FL sizning die issue, cant push shoulder back

[Never Forget]

[QUOTE="M-61,And bullet seating pressure feels OK?[/QUOTE]

Everything feels normal.

 

[jlow]

^^^^^
This


The fact that they chamber ok without the bullet and then tight with the bullet, I came to the same conclusion, carbon ring. I would borescope it before taking any action on the die or shell holder.

I am with hogpatrol. You can also use the sharpie trick on the bullets on a loaded round and look for scrapes on the ogive. A carbon ring will scrape it...

 

[Rsadams]

If theres even the slightest doubt...clean it .. Especially since it was the base plates or whatever that was couseing the accuracy problem..

 

[Never Forget]

Well I gave then rifle a good cleaning (man was it coppered up). Loaded 18 rounds, chamber checked all before loading with no issues. At the range a couple felt tighter than they should have when closing the bolt but did work. I'm going to grind about .003 off the shell holder tomorrow and see if bumping the shoulder back a hair farther doesn't help.

 

[Never Forget]

Dusted the shell holder and pushed the shoulder back an extra .0015 (total of .003 from fired case), solved all issues. Bolt closes the way it should now. Thanks for all opinions. Guessing neck sizing with this gun will not be an option.

 

[jlow]

I know it worked but honestly you are taking the brute force approach i.e. pushing shoulders back 15 thousands and grinding the shell holder. My guess is you have carbon ring and these changes will help you in the short run but you are still going to have problems in the long run.

BTW bumping shoulders back 15 thousands is way too much as if you do this over and over again, you are going to have a bad case head separation.

 

[Never Forget]

I know it worked but honestly you are taking the brute force approach i.e. pushing shoulders back 15 thousands and grinding the shell holder. My guess is you have carbon ring and these changes will help you in the short run but you are still going to have problems in the long run.

BTW bumping shoulders back 15 thousands is way too much as if you do this over and over again, you are going to have a bad case head separation.

I'm only pushing back .0015, not .015.

 

[jlow]

I'm only pushing back .0015, not .015.

Sorry, my mistake. But my other comments still stands.

 

[Never Forget]

Sorry, my mistake. But my other comments still stands.

So how do I get rid of a carbon ring if that's what I Have? I soaked the gun for several days with Hoppes then Wipeout for a day after that. All with scrubbing. Is there more I should do?

 

[dmoran]

So how do I get rid of a carbon ring if that's what I Have? I soaked the gun for several days with Hoppes then Wipeout for a day after that. All with scrubbing. Is there more I should do?

Myself, have doubt of a carbon ring in your 338, but regardless the best way to know is to look in the chamber/barrel with a bore-scope. Ask around, possibly someone near you will have one.
Donovan

 

[jlow]

The idea that it could be a carbon ring is just that, an idea. The point is it is always best to figure out what is the cause because knowing it would potentially allow you to avoid it in the future.

The best suggestion to check for a carbon ring has already been mentioned earlier i.e. color a round with a black sharpie, load it into the chamber, extract it and look for scrapes where the sharpie has been rubbed off. The location where this happens is indicative of your problem. A borescope is of course better but you will have to either have one or be able to borrow one.

In terms of removing a carbon ring, most would suggest using IOSSO Bore cleaner with one of their brushes (see below). Of course Nude nut in this other thread is showing us how well his boiling hot water with citric acid seems to work, so you might want to try that.

https://iosso.com/products/bore-cleaner/

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/cleaning-barrel-test.3917881/

 

[Never Forget]

The idea that it could be a carbon ring is just that, an idea. The point is it is always best to figure out what is the cause because knowing it would potentially allow you to avoid it in the future.

The best suggestion to check for a carbon ring has already been mentioned earlier i.e. color a round with a black sharpie, load it into the chamber, extract it and look for scrapes where the sharpie has been rubbed off. The location where this happens is indicative of your problem. A borescope is of course better but you will have to either have one or be able to borrow one.

In terms of removing a carbon ring, most would suggest using IOSSO Bore cleaner with one of their brushes (see below). Of course Nude nut in this other thread is showing us how well his boiling hot water with citric acid seems to work, so you might want to try that.

https://iosso.com/products/bore-cleaner/

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/cleaning-barrel-test.3917881/

I did color a round with a sharpie, the only rub marks were scratches from it sliding along while chambering.

My gunsmith has a bore scope and he owes me a small favor, like they said before my colonoscopy, lets take a look shall we, last thing I remember.

 

[jlow]

I did color a round with a sharpie, the only rub marks were scratches from it sliding along while chambering.

My gunsmith has a bore scope and he owes me a small favor, like they said before my colonoscopy, lets take a look shall we, last thing I remember.

Yes, the sharpie marks are pretty fragile, so go real slow and gently. If you still see no marks up front close to the neck area, not likely to be a carbon ring. Regardless, you have to see some real rubbing somewhere because if your round does not chamber, something is blocking you right? If it blocks, it has to rub, I don't see anyway around this.

 

[Zero333]

Don't worry about the carbon ring unless you have unexpected pressure issues.

If you suspect you have a carbon ring....

Clean the end of the chamber neck with a nylon brush (bigger than the bore brush), followed with a regular chamber cleaning.

 

[tcoz]

I don't think the Lee or any other die is your problem. I had the exact same issue when I first started reloading 7.5x55. In my case the problem was trying to size big heavy brass on my Lee turret press. I love the press for pistol and .223 but it just had too much flex for the Swiss brass. I changed to a Redding T-7 for rifle and the problem was immediately gone.
Just a thought.

 

[Never Forget]

I don't think the Lee or any other die is your problem. I had the exact same issue when I first started reloading 7.5x55. In my case the problem was trying to size big heavy brass on my Lee turret press. I love the press for pistol and .223 but it just had too much flex for the Swiss brass. I changed to a Redding T-7 for rifle and the problem was immediately gone.
Just a thought.

I have Lees dies but a RCBS press. I have a small Lee press I use for decapping only, I can see how it could cause a problem. 338 is to big for that little press anyway and my Lee decapping die wont fit it either.

 

[fguffey]

Not to often I need a depth mic at home but glad I have one, mine measures .1242. So its ever so slightly off but in the direction that could help me.

If you had a feeler gage you could determine if grinding the top of the shell holder or bottom of the die would aid in reducing the length of the case from the shoulder to the case head. A reloader with a dial indicator has a depth micrometer/gage.

When the case has more resistance to sizing than the press can overcome a reloader can raise the case head off the deck of the shell holder with a feeler gage between the case head and deck of the shell holder. This technique also is a method reloadrs can use for sizing cases for short chambers...

And then there is that thing about moving the shoulder back, I find it impossible to do with a die that has case body support.

F. Guffey

 

[ireload2]

You are the only guy I have ever seen who brags about a disability.

I And then there is that thing about moving the shoulder back, I find it impossible to do with a die that has case body support.

F. Guffey

 

[jlow]

I did color a round with a sharpie, the only rub marks were scratches from it sliding along while chambering.

My gunsmith has a bore scope and he owes me a small favor, like they said before my colonoscopy, lets take a look shall we, last thing I remember.

So did you scope the chamber?

 

[Never Forget]

So did you scope the chamber?

I ended up dusting .005 off the shell holder which allowed me to bump the shoulder back an extra .002 and more if needed. Problem is solved.