Archived Posts » 59,646,491
certain reloads won't chamber. Help plz
3/17/2012 9:04:11 PM
Still working out the bugs for reloading for my Browning X-bolt .30-06.
I went to the range today to test some different reduced recoil loads
Guess I should have figured this out at home, but they won't even chamber. Bolt handle hardly rotates at all.
Load:
Hornady 150g FMJ #3037
Mixed brass
CCI #200
Trail boss powder
3.255" OAL
Here's the kicker, when I got home, I tried to chamber some other reloads I've made for this gun. They chambered no problem.
Nosler 150g Ballistic Tip
Mixed Brass
CCI #200
3.275" OAL
The first batch of reloads I made for this gun shot just fine. I'm confused. The only thing that was different was the first time I used a different powder. Everything else was the same.
I went to the range today to test some different reduced recoil loads
Guess I should have figured this out at home, but they won't even chamber. Bolt handle hardly rotates at all.
Load:
Hornady 150g FMJ #3037
Mixed brass
CCI #200
Trail boss powder
3.255" OAL
Here's the kicker, when I got home, I tried to chamber some other reloads I've made for this gun. They chambered no problem.
Nosler 150g Ballistic Tip
Mixed Brass
CCI #200
3.275" OAL
The first batch of reloads I made for this gun shot just fine. I'm confused. The only thing that was different was the first time I used a different powder. Everything else was the same.
3/17/2012 9:10:59 PM
Might just be due to the picture...on the bottom picture, it looks like the case shoulders are higher on the ballistic tip rounds?
3/17/2012 9:13:09 PM
Can you mic the necks? They look different from here. If these are 2nd time reloads you may need to bump the shoulder back just a bit. Check trim length too.
When this happens to me it's telling me it's time to bump the shoulders back a bit so I full length size them.
When this happens to me it's telling me it's time to bump the shoulders back a bit so I full length size them.
3/17/2012 9:14:47 PM
The green tipped looks like it may have a shoulder issue.
Originally Posted By MadnessReigns:
Might just be due to the picture...on the bottom picture, it looks like the case shoulders are higher on the ballistic tip rounds?
Might just be due to the picture...on the bottom picture, it looks like the case shoulders are higher on the ballistic tip rounds?
3/17/2012 9:30:24 PM
1. Crimping to much in the seating die, bulge in neck or shoulder. 2. Fl die needs turned down more. 3. COL to long, bullet jam into rifling.
3/17/2012 10:11:31 PM
did you full length resize or neck resize? I run into this with mine and my cousin's 7mm RM. His chamber is just a bit longer than mine. If we mix brass, I cant chamber his, but he can chamber my brass unless they are full length resized. Normally, with a bolt gun, I just neck resize.
3/17/2012 10:35:16 PM
Shoulder appears buckled on the ball round.. lay a steel rule on the case body, see if there is a bulge there at shoulder..
3/17/2012 11:22:53 PM
I noticed you are using mixed cases. Different brands may not size the same.
Check to see if it's a certain headstamp.
Cutting to the chase, you will need to lower the sizing die in the press.
If you don't have a case gauge, size a case, and try to chamber.
Adjust die until they do chamber with only a slight resistance when you close the bolt.
3/17/2012 11:27:48 PM
3/17/2012 11:44:07 PM
Case length after sizing? A case that is too long won't allow you to close the bolt, one of the first lessons I learned when I started reloading bottleneck rifle calibers.
3/21/2012 11:22:02 AM
Originally Posted By dryflash3:
I noticed you are using mixed cases. Different brands may not size the same.
I noticed you are using mixed cases. Different brands may not size the same.
Check to see if it's a certain headstamp.
I'll see what they are when I get home tonight but i'm only using remington and federal cases.
Cutting to the chase, you will need to lower the sizing die in the press.
If you don't have a case gauge, size a case, and try to chamber.
Adjust die until they do chamber with only a slight resistance when you close the bolt.
Sorry it's taken me a few days to respond.
I feel really stupid at this point. What you're saying is I need to break them all down, give the sizing die a half turn? full turn? a couple turns? in order to resize the shoulder...?
If that's not the issue, I should measure the case length and then trim if need be?
Originally Posted By Wingman26:
Case length after sizing? A case that is too long won't allow you to close the bolt, one of the first lessons I learned when I started reloading bottleneck rifle calibers.
Case length after sizing? A case that is too long won't allow you to close the bolt, one of the first lessons I learned when I started reloading bottleneck rifle calibers.
Can I check case length on loaded cartridges?
Originally Posted By 243winxb:
3. COL to long, bullet jam into rifling.
3. COL to long, bullet jam into rifling.
This shouldn't be the issue as the Ballistic tip is slightly longer and it works. The shorter FMJ is the problem. Is there a deeper issue like bullet style?
3/21/2012 11:36:32 AM
Could be the overall length of the 150 Hornady FMJ is too long for your chamber. Hornady now recommends 3.185" oal for their 150fmj in 30-06. The older manuals listed 3.258" as max oal and the lengths have varied in older manuals a few thousandths. Try one of the rounds that won't chamber and seat the bullet a little deeper to see if that will allow them to chamber in your rifle. Chambering the live round in a safe place and direction of course. If seating deeper doesn't solve your problem then you know it's the brass. The ogives of the 2 bullets are different. The BT has a sharper more pointed tip shape than the 150fmj bullet. I'd check bullet seating depth 1st before pulling down the loaded rounds.
3/21/2012 1:54:12 PM
Originally Posted By rg1:
Could be the overall length of the 150 Hornady FMJ is too long for your chamber. Hornady now recommends 3.185" oal for their 150fmj in 30-06. The older manuals listed 3.258" as max oal and the lengths have varied in older manuals a few thousandths. Try one of the rounds that won't chamber and seat the bullet a little deeper to see if that will allow them to chamber in your rifle. Chambering the live round in a safe place and direction of course. If seating deeper doesn't solve your problem then you know it's the brass. The ogives of the 2 bullets are different. The BT has a sharper more pointed tip shape than the 150fmj bullet. I'd check bullet seating depth 1st before pulling down the loaded rounds.
Could be the overall length of the 150 Hornady FMJ is too long for your chamber. Hornady now recommends 3.185" oal for their 150fmj in 30-06. The older manuals listed 3.258" as max oal and the lengths have varied in older manuals a few thousandths. Try one of the rounds that won't chamber and seat the bullet a little deeper to see if that will allow them to chamber in your rifle. Chambering the live round in a safe place and direction of course. If seating deeper doesn't solve your problem then you know it's the brass. The ogives of the 2 bullets are different. The BT has a sharper more pointed tip shape than the 150fmj bullet. I'd check bullet seating depth 1st before pulling down the loaded rounds.
crap. That woulda been nice to know. I suppose that'll be step number one for me then.
3/21/2012 3:56:41 PM
For shits and giggles take a sharpie marker and color everything north of the shoulder up including bullet then try to chamber it. This should take some sharpie off where it is hitting. Also try to chamber just a case w/o bullet.
Just make sure to do only one thing at a time and write it down in the order you did it so if it happens again you have an exact "formula" to follow
Just make sure to do only one thing at a time and write it down in the order you did it so if it happens again you have an exact "formula" to follow
3/21/2012 11:08:13 PM
Yes you can use a case gauge on a loaded round. I have case gauges for everything i reload and I recommend it for everyone.
3/21/2012 11:09:25 PM
Dupe.
3/21/2012 11:21:36 PM
First thing to check is, will your empty resized brass chamber in the rifle?
Resize some brass, wipe the lube off, and try to chamber it.
If it does, go on to the next step. Reprime it, put powder in it , and seat the bullet to your desired OAL, without crimping. Try to chamber it.
If it chambers OK, add crimp if you have to, and try to chamber it.
I never crimp my '06 rounds.
3/22/2012 1:05:14 AM
I'd try to seat the bullets in a little further first. If that's it, you have an easy fix. If not, you will probably have to resize the case. The only time I have ran into this is not seating the bullets deep enough, or trying to shoot a case neck sized for one rifle in another rifle.
