Tight bolt closing on resized brass / .223

[Lefty Trigger]

I have been running across some of my brass have an issue with tight bolt closing. The brass is resized to .002 under and trimmed to length 1.7495 base diameter measures .3745. Brass is not military, GFL which is Fiocchi I believe, bought new and has been reloaded 4 times and annealed once at 3rd reload. No primer or bullet in the brass,... cant locate the cause??
(Bolt rifle not AR)

 

[#40Fan]

Mark up the brass with a sharpie and attempt to chamber. Post picture of where it is rubbing.

 

[lpreddick]

When you open the bolt on a tight case, does it stop just before complete rotation? Is there a click after more rotational effort?

 

[chop house]

i load a lot... a lot... of GFL fiocchi brass i have recovered from factory ammo for several .223 bolt guns. there are two kinds of GFL. one is from the extrema line (v max varminting ammo) and the other from shooting dynamics (blasting ammo) line. the headstamp one has G.F.L. the other is GFL. extrema has anneal marks polished off, dynamics 'looks' more military. neither is primer crimped. can't recall which has the "." but the extrema line stuff is most consistent and gives me better groups.

i;ll check my notes and see if i've run across this. btw, common complaint is off center flash holes and burrs. but i've not had a problem, and i deburr on the first trim.

 

[chromatica]

Check the diameter of your cases at the shoulder and at the base. I have seen my brass hang up at the base.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

i load a lot... a lot... of GFL fiocchi brass i have recovered from factory ammo for several .223 bolt guns. there are two kinds of GFL. one is from the extrema line (v max varminting ammo) and the other from shooting dynamics (blasting ammo) line. the headstamp one has G.F.L. the other is GFL. extrema has anneal marks polished off, dynamics 'looks' more military. neither is primer crimped. can't recall which has the "." but the extrema line stuff is most consistent and gives me better groups.

i;ll check my notes and see if i've run across this. btw, common complaint is off center flash holes and burrs. but i've not had a problem, and i deburr on the first trim.

No "dots" in GFL and the whole batch has many primer holes off center.

 

[Ccrider]

When you open the bolt on a tight case, does it stop just before complete rotation? Is there a click after more rotational effort?

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but if it is doing this “clicking” as you describe, what is the cause?

 

[Lefty Trigger]

When you open the bolt on a tight case, does it stop just before complete rotation? Is there a click after more rotational effort?

Yes, its tight closing and opening and there is a distinct "click" and then its free. Like its binding the bolt lugs.

 

[chop house]

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but if it is doing this “clicking” as you describe, what is the cause?

i believe that means it needs fl sizing or the brass is hard and needs annealing. i am sure someone will verify that soon...

 

[Lefty Trigger]

Mark up the brass with a sharpie and attempt to chamber. Post picture of where it is rubbing.

That's actually a good idea, did it and got nothing? No marks on the case sides anywhere which leads me to believe it's too long but it's a 1/2 thou under trim length and longer brass will close with no effort??

 

[Drop Port]

Yes, its tight closing and opening and there is a distinct "click" and then its free. Like its binding the bolt lugs.

Rem?
The click is from the .200 line, needed a SB die for my 6br it started to develop it after about the 4th load. It was faint and the SB die reeled it in. It can get away from you, I've had brass i trashed, running it too hard and couldn't get it back in spec.

 

[Ccrider]

Thanks for posting this. I am having the same problem with some of my 6ppc brass. I will size with sb die and see if that solves the problem and post back.

 

[chop house]

No "dots" in GFL

that is the brass that shoots well for me, despite the flash holes. looking back, i believe fiocchi usa sourced their brass both here and in italy. it may be the older shooting dynamics with the anneal showing that i didn't have the best luck with.

anyway, I am sure i've experienced what you describe somewhere in the last year. i measured the datum, the shoulder bump looked good, but still had stiff or even no closing. I am thinking it may have been the neck shoulder junction. as was previously suggested, dykem, smoke, or magic marker the prepped case and see what you can read.

 

[Homerange]

View attachment 1063817
That's actually a good idea, did it and got nothing? No marks on the case sides anywhere which leads me to believe it's too long but it's a 1/2 thou under trim length and longer brass will close with no effort??

Try candle soot instead.

 

[Drop Port]

Thanks for posting this. I am having the same problem with some of my 6ppc brass. I will size with sb die and see if that solves the problem and post back.

Very common with custom min chamber and standard dies, they just don't get the base enough.

 

[grovey]

Measure it at the web as drop port mentioned. Take a few pieces ( even the one you marked) and measure them there, and reset your die to make your bump 0.003 instead of the 0.002 . It may size them far enough down low on the case to help. If not it'll probably take a sb die to get you back on track for a few more firings.

 

[Ccrider]

Lefty, I just resized a piece that was clicking at the top of the bolt release with the SB die. It solved the problem. You should give this a try. The guy I bought my gun from gave me this die. I was not sure why. Now I know.

 

[chop house]

t's a 1/2 thou under trim length

yeah, trim length is not in this instance the concern. do you have comparator to measure datum length - base to shoulder?

 

[Lefty Trigger]

yeah, trim length is not in this instance the concern. do you have comparator to measure datum length - base to shoulder?

Yes, I have the good Sinclair comparator made from stainless and matches the shoulder profile instead of just an "edge" to measure from. My fired brass comes out at 1.454 and I been sizing to 1.452. This piece that is tight measures 1.452. Brass that measures 1.454 will close easily so that's why these tight one's that measure correctly are throwing me for a loop! I have been having this issue creep up on me and it's becoming more frequent. I only full length resize my brass but it looks like I need to invest in a small base die.

 

[#40Fan]

How many times did you cycle the bolt with the marked piece of brass? Give it a few up/downs to get a good rub mark. You should be seeing something.