243 Brass Chambering Issue

[Recko555]

I am new to the 243. I have gone through all my new lapua 243 brass (once fired). I am sizing it and having trouble fitting sized brass in my chamber on 50% or so. Fired brass closes easy or with slight drag (firing pin assembly removed). I am bumping .003-.004" on the shoulder (Whidden FL bushing die) and still doesnt chamber. I checked the base dimension on brass that will and wont chamber.....it was the same (.468"). Check case OAL, good to go.
So I black sharpied the case neck, shoulder, and base of brass; then rammed it hard into chamber and got the below picture. What would cause this? Is this a donut? How to fix this? I am using a custom reamer (I have the reamer print).
Thanks for any ideas.

Gabe

 

[Dusty Stevens]

yes that is a donut. you may have to run an expander in there and turn the donut off or just bump em back another thou.

 

[Curmudgeon]

How do you know you are pushing the shoulder back? Looks like you're sizing the case and pushing the shoulder forward. Measure shoulder datum point on new, fired and sized cases and check differences. If you can't measure screw die down till case chambers.

 

[243winxb]

I am using a custom reamer

I would send 3 fired brass to your die maker. Have a custom die made.

The hole in the die could be to large and not sizing enough, where the bright ring is. Sizing a 308 win will show the hole diameter. No bushing installed. Use lots of lube , in a good strong press.

Try bumping the shoulders back till all rounds chamber. On the first firing, not all brass will fully expand to the chamber, giving a false measurement. (Short)

On sizing ,some brass will get longer, head to datum, some will not grow longer.



I dont see a donut or where the bushing stopped sizing?

If your new to reloading & bushing dies it may be the die adjustment is not correct? Sorry.

 

[243winxb]

Is this mark (red) coming from the chamber or die?

If you can feel the mark with a finger nail, something may need adjustment?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Is this mark (red) coming from the chamber or die?

If you can feel the mark with a finger nail, something may need adjustment? View attachment 1067691

That is where the original shoulder was.

 

[Recko555]

I forgot to mention I am using the expander ball that comes with the die. Maybe I moving the donut to the outside with the expander. I will try remove expander ball and sizing again.

Dusty Stevens,
I can try bumping them back more, but I am sizing them more than I have sized all my other calibers I shoot. I usually size .001-.002" smaller. I am already at .003-.004".

Curmudgeon,
I am using a sinclair bump gauge with 20 degree insert (double checked moving should back with the included Whidden bump gauge).
New brass is x.x64"
Fired brass is x.x71"
sized brass is x.x67-x.x68"

243winxb,
After the 308 brass is sized, what/how will I measure to see if the hole is too big?
I have used Redding type S bushing dies in the past without issue on .223 and 20 Practicals. But this is my first Whidden die.

Thanks for all the ideas and help.

 

[243winxb]

Measure the sized 308 neck diameter , that will be close to the hole size . SAAMI 243 win loaded rounds neck diameter is .276" maximum. So i would guess the hole is same or a little larger? I did it with my Redding S die, but dont remember the diameter.

The 308 fired case sized hard, almost stuck it in the die for me.

Do you have a tight neck chamber? May make a difference??

 

[Curmudgeon]

Still have to say it looks like you are trying to fit the shoulder into the neck dimension. What is the neck diameter of your reamer? So far I haven't created a donut with one firing. The engraving you show is on the shoulder.

 

[Recko555]

It is a .275" neck.
I sized it back to new Lapua size and they still drag/don't fit (bumping .006").
Talked to Whidden, he said to send it back with some fired brass and they will take a look at it.
In the mean time I ordered a Forster FL sizing die.

 

[Zero333]

Whidden will take care of the problem one way or another.

Could be the die or the chamber.

 

[Recko555]

I received the Forster FL die today and tried it out. I can bump the should .001-.002" and the bolt drops (easily chambers a sized round). I will need to hone the neck out so I am not over working the brass neck though.
However It does leave a bright ring around the shoulder/wall junction. Anyone seen this before?

 

[ShootDots]

Mine does that too. However, mine is on a .260A.I. which has a VERY sharp 40 degree shoulder. Mine is simply a matter of "polishing" if you will, the tarnishing of the brass. One thing though, mine id about 1/2 the thickness of yours, however, that could be from the 40 degree shoulder.