NEW 6.5 CM Ruger RPR. I get it home, I clean the heck out of it. I get out the Hornady OAL gage and gage it. Took 10 reading and took the average at 2.80. Exactly what the Hornady book calls for. So away I go loading and having a ball. You old timers already know the mistake. It became apparent on the third round that would not lock up. WTF? I scratch, try another batch of rounds. 3 of the 5 locked up ok, but stiff. The other 2 are simply not going into this rifle.....Light Bulb..Did I subtract that 2-3 thou from the 2.800? Ooops. Back to the house. Rechecked the OAL and still sitting on the original 2.80ish. Measured the loaded rounds at 2.80. Took off the 2 thou and reseated the left overs at 2.78. Back to the range tomorrow and try again. I don't like to rat myself out, but it's a lesson learned and maybe should be shared for the newer reloaders.
Ok ok I did it wrong
- Thread starter dickn52
- Start date
Take a good look at the bolt lugs of a Ruger American or Ruger RPR... There are no start in ramps. If your rounds are tight, you wont close the bolt. A poor example of a rifle action if you ask me.
Sorry, but in the interest of accuracy, you seem to be confusing OAL (2.80 in) and headspace on your loaded rounds.
You don't mention what bullet, nor do you mention what brass you're using, and whether or not it was fire formed, or new, or range pick up and how you determined the correct sizing.
IMOP, failure to chamber is not an OAL issue unless you're WAY too long on seating depth. Even then you can probably overcome neck tension while chambering and still get the bolt to lock up.
It seems to me that if you're having doubts that your full length die is providing correct headspace, or too much headspace, you can put two or three layers of Scotch Tape on the sized case head and see if it'll still chamber. If so, you're pushing the shoulder back too much.
But if the bolt won't close on a bare case, you're not setting the shoulder back sufficiently.
One thing you should take into consideration when using the Hornaday OAL tool is that you're using Hornaday's case, not your fire formed case to make the CBTO measurement. Unless you measure the difference in base to shoulder dimension between you're fire formed case and Hornadays, you're dimension from case base to Ogive (CBTO) will likely be off by a few thousandths.
I've written this in such a way that new hand loaders can better understand the issues here.
You don't mention what bullet, nor do you mention what brass you're using, and whether or not it was fire formed, or new, or range pick up and how you determined the correct sizing.
IMOP, failure to chamber is not an OAL issue unless you're WAY too long on seating depth. Even then you can probably overcome neck tension while chambering and still get the bolt to lock up.
It seems to me that if you're having doubts that your full length die is providing correct headspace, or too much headspace, you can put two or three layers of Scotch Tape on the sized case head and see if it'll still chamber. If so, you're pushing the shoulder back too much.
But if the bolt won't close on a bare case, you're not setting the shoulder back sufficiently.
One thing you should take into consideration when using the Hornaday OAL tool is that you're using Hornaday's case, not your fire formed case to make the CBTO measurement. Unless you measure the difference in base to shoulder dimension between you're fire formed case and Hornadays, you're dimension from case base to Ogive (CBTO) will likely be off by a few thousandths.
I've written this in such a way that new hand loaders can better understand the issues here.
Like the others said sounds like you have a brass issue not a bullet seating issue. If the brass was properly resized try a go gage in it. Could be a problem with the chamber. If the go gage fits the you have a die issue
People regularly hard jam bullets a lot farther in than .002 to get them to group.
People regularly hard jam bullets a lot farther in than .002 to get them to group.
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Not a clue. They were new out of the box, run through a resizer, primed and loaded. Never been fired. MOST of the loads fit either fine, or with some tension and then some just refused to allow a bolt closure. Brought everything home and got out all the scales and calipers and we go again.
You are most likely the winner here. I was using Starline and Hornady. Starlines were the problem children.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Bump em back to where they just chamber loosely then worry about bullet seating
DirtySteve
Gold $$ Contributor
Bump them back? The shoulders? Is that possible.? We need some sort of an expert to chime in here.. But yeah a Small Base die would do wonders.
DHuffman
Silver $$ Contributor
Yes if only there were a way for a regular guy to bump a shoulder. I'm convinced it's only doable by experts with tools they built themselves.
50bmg1979
Silver $$ Contributor
You cant move a shoulder back. Reloaders always say they can move.... paging mr guffey
Huh?
They’re making fun of another member. I suspect that whenever someone talks about bumping a shoulder back for the next ten years someone will comment. Some of F Guffey’s posts are humorous at best.
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