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Trouble chambering in bolt action rifle.

RobertTheBruce

E34ECB8D-9BCB-467F-A9B2-F088517101F0.jpeg

I have been reloading ..308 for other rifles for about 10 years, and never experienced this problem. I am starting to reload for my Remington 700, using once fired brass (through the same rifle) that I neck sized. I am using 175 grain SMK bullets, and seating them with an RCBS Gold Medal Seater die.

I made a batch of 10, and chambered them to function test. All of the rounds had trouble chambering, and when ejected, I noticed heavy scratches on the bullet head. I colored one with sharpie (see photo) to try and locate the problem.

Note: empty neck sized brass chambers with no issue. And completed cartridges fit into a Wilson headspace gauge with no issue. Only issue is chambering into my rifle.

I called RCBS, they feel I need to have a custom Seater plug built for the particular bullets I’m using (at a cost of $17)

Seems a little crazy, plus I don’t want to spend $17 every time I change bullet heads.

Has anyone experienced this problem? I really don’t want to get into buying concentricity gauges and driving myself crazy.
 
RobertTheBruce said:
View attachment 1067140

I have been reloading ..308 for other rifles for about 10 years, and never experienced this problem. I am starting to reload for my Remington 700, using once fired brass (through the same rifle) that I neck sized. I am using 175 grain SMK bullets, and seating them with an RCBS Gold Medal Seater die.

I made a batch of 10, and chambered them to function test. All of the rounds had trouble chambering, and when ejected, I noticed heavy scratches on the bullet head. I colored one with sharpie (see photo) to try and locate the problem.

Note: empty neck sized brass chambers with no issue. And completed cartridges fit into a Wilson headspace gauge with no issue. Only issue is chambering into my rifle.

I called RCBS, they feel I need to have a custom Seater plug built for the particular bullets I’m using (at a cost of $17)

Seems a little crazy, plus I don’t want to spend $17 every time I change bullet heads.

Has anyone experienced this problem? I really don’t want to get into buying concentricity gauges and driving myself crazy.
Click to expand...
Is this a new barrel? If not,
how many rounds through the barrel? What is your cleaning regimen? Do you use bronze brush?
 
RobertTheBruce said:
heavy scratches on the bullet head.
Click to expand...
If all around the bullet, a shorter COL is needed. Looks like the seating stem has made a light ring on the ogive? Does it go fully around? Or only on one side?

The bullet nose should not contact the seating stem.. contact should be on the ogive. Seating stems (Lee) can be modified. RCBS maybe?

Many times, you can make this fix yourself through the use of a drill press. Secure the seating plug under a 3/32" bit and drill further into it. The distance should never be increased more than 1/4".
Click to expand...
http://leeprecision.net/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/List/Index/13/product-support

Could be a new rifle problem?
 
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gambleone said:
Is this a new barrel? If not,
how many rounds through the barrel? What is your cleaning regimen? Do you use bronze brush?
Click to expand...

I clean the barrel and chamber after each range trip. Bore guide. A few solvent patches to clean initial gunk with a jag....Followed by brass brush, then patches until clean. Also use “chamber maid” brush.
 
243winxb said:
If all around the bullet, a shorter COL is needed. Looks like the seating stem has made a light ring on the ogive? Does it go fully around? Or only on one side?

The bullet nose should not contact the seating stem.. contact should be on the ogive. Seating stems (Lee) can be modified. RCBS maybe?

http://leeprecision.net/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/List/Index/13/product-support

Could be a new rifle problem?
Click to expand...

The scratches are only in the spot shown in the picture. And no new scratches appear after the same round is rotated and chambered again. My COL is identical to factory federal 175 gun GMMs.
 
Did you handload the cartridges for the first firing? If so, what changed for the cartridge loading for the second firing? Different OAL? Different batch of bullets (larger diameter?) Did the length of the brass grow after 1st firing? Did you trim brass?
 
Looks like bullets are seating crooked.

May need the NEW seating stem?

Trick for better alignment when seating with a standard RCBS seat die. - Let the crimp ring in the die just kiss the case mouth. Not crimping.
All brass trimmed to same length is best. Or set die up on the longest trim length of the lot of brass.
 
The scratched surface on the bullet may be the EJECTOR pushing the loaded round to the right side of the chamber as you chamber a round..
In fact, I'd bet on it.. Since the empty cases chamber with no difficulty the bullet could need to be seated deeper BUT I don't see rifling marks on the bullet..
 
JPB3 said:
The scratched surface on the bullet may be the EJECTOR pushing the loaded round to the right side of the chamber as you chamber a round..
In fact, I'd bet on it.. Since the empty cases chamber with no difficulty the bullet could need to be seated deeper BUT I don't see rifling marks on the bullet..
Click to expand...
Ejector could have some gunk in it. Check for function.
 
I would suggest marking another loaded round with your sharpie and remember the orientation of the scratches to the chamber. Bore scope it and look where it's coming from. I would also take a sized case and cover it with a sharpie to see if you have any issue with the chamber. Check the bolt face and make sure nothing is stuck on it changing the head space. IMO, you have schmoondo in the chamber/barrel area.
 
243winxb said:
Looks like bullets are seating crooked.

May need the NEW seating stem?

Trick for better alignment when seating with a standard RCBS seat die. - Let the crimp ring in the die just kiss the case mouth. Not crimping.
All brass trimmed to same length is best. Or set die up on the longest trim length of the lot of brass.
Click to expand...

I’m using a Gold Medal seat doe. This guy does not do any cramping cramping
243winxb said:
Looks like bullets are seating crooked.

May need the NEW seating stem?

Trick for better alignment when seating with a standard RCBS seat die. - Let the crimp ring in the die just kiss the case mouth. Not crimping.
All brass trimmed to same length is best. Or set die up on the longest trim length of the lot of brass.
Click to expand...

RCBS also said bullets probably seating crooked. I am using a gold medal for that does not crimp (only seats - easy setup)
 
JPB3 said:
The scratched surface on the bullet may be the EJECTOR pushing the loaded round to the right side of the chamber as you chamber a round..
In fact, I'd bet on it.. Since the empty cases chamber with no difficulty the bullet could need to be seated deeper BUT I don't see rifling marks on the bullet..
Click to expand...


Factory rounds chamber with no issue. Only by reloads are difficult / scratching.
 
brxbrad said:
I would suggest marking another loaded round with your sharpie and remember the orientation of the scratches to the chamber. Bore scope it and look where it's coming from. I would also take a sized case and cover it with a sharpie to see if you have any issue with the chamber. Check the bolt face and make sure nothing is stuck on it changing the head space. IMO, you have schmoondo in the chamber/barrel area.
Click to expand...

The rounds are scratching on the bullets in the same spot reguardless of orientatuon (which to me indicates the bullet is crooked). I’m kind of wondering how to eliminate that (too much runout / make bullets more concentric)
 
I suspect a consentricity issue as blkwolf pointed out.
Neck sizing can cause a variety of problems.
Jim
You could roll a loaded round on a mirror to check consentricity
 
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