Trouble chambering in bolt action rifle.

[cw308]

How did you do that , looks like my tree after hurricane Sandy

 

[RobertTheBruce]

UPDATE: I abandoned the neck sized cases and used a full length sizer die. The rounds now feed with no issue, so I assume there is something wrong with the neck sizer die. I called RCBS, and they were of no help. “Hmm that’s strange, send us the die and we will look at it”.

Since it will cost me $10 to ship the $27 die to RCBS, I probably won’t do it. And I will probably just stop buying RCBS dies. I have had too many issues with them.

 

[Papa Charlie]

UPDATE: I abandoned the neck sized cases and used a full length sizer die. The rounds now feed with no issue, so I assume there is something wrong with the neck sizer die. I called RCBS, and they were of no help. “Hmm that’s strange, send us the die and we will look at it”.

Since it will cost me $10 to ship the $27 die to RCBS, I probably won’t do it. And I will probably just stop buying RCBS dies. I have had too many issues with them.

I switched from RCBS and Hornady to Redding and have had no issues with my .308. For a long time I was only neck sizing and found that concentricity was poor. Went to body sizing first then neck sizing with an S type die and now the concentricity is <0.001" consistently.
Bite the bullet once and purchase good quality dies. You will save yourself a lot of headaches by doing so and a lot of money having to buy tools twice.

 

[Uncle Ed]

UPDATE: I abandoned the neck sized cases and used a full length sizer die. The rounds now feed with no issue, so I assume there is something wrong with the neck sizer die. I called RCBS, and they were of no help. “Hmm that’s strange, send us the die and we will look at it”.

Since it will cost me $10 to ship the $27 die to RCBS, I probably won’t do it. And I will probably just stop buying RCBS dies. I have had too many issues with them.

A full length die sizes the case body and neck at the same time making the case is concentric.

A neck sizing does not size the case body and therefore the body is not held in alignment with the case neck.

In either type die if the expander is locked down off center it will induce neck runout.

Do not blame RCBS or any neck sizing die because it has to do with the case body and neck both being held in alignment.

Think of using and not using a bore guide when cleaning your bore, and a neck sizing die has more slop in the body of the die.

I did neck runout tests on the dies below and the Forster full length die had the least neck runout. And the Forster neck sizing shoulder bump die had the most neck runout. NOTE, neck thickness variations can effect neck runout.

And at the Whidden custom die website they tell you that non-bushing full length dies produce the least neck runout.

Bottom line, if you remove the expander from any non-bushing full length die and size a case it will be as concentric as it ever will be. And you will never know what your dies are doing without a runout gauge.

 

[RobertTheBruce]

So are you saying that I can remove the stem with the expander ball and solve my problem? Isn’t there a purpose for the expander ball?

 

[Fotheringill]

As Prose above, scratch could very well be the ejector.

 

[Uncle Ed]

So are you saying that I can remove the stem with the expander ball and solve my problem? Isn’t there a purpose for the expander ball?

You need a runout gauge to find the problem, it could be just the die causing it or it might be the expander.

Or just full length resize and forget neck sizing, which in my mine is the best solution

I like the Forster full length dies because of their high mounted floating expander. The case neck is held and centered in the die when the expander enters the case neck and can not pull the neck off center.

The problem with any sizing or seating die is you need a runout gauge to find any problem you have

I replaced all my FL RCBS expanders with Forster expander and spindle assemblies. Below on the left a RCBS expander raised as high as it will go. On the right the Forster expander assembly that fits a RCBS die.

Bottom line, you might have a bad die, the expander may have caused the problem, or it might be something else like the shell holder. Or it could be some of the problems brought up by other posters. And again a runout gauge is a very good trouble shooting tool and aid in making more accurate ammunition.

 

[cw308]

As we've talked about before , if you neck turn , truing up the outside diameter of the case neck then yes you can remove the expander stem and ball . If you don't then keep the expander just don't lock it down , leave alittle wiggle room for it to self center . The up stroke sizes the outside of the neck the down stroke sizes the inside with the ball. The ball should be too high or it will bind at the base of the neck., Follow instructions as if you are using the decapping pin for expander ball height .
PS
Runout is more important when shooting long range , may not make much of a difference 200 yards or less. Just be as consistent as possible. Know your chamber measurements.