why is random fired case sticking in chamber...no heavy bolt lift

[Swift4Yotes]

Minimal lube....I use the rcbs stuff. Actually I probably need to relube the pad.

 

[Webster]

A picture showing the severity of primer flattening would be nice. I would have backed off 1 more grain to see if all the problems go away. He said he was always pushing the limits. A more suitable powder might have a lower peak pressure? He doesn't realize that getting another 100 fps out of the rifle won't make it a more effective varmint eliminator. You need a range finder and drop chart so you are not just blasting away at longer distance. If your shooting under about 300 yrds 100 fps doesn't change the trajectory very much.

I have been reloading for 43 years. About 20,000 rounds. Never had a problem. I must be doing something wrong.

Nice article: http://www.massreloading.com/reading_pressure_signs.html

 

[fguffey]

why is random fired case sticking in chamber...no heavy bolt lift

I have rifles with different receivers, most of my rifles are builds using Mauser, P14s, M1917 and 03 Springfield actions. It is almost impossible to have a stuck case and easy bolt lift.

F. Guffey

 

[searcher]

You have been advised to buy the Hornady "headspace" tool so that you can use them to set your own existing dies properly. You really do need this. This tool (or those made by a few other companies) is one of the most important items needed to get brass that fits your chamber and does not cause you problems with cases stretching and flattening primers. The cost is around $35.00 or so and available at Sinclair International and just about every other major supplier of reloading gear. If you really want to use old brass of uncertain history, anneal it first. All you really need is a spark plug-sized socket, an electric drill and a propane torch. There are many examples of how to do it online and on Youtube. If you still get splits or cracks in your brass after annealing it and you feel you are certainly using moderate and not heavy loads, scrap the brass. Pay attention to your 'published' load manuals and don't exceed the maximum loads. If you obtain a "load' off the net, assume it to always be a max load unless your manuals indicate otherwise. Backing off 10-15% from published max loads will give you considerably more case life (far more than 10%) and will still put the hurt on the critters. Just about everybody has had a problem of some type at some point. You are likely just running a bit hot for your rifle and likely with improperly set sizing die.

 

[Swift4Yotes]

Had an experience loader look at some of my hotter loads and he said they all look great with no signs of pressure. He though the primers looked just fine and when I say they have slight cratering, I mean just enough you can see it with good eyes. The only thing he noticed was a few scratches which I saw as well but not enough scratche consistency nail down a burr in the chamber etc.

 

[Swift4Yotes]

I found 4 that would stick and then and then ran my fl die down until it contacted the shell holder and then backed it off 1.25 turns and locked it. I ran 3 of the sticky cases into the die and they then chambered fine. I am still trying to cypher what this tells me. Since it is a tapered case I would think it would be down far enough to size the body but it would be sizing the neck at this point. Am I wrong?

 

[Swift4Yotes]

If anyone still has the energy to follow this thread, I covered the round with black marker, chambered it, and then removed it. It did still stick and the only place I could find where the marker rubbed of was right on the top of the body where it transitions or radiuses to the shoulder. One spot there is a good scuff and a ring all the way around. Must be a sizing issue, just not sure why the inconsistency from case to case with the same headstamp brass.

 

[BradY]

To me that sounds like the shoulders need a good bumping back to suit your new chamber.

As Erik mentioned, you want to get one of the headspace gauges/comparitors. Load up one of the easy to extract rounds and fire it off. Then set up the gauge on a set of verniers. Zero this off. Install your FLS die into your press, size it and remeasure. You want to adjust it down bit by bit until the fired cases start to measure 0.001-0.002 under the original measurement. You should also be able to take your firing pin out of your bolt and try to chamber the resized case. The bolt will want to just fall closed under its own weight or with the tiniest amount of force. Once you have the die set properly, size all your cases like this, trim them to the same length and go load and shoot with confidence. Use the same die and setting to resize your cases all the time.

It astounds me how FLS dies can be sold without a gauge to ensure they are set up properly. Its why I buy whidden dies now as each one comes with a gauge to measure the headspace with.

Good luck

 

[CatShooter]

To me that sounds like the shoulders need a good bumping back to suit your new chamber.

As Erik mentioned, you want to get one of the headspace gauges/comparitors. Load up one of the easy to extract rounds and fire it off. Then set up the gauge on a set of verniers. Zero this off. Install your FLS die into your press, size it and remeasure. You want to adjust it down bit by bit until the fired cases start to measure 0.001-0.002 under the original measurement. You should also be able to take your firing pin out of your bolt and try to chamber the resized case. The bolt will want to just fall closed under its own weight or with the tiniest amount of force. Once you have the die set properly, size all your cases like this, trim them to the same length and go load and shoot with confidence. Use the same die and setting to resize your cases all the time.

It astounds me how FLS dies can be sold without a gauge to ensure they are set up properly. Its why I buy whidden dies now as each one comes with a gauge to measure the headspace with.

Good luck

He is NOT having a problem with the shoulders being too far forward... the problem was in the body behind the shoulders.

The cases that were not affected by this mysterious malady, extracted fine - the stickie cases that were sized in the FL die that was backed off 1-1/4 of a turn (0.9") had no problem entering the chamber - so since the die shoulder was 0.9" above the case shoulder, it should be obvious that he doesn't need a shoulder "bump" and he doesn't need any gauges to measure the non-existent headspace problem.

"It astounds me how FLS dies can be sold without a gauge to ensure they are set up properly."

It astounds me how people cannot solve simple loading problems without running to Sinclair to buy more "stuff" that does not solve the problem.

How in God's name did we ever reload before we were sold all this stuff??

 

[LHSmith]

Sorry, but I lost track on what brass you are still having problems with. Got the new brass yet? IMHO all your problems will go away. But as you reload them you have to ensure you are properly setting up the FLS die, and the most fool-proof way to do that is by learning how to use a headspace gauge.
If you hesitate to throw that old brass away (the whole lot- whether it fits or not), at least put it in a box and mark it "used brass- use only as a last resort."

 

[Shynloco]

I found 4 that would stick and then and then ran my fl die down until it contacted the shell holder and then backed it off 1.25 turns and locked it. ......

Why have you backed off "1.25" turns from contact with the Shellholder? If those are Redding Dies, that's NOT what the instruction sheet says to do. Simply you are not getting the entire body of the case up into the die and the area closer to base near the web is not being sized.

Alex

 

[LHSmith]

Why have you backed off "1.25" turns from contact with the Shellholder? If those are Redding Dies, that's NOT what the instruction sheet says to do. Simply you are not getting the entire body of the case up into the die and the area closer to base near the web is not being sized.

Alex

Plus, the amazing result of this being "that 3 of the"problem" cases then chambered just fine. Perhaps the OP misspoke when he said "back-off"?
This further illustrates that it's all a guess unless you use the proper tools......if you want to do it RIGHT.

 

[Erik Cortina]

To me that sounds like the shoulders need a good bumping back to suit your new chamber.

As Erik mentioned, you want to get one of the headspace gauges/comparitors. Load up one of the easy to extract rounds and fire it off. Then set up the gauge on a set of verniers. Zero this off. Install your FLS die into your press, size it and remeasure. You want to adjust it down bit by bit until the fired cases start to measure 0.001-0.002 under the original measurement. You should also be able to take your firing pin out of your bolt and try to chamber the resized case. The bolt will want to just fall closed under its own weight or with the tiniest amount of force. Once you have the die set properly, size all your cases like this, trim them to the same length and go load and shoot with confidence. Use the same die and setting to resize your cases all the time.

It astounds me how FLS dies can be sold without a gauge to ensure they are set up properly. Its why I buy whidden dies now as each one comes with a gauge to measure the headspace with.

Good luck

He is NOT having a problem with the shoulders being too far forward... the problem was in the body behind the shoulders.

The cases that were not affected by this mysterious malady, extracted fine - the stickie cases that were sized in the FL die that was backed off 1-1/4 of a turn (0.9") had no problem entering the chamber - so since the die shoulder was 0.9" above the case shoulder, it should be obvious that he doesn't need a shoulder "bump" and he doesn't need any gauges to measure the non-existent headspace problem.

"It astounds me how FLS dies can be sold without a gauge to ensure they are set up properly."

It astounds me how people cannot solve simple loading problems without running to Sinclair to buy more "stuff" that does not solve the problem.

How in God's name did we ever reload before we were sold all this stuff??

1.25 turns is about .009", not .9"

Also, he dia she turned it about 1.25 turns, so don't translate it to thousands of an inch and treat it like a fact.

If he lowers the die enough to bump the shoulder, the die will also make contact with the sides of the case as it is cone shaped, so the lower it is, the smaller it gets.

 

[CatShooter]

I found 4 that would stick and then and then ran my fl die down until it contacted the shell holder and then backed it off 1.25 turns and locked it. ......

Why have you backed off "1.25" turns from contact with the Shellholder? If those are Redding Dies, that's NOT what the instruction sheet says to do. Simply you are not getting the entire body of the case up into the die and the area closer to base near the web is not being sized.

Alex

He backed off 1.25 turns and fixed it, because it was/is not a headspace problem. The "instruction sheets" do not answer all problems.

 

[CatShooter]

To me that sounds like the shoulders need a good bumping back to suit your new chamber.

As Erik mentioned, you want to get one of the headspace gauges/comparitors. Load up one of the easy to extract rounds and fire it off. Then set up the gauge on a set of verniers. Zero this off. Install your FLS die into your press, size it and remeasure. You want to adjust it down bit by bit until the fired cases start to measure 0.001-0.002 under the original measurement. You should also be able to take your firing pin out of your bolt and try to chamber the resized case. The bolt will want to just fall closed under its own weight or with the tiniest amount of force. Once you have the die set properly, size all your cases like this, trim them to the same length and go load and shoot with confidence. Use the same die and setting to resize your cases all the time.

It astounds me how FLS dies can be sold without a gauge to ensure they are set up properly. Its why I buy whidden dies now as each one comes with a gauge to measure the headspace with.

Good luck

He is NOT having a problem with the shoulders being too far forward... the problem was in the body behind the shoulders.

The cases that were not affected by this mysterious malady, extracted fine - the stickie cases that were sized in the FL die that was backed off 1-1/4 of a turn (0.9") had no problem entering the chamber - so since the die shoulder was 0.9" above the case shoulder, it should be obvious that he doesn't need a shoulder "bump" and he doesn't need any gauges to measure the non-existent headspace problem.

"It astounds me how FLS dies can be sold without a gauge to ensure they are set up properly."

It astounds me how people cannot solve simple loading problems without running to Sinclair to buy more "stuff" that does not solve the problem.

How in God's name did we ever reload before we were sold all this stuff??

1.25 turns is about .009", not .9"

Also, he dia she turned it about 1.25 turns, so don't translate it to thousands of an inch and treat it like a fact.

If he lowers the die enough to bump the shoulder, the die will also make contact with the sides of the case as it is cone shaped, so the lower it is, the smaller it gets.

Chill out Eric...

It was a typo - cuz it was 4 "AM"...

... One turn is = to 0.0714285714285714" so 1.25 is equal to ~0.0892857142857143.

I think it is OK to round that off to 0.09"

But... it is now 8:30 "AM" and you said "1.25 turns is about .009", not .9"... so what is your excuse, Eric?

He does not have a head space problem, he had a shoulder size problem, and the .220 Swift die contacts the body long before the shoulder gets "bumped"... which he didn't need.

If he has a max chamber (remember it is a factory Rem 700 Varmint rifle), and you set the FL die down on the shell holder, he will start loosing case heads from separations very soon.

 

[Erik Cortina]

You are correct, it's close to .090", not .009". And unlike you, I will not make excuses and admit that I made a mistake. That's where you and I differ.

 

[CatShooter]

You are correct, it's close to .090", not .009". And unlike you, I will not make excuses and admit that I made a mistake. That's where you and I differ.

Yeah... we differ a lot. I knew the problem, you didn't.

 

[Erik Cortina]

To me that sounds like the shoulders need a good bumping back to suit your new chamber.

As Erik mentioned, you want to get one of the headspace gauges/comparitors. Load up one of the easy to extract rounds and fire it off. Then set up the gauge on a set of verniers. Zero this off. Install your FLS die into your press, size it and remeasure. You want to adjust it down bit by bit until the fired cases start to measure 0.001-0.002 under the original measurement. You should also be able to take your firing pin out of your bolt and try to chamber the resized case. The bolt will want to just fall closed under its own weight or with the tiniest amount of force. Once you have the die set properly, size all your cases like this, trim them to the same length and go load and shoot with confidence. Use the same die and setting to resize your cases all the time.

It astounds me how FLS dies can be sold without a gauge to ensure they are set up properly. Its why I buy whidden dies now as each one comes with a gauge to measure the headspace with.

Good luck

He is NOT having a problem with the shoulders being too far forward... the problem was in the body behind the shoulders.

The cases that were not affected by this mysterious malady, extracted fine - the stickie cases that were sized in the FL die that was backed off 1-1/4 of a turn (0.9") had no problem entering the chamber - so since the die shoulder was 0.9" above the case shoulder, it should be obvious that he doesn't need a shoulder "bump" and he doesn't need any gauges to measure the non-existent headspace problem.

"It astounds me how FLS dies can be sold without a gauge to ensure they are set up properly."

It astounds me how people cannot solve simple loading problems without running to Sinclair to buy more "stuff" that does not solve the problem.

How in God's name did we ever reload before we were sold all this stuff??

1.25 turns is about .009", not .9"

Also, he dia she turned it about 1.25 turns, so don't translate it to thousands of an inch and treat it like a fact.

If he lowers the die enough to bump the shoulder, the die will also make contact with the sides of the case as it is cone shaped, so the lower it is, the smaller it gets.

Chill out Eric...

It was a typo - cuz it was 4 "AM"...

... One turn is = to 0.0714285714285714" so 1.25 is equal to ~0.0892857142857143.

I think it is OK to round that off to 0.09"

But... it is now 8:30 "AM" and you said "1.25 turns is about .009", not .9"... so what is your excuse, Eric?

He does not have a head space problem, he had a shoulder size problem, and the .220 Swift die contacts the body long before the shoulder gets "bumped"... which he didn't need.

If he has a max chamber (remember it is a factory Rem 700 Varmint rifle), and you set the FL die down on the shell holder, he will start loosing case heads from separations very soon.

No one is suggesting that he set his F/L die to touch the shell holder. I said set it up to bump .002" on the shoulder.

Backing the die out .090" is not doing anything to the body of the case.

 

[Erik Cortina]

You are correct, it's close to .090", not .009". And unlike you, I will not make excuses and admit that I made a mistake. That's where you and I differ.

Yeah... we differ a lot. I knew the problem, you didn't.

I know your problem, and you don't! LOL

 

[Erik Cortina]

OP, has this issue been solved?