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Are "clickers" just a problem for competitors?

The only time I ever had clickers was when I used 25 CM brass in my 250AI. This was a 2 pronged issue. 1. The head diameter of the CM was .470 and the AI was .467 and my die (not small base) would not take the case heads down to .467 on the thicker CM brass. 2. The issue only appeared on max loads and at times would extract so hard the rims would tear off at the extractor and have to be driven out. I went back to Lapua 22-250 brass and the issue never appeared again. As an experiment, I turned down the CM case head to .467 and the issue went away but just didn't want to go thru that when there are better easier options.
 
I mark them, anneal, resize and try again. If they go back to clickers they get thrown away ...
I don't shoot strong loads so it's not all about strong charges. Some cases just don't/won't stay in spec.
 
Full length resize with a .0015 or .002 shoulder numb and you’ll never see or have any issues.

Neck sizing only is not a good practice..

i shoot top of the chart loads in 223, 308, 6.5CM, and 6.5-284 and using my practice of properly setting my fl type s die never experienced a hard heavy bolt lift or a clicker ever..

eric cortina has the very best YouTube videos on how to set dies up and everything else you wanna know.
 
ta6ppc said:
Full length resize with a .0015 or .002 shoulder numb and you’ll never see or have any issues.

Neck sizing only is not a good practice..

i shoot top of the chart loads in 223, 308, 6.5CM, and 6.5-284 and using my practice of properly setting my fl type s die never experienced a hard heavy bolt lift or a clicker ever..

eric cortina has the very best YouTube videos on how to set dies up and everything else you wanna know.
Click to expand...
You might be interested to know that setting a shoulder back has little to do with clickers.
 
SPJ said:
You might be interested to know that setting a shoulder back has little to do with clickers.
Click to expand...
Yeah but I was very clear with full length resize, I did some of that neck sizing only way back when and by the end of a benchrest match you had a mountain of sand right in the middle of your rest and the gun wouldn’t track plus you almost needed a block of wood to beat your bolt open.

fl resize with proper die set up and one would never know what a clicker was
 
SPJ said:
You might be interested to know that setting a shoulder back has little to do with clickers.
Click to expand...
You are correct SPJ!…. Backing the powder charge off as someone mentioned won’t fix it either!… problem is at the .200 line and it needs sized back to spec or he will continue to have problems with primary extraction. A small base die or a custom die that sized the base correctly is what is needed
Wayne
 
ta6ppc said:
Yeah but I was very clear with full length resize, I did some of that neck sizing only way back when and by the end of a benchrest match you had a mountain of sand right in the middle of your rest and the gun wouldn’t track plus you almost needed a block of wood to beat your bolt open.

fl resize with proper die set up and one would never know what a clicker was
Click to expand...

When did anyone mention neck sizing as an issue for clickers? I don’t think you know what a clicker is or understand how it happens.

A “clicker” is where the web in front of the case head sticks to the chamber wall due to improperly sized brass, out of spec brass, or out of spec chamber. Doesn’t need a block of wood to open the bolt, just makes the extraction cam have to put in work with more force to pull it free and that’s the “click” you feel when opening the bolt. If you need a block of wood to open the bolt you’ve got a lot bigger issue
 
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ta6ppc said:
Yeah but I was very clear with full length resize, I did some of that neck sizing only way back when and by the end of a benchrest match you had a mountain of sand right in the middle of your rest and the gun wouldn’t track plus you almost needed a block of wood to beat your bolt open.

fl resize with proper die set up and one would never know what a clicker was
Click to expand...
Two different issues. Having heavy bolt closure and lift from neck sizing is definitely a problem it’s why most all serious competitors f/l size
Primary extraction issues are created at the .200 line from not being sized back. It doesn’t take over pressure loads to create it and you could push the shoulder back .010 and would still have the issue
Wayne
 
I know exactly what it is and what creates it, poor brass is probably near the top of the list but usually first is a really hot load. Primary extraction is something that can be debated as to if it’s even needed in all honesty but, I’ll leave that for another discussion. The folks who I’ve seen at the range with clickers aren’t full length resizing.
Usually pushing the max limit hard or passed it and didn’t recognize the two or three pressure signs they had before the expanded the case head to the point the bolts sticking..
 
ta6ppc said:
I know exactly what it is and what creates it, poor brass is probably near the top of the list but usually first is a really hot load. Primary extraction is something that can be debated as to if it’s even needed in all honesty but, I’ll leave that for another discussion. The folks who I’ve seen at the range with clickers aren’t full length resizing.
Usually pushing the max limit hard or passed it and didn’t recognize the two or three pressure signs they had before the expanded the case head to the point the bolts sticking..
Click to expand...
Okay I’m not going to argue with you but neck sizing does not create clickers per say !…Brass isn’t the issue it’s the F/L sizing die not doing it’s job at the base. I went through my phase of neck sizing back in the day with my triple deuce. I’m not a fan of neck sizing and will be the first one out here to speak against it!… the only chambering I currently neck size is a 22 hornet and if I would chamber it to a K hornet I would stop neck sizing it as well! Either he has a oversized chamber or his die is oversized at either rate his die is not sizing the base enough
Wayne
 
lazyMlazyK said:
Alright, newb question here....what are clickers?
Click to expand...
It's the noise that happens when your bolt goes "clik"! You dunkoff you forgot to put a round in the chamber!? No seriously, it's the noise that an oversize cartridge in an under sized chamber makes. Mmmm, I'm waiting to see what a fracas this will result in?
 
ta6ppc said:
I know exactly what it is and what creates it, poor brass is probably near the top of the list but usually first is a really hot load. Primary extraction is something that can be debated as to if it’s even needed in all honesty but, I’ll leave that for another discussion. The folks who I’ve seen at the range with clickers aren’t full length resizing.
Usually pushing the max limit hard or passed it and didn’t recognize the two or three pressure signs they had before the expanded the case head to the point the bolts sticking..
Click to expand...

A “hard bolt lift” from a high pressure load is not exactly what we call a “clicker”. A clicker can happen even when FL sizing and loading at normal pressures if a FL die or chamber is out of spec. It’s not just from high pressure, it’s usually something that needs to be fixed in the die or chamber.
 
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I just went through 380 Lapua SRP cases to reduce the Base-only after changing barrels . The shoulder on the new barrel worked out to be just a couple Thou. longer , but the brass was causing the "mentioned" clickers on Bolt-lift . After a re-size and firing in my new barrel twice , the problem went away . These cases have been rotated through two barrels , and starting on a third , with 25 to 27 reloads in the groups .
 
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