bolt wont close on reload
I've started reloading for my .243 savage 110.
I started with 20 rounds each of 90 grain Nosler BT and 20 rounds 70 grain Sierra Matchking HP.
I went to try them today and I've found a problem(I think). I found on some(not all) of the rounds, the bolt wont close very easily(bolt is tight when locking).
I pulled bullets from a tight round and a round that chambers easily and used a once fires factory round for comparision.(round still will not allow bolt to lock after bullets have been pulled). All diminsions from the reloaded rounds are the same, on the once fired a couple of the diminsions where slightly larger(having not been sized) but well under the maximum size listed in my manual.
All brass I used for reloads were factory once fired out of the same rifle.
I cannot find any marks on the case where it might be hitting the chamber, however there are marks on the head where the bolt has scraped the surface(round is not turning when trying to lock the bolt)
Anyone got any suggestions????
I started with 20 rounds each of 90 grain Nosler BT and 20 rounds 70 grain Sierra Matchking HP.
I went to try them today and I've found a problem(I think). I found on some(not all) of the rounds, the bolt wont close very easily(bolt is tight when locking).
I pulled bullets from a tight round and a round that chambers easily and used a once fires factory round for comparision.(round still will not allow bolt to lock after bullets have been pulled). All diminsions from the reloaded rounds are the same, on the once fired a couple of the diminsions where slightly larger(having not been sized) but well under the maximum size listed in my manual.
All brass I used for reloads were factory once fired out of the same rifle.
I cannot find any marks on the case where it might be hitting the chamber, however there are marks on the head where the bolt has scraped the surface(round is not turning when trying to lock the bolt)
Anyone got any suggestions????
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Some chambers are tighter than others. You need to full length resize and then try again. We're only talking one or two thousandths, but it's enough to make a difference. Also, the round doesn't turn in the chamber, the bolt turns around it.
non illegitimus carborundum0 -
1. Did you use a full length sizer?
2. Did you check for case length increase?
3. Try a full-length resized empty case.
4. If #3 does not work, then your die is NOT resizing.
Good luck,
Morty
Have fun, be careful!0 -
take a match or candle and smoke the case shoulder and neck( just hold the case above the match so the soot gets on it ) , then try to chamber it , you will be able to see marks in the soot where its hitting 0 -
yes checked length and trimmed when needed. I compared a factory once fired that has not been sized and the round that was tight and both have same case length
yes all cases were full length sized
p3 I know what you mean by the case not turning...I guess I assumed that when the bolt grabs the round that it would turn the round when locking the bolt.
I guess if all else fails I will pull all the bullets and start from scratch.0 -
Make sure you are setting the resizing die properly, i.e. turn the die about 1/8th of a turn more after it touches the shell holder, and then lock it in place. Refer to your reloading manual if you are not doing this. And if your die is not set like this, you are not full length resizing.
Rafter-S0 -
You didn't slightly bulge the shoulder did you? gskyhawks suggestion would be my first guess. The seating die may be down to far and pressing the shoulders out of dimension,..which is why they will feed into the chamber,..but not allow the bolt to close.
Usually a once fired case will go into and out of a chamber with ease,..they still have plenty of spring-back at only one firing and should feed quite nicely. Try a fired (in that rifle) case, unsized,..and see if it doesn't go right into the chamber and the bolt close easily. If this is the case,..start looking for how you pushed the brass out of dimension (usually a die body adjusted down too low) I like about a nickels thickness of space between my die body and shell holder.
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?0 -
I'm betting it won't open after you fire it either[:D]!
Check your crimping die; sometimes it slips down and will expand the shoulders enough to keep the bolt from closing-make a pencil mark about 1/2" wide starting at the front of the shoulder, and work your way toward the head. Chamber the pencil-marked round. If the bolt won't close easily, don't force it; just open the bolt, rotate the case 1/2 turn, and try again. Remove the case and inspect the pencil line; I'm betting you'll have a very thin bright line at the very front of the shoulder.
This used to happen to me with the 300 win mag, until I figured it out.
If you know it all; you must have been listening.WEAR EAR PROTECTION!0 -
If everything doesnt work you might try a small base die. That did the trick on my Ar-15. 0 -
Please try this.
1. With a fired case of esch brand Rem/Win/etc, set your resizing die 1/16 of a turn to 1/8 of a turn lower untill you just begin to see slight burnish mark from the die on the neck(tapered part) then try this case in your rifle turn die down more untill any stickyness is gone then lock die in place.
2. Never seat the bullet & crimp in one operation. Seat all bullets, then if you think you need a crimp then back off the seating screw & set the seater die just low enough to put a light crimp.(any time you use a crimp all cases should be trimmed to the same length. if you have a few cases .004 to .006 longer and crimp them they could bulge th case enough to stick in the chamber)
3. Are there any marks on the bullet? If there is you may need to seat the bullet a little deeper.0 -
Discard all Winchester brass from your lot!!!! JustC and varminthunter should get a laugh out of this post!!!! If you can make it work, it won't last over 3 firings!!!! GHD 0
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