Barrel issue?

[tcross123]

Hello All!

I have recently tried using the Lee hand loader my 30-06 bolt action rifle. The reloader seems to work well as my reloads measure the same size as my store bought ammo. I used 48 grs of H335 powder with Sierra 155 gr TMK bullets. I used brass from rounds only fired from this gun and it was the first time they were reloaded.

My concern is after firing 2 reloads through my rifle the third round would not let the bolt close. I had to use a cleaning rod to push out the round. I tried twice and the second time the bullets was pushed back into the case by the cleaning rod. Then the bolt would not close even on the store bought ammo.

I cleaned the barrel with a wire brush and now the rounds do load bit it seems like a really tight fit. It seems like the reloads did something to the inside of the barrel. I have always I cleaned that rifle well enough (until the cleaning patch comes out clean) but it seems like the reloads changed something in the barrel.

Anyone have an idea on what is happening?

Thanks in advance,

 

[SSL]

Though not listing the 155 TMK bullets, Hodgdon shows a starting load of 47.0 grains of H335 and a maximum of 51.5 so the load itself should be safe. Are your bullets jamming into the riflng? It sounds like they might be.

 

[wkdickinson]

Well according to the Hogdon website you are on the low end of the charge weight for 155gr H335, so doubt that is the problem. H335 is not a powder I would use in a 30-06. I think H4895, H4064, H4350 or Varget would be much better choices.

What are you using for dies? What are measuring when comparing to factory loads and how are you measuring it?

 

[Terry]

Try loading an empty sized case. How does it go?

Measure the Outside neck diameter of a fired case, and a loaded round. The loaded round should be .002-.003 smaller.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

If youre using an actual lee loader thats your problem. You need to full length size your brass using a reloading press.

 

[Homerange]

With a Lee loader you must drive the case fully into the die and a nylon head mechanics/engineers hammer is suitable for this so to not damage the head of the case.

 

[wagonman]

two times neck sized only by your lee loader plus one time from factory load about all your going to get out of your cases. before they get real tight in your chamber. your in need of press and full length dies for sizeing down your cases for fit to your chamber

 

[AccelR8]

I think the point some responders are making is, the Lee Loader only neck sizes, it does not resize the case body and that's likely the root cause of your troubles.

 

[std7mag]

I'm going to draw outside of the general consensus here.

It is more than likely NOT that you are only neck sizing. I neck size only, and have yet to have an issue.

I'm suspecting your issue lies with trim length.
When you size the cases, and fire, the neck will get longer. To the point where it tries to jam itself between the bullet & the throat.
This will cause the symptoms your claiming.

Try checking the length of your cases, trim as needed, and report back.

 

[Bc'z]

Hello All!

I have recently tried using the Lee hand loader my 30-06 bolt action rifle. The reloader seems to work well as my reloads measure the same size as my store bought ammo.

Anyone have an idea on what is happening?

Thanks in advance,

OGIVE!!
As stated above, I believe your jamming the bullet hard.
Overall length may be the same , but I'm willing to bet the " cartridge base to ogive" will be longer on loaded round.
Bullet variations are common from the ogive to tip, just as OGIVE designs are.

Overall length is only important for feeding from magazine.

 

[beemanjohn]

You guys did not read the whole post. He said that now the bolt will not close on factory ammo. I have no idea how that would happen. Wait, just had a thought. Is the gun a Savage or something else with a barrel nut? It could be that the nut came loose and changed your head space.

 

[2506]

I started out hand loading 42 years ago with the Lee original hand loading tool "hammer job" in 30-06. I can tell you like some others have IT IS THE NECK SIZE ONLY FEATURE OF THE DIE. I discovered quickly that cases that were not previously fired in my rifle would not work in my rifle. You need, as has been said, a REAL handloading press with full length sizing die. Even if you neck size with a real press using a neck sizing die you eventually will need to bump the shoulder at some point along the way.

As to the rifle not chambering factory ammo and after cleaning will but is tight I would check the extractor. It could have been bent by trying to force the rounds into the chamber or could have some shaved off brass causing problems with it.

 

[Grandpawmoses]

Just suggesting that the crimp on your reloads may be insufficient & allowing the bullets in the magazine to shift forward in their cases from recoil when you fired the first two rounds. You need a proper roll crimp for even moderate recoil firearms and I'm not sure that the Lee hand loader does that. I check for this issue might be to measure the overall length of rounds in the magazine before and after firing a few rounds.

 

[mills braswell]

You guys did not read the whole post. He said that now the bolt will not close on factory ammo. I have no idea how that would happen. Wait, just had a thought. Is the gun a Savage or something else with a barrel nut? It could be that the nut came loose and changed your head space.

I am a novice, and know nothing about gunsmithing, but wouldn't a loose barrel nut create more headspace? And actually make for easier chambering if that indeed was the case?

edit. As a novice, I have to lean towards the previous comment about excessive case length, possibly crimping his bullets, that may (or may not) be into the lands. This would stretch his brass more than normal, possibly flirting with dangerous pressures. All brass is not the same, and the cases that stretch the most (especially if not trimmed correctly, and the Lee Hand Loader die not resizing the body) are the ones that cannot chamber properly.

 

[std7mag]

Depends on which way the barrel spun.
Righty tighty, lefty loosey.

And the Lee wack a mole loaders do full length size. Not neck size.

 

[beemanjohn]

If the barrel nut came loose the barrel could go in or out. Head space could go either way.

 

[tcross123]

Thanks for all the responses. This is my first attempt at reloading so I am hypersensitive about everything.

I think there was something stuck in the barrel because after cleaning it with a wire brush and lubing the cases I can now get ammo to load. I can think of no other explaination for the factory ammo not loading but it definately did not. This morning I noticed that a couple reloads did have a dent in the case right on the shoulder which I suspect is showing me the problem.

Now the question becomes where did that dirt come from? The cases were unwashed since they had only been fired once before.

The extractor looks fine to me but I am not a gunsmith. I do suspect I need a better crimp on the bullet however the reloads were fed in one at a time not from a magazine. The rifle is a Winchester model 70 which does have a barrel nut so if this issue returns I will look at that. I am measuring an unfired case length at 2.480 and my once fired cases at 2.485. The necks are both .334. The overall length of the reload is 3.224 and the Hornady bullet I am trying to copy is 3.210.

I will trying shooting again today and see it it survives more than 2 shots.

 

[SSL]

Thanks for all the responses. This is my first attempt at reloading so I am hypersensitive about everything.

I think there was something stuck in the barrel because after cleaning it with a wire brush and lubing the cases I can now get ammo to load. I can think of no other explaination for the factory ammo not loading but it definately did not. This morning I noticed that a couple reloads did have a dent in the case right on the shoulder which I suspect is showing me the problem.

Now the question becomes where did that dirt come from? The cases were unwashed since they had only been fired once before.

The extractor looks fine to me but I am not a gunsmith. I do suspect I need a better crimp on the bullet however the reloads were fed in one at a time not from a magazine. The rifle is a Winchester model 70 which does have a barrel nut so if this issue returns I will look at that. I am measuring an unfired case length at 2.480 and my once fired cases at 2.485. The necks are both .334. The overall length of the reload is 3.224 and the Hornady bullet I am trying to copy is 3.210.

I will trying shooting again today and see it it survives more than 2 shots.

I'm not convinced about the crimp. It is possible to over crimp and cause your case necks to swell and stick in the chamber. Case length and neck tension are important. If the case necks are too long they can be squeezed in the chamber and can possibly stop feeding. With good neck tension a crimp is unnecessary. I have never crimped bullets in calibers from .30-06 on down. Neck tension is all I have ever needed in those cartridges. Crimping also has the downside of having to have every case exactly the same length so that the crimp tension is the same for each cartridge.

 

[Bc'z]

@tcross123, back to my last post.
You are using 2 different bullets that are going to have different measurements to the ogive. Oal of cartridge is irrelevant.
The measurement from cartridge base to ogive is everything. CBTO
Make a dummy round and see if it will chamber.

 

[K22]

I'm not going to try and repeat the other poster's very relevant recommendations. The inability to chamber a factory round did catch my attention however. I'll just offer two comments:

1. Many shooters I've encountered do not clean the chamber or recess lug areas in the chamber. Over time debris can accumulate in there and cause chambering problems. There are special kits made for this purpose and I'm sure they work well. However, I use a brass 9" non rotating Dewey pistol cleaning rod with a looped end. I insert several patches depending the chamber size being cleaned to provide a tight fit, butterfly the patches at each end then insert it into the chamber and rotate it several times moving back and forth. This seems to do an effective job of removing powder residue and other debris.

2. Since the rifle in question is a 30 06, I assume it's a hunting rifle. From my many years of experience, reloading for hunting ammunition I learned that neck sizing it not the optimum approach for reliable functioning. Don't take my word for it - do a search on the net and read / watch the videos of world class shooters on this subject then draw you own conclusions.