6.5 PRC chambering issue

[akgrant]

Most of my reloading has been done with fairly straight forward cartridges like the .375 H&H and I have never had any issues. I am currently loading 6.5 PRC and having a problem I have never encountered before. After I re-size the brass, I randomly chamber some of them and they all fit properly. Bolt closes easily and case ejects with no issue. The problem shows after I seat the bullet. Now when I chamber it, the bolt catches when I try to lock it. I can get it to lock but it requires more force than should be necessary, though not overly excessive, and the unfired round ejects normally. Any thoughts?

 

[Chuckhunter]

Could be the loaded round doesn't have enough neck clearance.

 

[akgrant]

That's what I was wondering, but it is hornady brass and bullets...

 

[GLShooter]

Are you sure the cartridge is not too long? Not all throats are the same length. Measure your distance to the lands. Also if crimping do it after you seat the bullet not at the same time.

Greg

 

[akgrant]

I always crimp separately after seating. Didn't see any marks on the bullets, but I guess I'll have to take a closer look at the gun

 

[drop_point]

Do you have a borescope to identify carbon build-up?

Consider covering the round with sharpie and when you chamber a round, where it is tight will rub the sharpie off.

 

[akgrant]

I'll start with the sharpie trick, no borescope

 

[akgrant]

Looks like you may have hit the nail on the head. Covered bullet and case in purple sharpie, chambered and found a heavy grey spot on one side of the bullet just ahead of the case neck, no other marks anywhere. Going to give it a thorough scrubbing and keep my fingers crossed that resolves the issue.

 

[Ironworker]

Why crimp a bolt action rifle cartridge?

 

[Louisiana Shooter]

Why crimp a bolt action rifle cartridge?

Depends on how much recoil it would have. Recoil will seat a bullet back into the case if it's heavy enough.

 

[akgrant]

Probably not actually much of an issue with the 6.5 PRC with a suppressor on it, but was absolutely required on the .375. Guess I just did it out of habit. These are just going to be range rounds, so probably no need to crimp at all

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

Sounds like the body of your seating die is down a little too far, causing the case mouth to contact the die, pushing it down which will mushroom the case at the body shoulder junction. If it's bad enough, you can actually feel it is you run your fingers uo the case. I'd back off body die a full turn and readjust seater stem to desired length. If not the problem, it won't hurt anything.

Frank

 

[gmoney]

im having same trouble with new built gun, impact action. 6.5 prc. shooting factory hornady ammo, 143eldx precision hunter, and 147 eldm. will not extrack. carried back to smith twice and he said it was hornady brass was the problem. now scratching my head

 

[Straightshooter1]

im having same trouble with new built gun, impact action. 6.5 prc. shooting factory hornady ammo, 143eldx precision hunter, and 147 eldm. will not extrack. carried back to smith twice and he said it was hornady brass was the problem. now scratching my head

I've read reports from a few shooters suggesting that the Hornady cartridges are hot loads as they were getting pressure signs. This along with some issues with chamber dimensions would certainly have the results you're experiencing. I've not had any of those reported issues with my Hornady brass in my 6.5 PRC and I've got 5 firings on the brass using somewhat hot loads. The solution for you may be having to have your chamber reamed out just a little, which is what some of those shooters did to solve the problem with JGS 6.5 PRC AW 2 reamer (by Alex Wheeler, if I recall correctly).