Three reasons a cartridge won't chamber

[relliott]

I been seeing some posts lately asking why loads won't chamber. I did a graphic that might help to see whats going on. Usually it's one of three things. Either the Cartridge OAL is too long...the Shoulder length is to long... or the Case OAL is to long. I had no reamer spec's to go by so I did a 3d 308 cartridge and drew the chamber around it.

Whenever I get a new caliber I order three things first. Redding body die....Lee collet die... and the RCBS case mic. I won't load without em!

Hope this will help the newbies a little to understand why they need more than just calipers.

Rick

 

[rstreich]

Nice illustration. What'd you draw it with?

 

[relliott]

Thanks! Autocad for the 3D and a graphics program for the text. Sorry for the cheesy arrows!

 

[ChunkyMonkey]

Hey that looks good relliott some should find that very helpful, I did. Like that say "a picture is worth a 1,000 words."

 

[ANDY5]

Don't forget primers not seated fully. I've had a couple of people come to me with that problem.

 

[relliott]

Yes. I kinda forgot where I was postin. With all the custom chambers here NECK WALL THICKNESS is yet another possible problem. I listed three of the most common problems for those of us with factory chambers. Once you get into custom chambers and neck turning you probably don't need any help!

Rick

 

[Rustystud]

relliott:

I take it you either don't know about or dislike gauges, indicators, and combinations of gauges,indicators, micrometers, and calipers offered by Stoney Point, Hornaday, Wilson, Sinclare, and others. I have found the RCBS Case gauge to more difficult to use. Several of my customers have had them and none knew how to use them correctly at first. A Wilson type case gauge tell more information than any other one measuring insturment. It give a visual understanding to the user who may or may not really know how to use verner type meausring scales. I sure wish you would make a simular illustration of using a case in a Wilson type case gauge with your narratives added. It would be a very informative post and I am sure it would be apreciated by those trying to understand reloading and case management.
Rustystud

 

[relliott]

Rustystud

I use the Stoney Point,now Hornady) OAL tools. I have nothing against any other tools. I was just trying to convey to the new guys why just having a set of calipers will leave you always wondering whats going on. There are many great tools and I love having all the goodies I need to produce the most accurate loads I possibly can. It's an obsession! I use the RCBS case mic for strictly measuring the shoulders of new and fired brass to see if it needs bumping and to see how short the new stuff is. It's also the "bee's knee's" for die settings. The OAL tools provided with the RCBS case mic leave alot to be desired,IMO) and I haven't used em for at least 15 years.

The Wison case guage is great. It's a no brainer. Drop the case in and it either fits or it doesn't. Either way you know long before loading.

I only have one Wilson case guage and it's for a 40 S&W since it doesn't have a shoulder. As far as I know the Wilson guage is pretty much the same as a chamber in which case the drawing already posted is pretty much the same thing. If you would like to send me a Wison case guage of your choosing I'd be happy to draw it up for ya.

Thanks for the suggestions!
Rick