hard to open bolt on 6.5x55 swede match chamber

[Michaël T]

i had my 6.5x55 swede rechambered into a 6.5x55 swede match chamber, and now i am having bolt lift problems. this a quadlite action and prior to rechambering i was using 46.5 grain of h4350 with fair accuracy but wasn't happy with the bullets being held into the case by only 0.062"(yes i tried seating them deeper but accuracy got worse), yesterday i shot a match with bolt lift problems, after the match i dropped the load to 44 grains and bolt lift was the same. i dropped my redding full length bushing die lower,reloaded with 44 grains and bolt lift did not change,took the same case full length sized and shortened the neck 0.100"reloaded bolt lift still the same.
here's my question: has anybody run into this or similar problem and if so how did you fix it. does anybody make a full length resizing die for the match chamber that's cut with a PTG ?

 

[Preacher]

What is your bullet weight ?
With a 140 your into max load area, especially with a tight chamber...
The original chambers were on the loose side..

 

[Greyfox]

Did you start again with new brass or are you still shooting brass fired in the old chamber?

Rick

 

[Michaël T]

shooting SMK 142 and using new brass, even when i dropped the charge

 

[243winxb]

The new chamber, at the web, may be to small/same diameter as the brass. Send 3 fired brass to RCBS to get custom dies.

 

[jonbearman]

Before you buy new dies, how does it close after reloading a cartridge? Can you drop the charge 10% and work up again to be absolutely sure it is not pressure related.You might even give your smith a call and have him recheck his work and maybe he needs to recut the chamber slightly to allow alittle extra headspace,and I am talking maybe a half a thou or so.

 

[Michaël T]

i will call gunsmith today and try out lighter load also but with the lighter load comes less speed.
will report later today kinda rainy in Oak ridge tn
when i resize the fired case it chambers normal.

 

[Michaël T]

did some more measuring and found out that my neck dimension in the chamber is too small possible 0.295" and loaded round measures 0.295"

how much clearance do i need ?

 

[Shynloco]

MTSK,
I like mine (6.5 X 55 Swede) to be .0015 - .002. I have also been turning my necks and my loaded necks are .0291 (Lapua Brass- 142 SMK's). My Gunsmith used a friend's PTG reamer for my chamber cut and frankly I do not know what the specs on it are. But based on your numbers, it appear you just don't have hardly any room for expansion of the casing upon firing, possibly accounting for the hard bolt lift. And if I'm understanding your question correctly about the custom die, I believe RCBS or Redding or even Harrel can provide you with what you need so long as you provide the the specific specs of your reamer. BTW, those dies aren't cheap.

 

[243winxb]

A tight neck chamber would raise pressures. SAAMI standards > http://www.saami.org/PubResources/CC_Drawings/Rifle/6_5x55%20Swedish.pdf The Redding full length bushing die i have for 243 does not size the neck all the way to the shoulder. This can cause some drag when opening/closing the bolt. Do you have any other pressure signs?? http://www.shootersforum.com/handloading-procedures-practices/58763-pressure-signs.html

 

[Michaël T]

spoke to my gunsmith, he used a 6.5x55 swede match chamber reamer which is supposed to have 0.2972 neck diameter the fired cases measures 0.2955" and impossible to insert a bullet into a fired case.
question for you guys:
should i have my smith ream the neck to 0.297" or
should i turn my necks to match my chamber minus 0.002"

trim, will have more consistent neck tension but more work
have it reamed i would have less work but none of the above

any suggestion?

 

[jonbearman]

There is nothing wrong with a well executed no turn neck. I still do a skim cut but with lapua brass it doesnt take much of a skim.

 

[243winxb]

Reduce the load till Bolt lift is normal.

A .2972" chamber should be perfect for you loaded rounds at .295" The bullet not fitting into a fired case may be normal. Brass will "spring back" after firing. Just reduce the load from 44 gr & see if hard bolt lift goes away. Hodgdon lists 43.7gr as maximum. You can turn a few necks and see if the hard bolt lift goes away. If it does not, time to turn the problem over to the gunsmith.

 

[Michaël T]

thanks guys for all the input and suggestions, next week i will try both

 

[Michaël T]

Re: hard to open bolt on 6.5x55 swede match chamber"HELP"

okay guys i have tried lowering the charge, turning the neck down shorten the case length still hard to open must be chamber problem.when I re size the case it fits and closes like it should with two finger press.
i do see a distinctive line on the case about 5/8" from the base, i have re-sized the case without resizing the neck and it chambers fine.
Question: does anybody make a "match" full length sizing die for a my chamber PTG reamed.

i am out of solutions,

thanks if anyone can help.