down on the shellholder quite enough. Try adjusting your die down a sixteenth of a turn, size a case and see if it chambers easier. If not, try another sixteenth of a turn. You may find you have to "cam over" with some resistance on your press to get the case sized enough to chamber easily in your rifle. This is very apparent when a chamber is cut at SAAMI minimum specs. Regards, Eagleye.
 
Could be several things
1. Adjust FL sizing die to bump shoulder back a bit.
2. Bullet is contacting the lands ( check for rifling imprint on the bullet) COL can be different for each rifle.
3. Slightly protruding primer.( Check with a straight edge, if the primer is above the case it needs to be seated deeper, probably because the the primer pocket needs cleaning)
4.The seating die is set too deep and you are over crimping the bullet causing a mushroom effect.
 
"...once fired Win brass...sized but not trimmed...0.005 over length..." Fired out of your rifle? FL resized if they weren't? 5 thou over which length?
 
Ok. Brass lenth was 2.015 and trim to length is 2.005, I looked at the wrong number as spec length is 2.010.

Bullet was seated off the lands, I made sure of that as checked my throat. Its a factory Remington barrel as well.

Thanks for the help all. I should have a few things to look at. I can't be too far out as the second load grouping was the tightest the rifle has ever shot! Not bad for a rookie. ;)
 
No. I FL sized the brass. I don't cam over but the brass is fully in the die.

It was just a tightness as the bolt was closing so case lenth or primer seating depth is sounding like the culprit. I hope to get back at the bench ASAP and find out.

Thanks for your help. ;)
 
I would trim to proper length and load empty into rifle if ok, load a bullet into it (no powder) and try again. If still good crimp if you are and try again. By process of elimination you will find your problem. Keep this dummy round to set up your dies. Good luck.
 
Eagleye said:
This is not likely brass length, but rather the FL sizing die is not down on the shellholder quite enough. Try adjusting your die down a sixteenth of a turn, size a case and see if it chambers easier. If not, try another sixteenth of a turn. You may find you have to "cam over" with some resistance on your press to get the case sized enough to chamber easily in your rifle. This is very apparent when a chamber is cut at SAAMI minimum specs. Regards, Eagleye.
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X2-manitou
 
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