Should you bump shoulders on New Norma Brass?

[300WMAficionado]

Hey guys, I just turned 24 and my wish just came true. I'm now starting to reload for the very first time ;D. I got a custom 300 Winchester Magnum bolt rifle with a tight chamber and it's my wife lol! I live in an apartment so I like to be ultra portable. So for reloading my rifle I got L.E. Wilson Neck Sizer Die and L.E. Wilson Bullet Seating Die as well as a Sinclair Arbor Press with the highly essential 16 ounce mallet! I totally do not want a full size press because that takes away from my portability. But in all honesty, I would like to never have to bump the shoulders back for my brass because I don't want a full size press. I have my rifle's headspace measurement so I think what I'll do is buy a RCBS Precision Mic and just monitor the headspace of the Norma brass with that. What do you guys think?

 

[338Lapua]

After about 5 reloads your brass will be getting very tight to chamber, and by 6 reloading you will be jumping on the bolt trying to close it. The only way i know of is to use a FL size or use a body die to bump not only the shoulder but indeed the body of the case. A wooden Press Stand would keep your operation portable. like this one.

 

[300WMAficionado]

Do you think I can get away with only neck sizing new Norma brass then loading them up?

 

[338Lapua]

If its brand new brass, i would neck size them first, then load them up. If their once fired or have only had a few firings, no problems de-prime neck size and load them. you will have to address the problem down the track though.

 

[HillbillySniper]

Id neck size a dummy round and see how it chambers you should be okay but if it chambers up tight now after one firing your gonna wanna bump the shoulders. But you might git lucky like stated above it may take 5 firing before you have to worry about it.


Hillbilly

 

[RonAKA]

On new brass all I do is open up the neck very slightly with an oversized expander ball. That is not essential though. You can just load then, and you certainly do not need to bump the shoulder unless the chamber was made undersized.

On number of times you can get away without bumping the shoulder, 5 sounds about right. I've done 3-4 with my 264WM which is essentially the same case as the 300WM. However, I'm starting to feel the resistance on the bolt close.

On using a conventional press I have found no need to permanently mount it (as I used to do). I just bolt the press (Lee Classic Cast) to a 1 foot square by 3/4" piece of plywood. I then use 2-3 clamps to clamp the plywood to any convenient table.

 

[300WMAficionado]

Ok guys excellent! Thanks for your input. I was afraid I was going to have to go and buy a full size press right at this very minute. So I got some time before I have to worry about the shoulder problem so that's what I'm really pleased about. I'm purchasing all of my equipment and let me tell you, 500 rounds of Berger .308" 210 VLD's 8 pounds H1000 aren't cheap! But when it comes time to when I got to do it I'll get a press for about $100 and mount it on a Black and Decker Workmate and with the help of dad (specifically HIS power tools haha) replace the top of the portable workbench with some nice wood and clamp the press on there or with bolts.

I'll be posting more topics I'm sure because I've never actually DONE reloading. I've only read about it. And they don't always tell you everything....

Joshua