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

[Swift4Yotes]

I finally made it to the range today with my new 700 Varmint SF in 220 swift. I had several loads to try and started with 41.5 grains of H380 and 50 v-maxes and the pressure when up from there ending with 43 grains with a 50 v-max and 42 grains with the 55 v-max. My brass supply consisted of some once fired RP head stamp and some ancient Norma cases that belonged to my late great uncle which he had for his custom bench gun. All brass was clean, full length sized, trimmed, and deburred. Bolt lift was always easy and felt normal to me, however there was 4 or 5 that I had to really jerk hard on the bolt to break them loose out of the chamber. Primers were fairly flat in all loads and most had very slight cratering. Just enough that you could see it, nothing major. The hottest loads were still a half grain down from max. I thought maybe I need to clean the chamber so I did with some mild Hoppes. I fired a few rounds after that and everything was very smooth then I got a few more that wanted to hang up. I think the 42.5 and 43 grain 50 v-max loads where the ones that had the hang ups. With that said the hottest 55's shot the best. Those groups almost all had 2 touch and then the third 3/4 to 7/8 high. I am wondering if maybe that old Norma brass is what caused the flyers and the sticking. Two of them had the necks crack between the shoulder and the case mouth upon firing. Maybe they are hard and aren't shrinking back after cooling? I can't say if any of the RP's stuck or not but I am going clean and neck size the RP stuff and go again. I am going to creep up on a max load of 42.5 grains with the 55's from the 42 grains that I shot the best groups with today. I should add that while shooting these loads, which I would have thought would have made the most pressure I did not have any sticking issues. Any ideas? Why so random? The sticking cases would happened and then more of the same load would pop right out.

 

[Lapua40X]

I'd have to say that your answer as to whether it was the Norma or the Remington brass that was sticking was on the head stamp of the stuck rounds when you extracted them. That's the first place I'd look for the solution.

 

[LHSmith]

My brass supply consisted of some once fired RP head stamp and some ancient Norma cases that belonged to my late great uncle which he had for his custom bench gun. All brass was clean, full length sized, trimmed, and deburred.

#1/ Brass ages and hardens just setting on the shelf.
#2/ I avoid problems by never using brass which was fired in another chamber.
#3/ Your late great uncles chamber was most likely a "match" chamber which is much smaller than your factory Remington, so......you are, in effect, fireforming to a larger chamber size.
Was there any bolt click at the top of the bolt lift?

 

[Juma]

Anneal all that old brass if you want it to be malleable and somewhat springy to relieve obvious case hardening.

 

[BradY]

Were the FLS dies set with a comparator to bump the shoulder back? Are some of the cases too long and require trimming?

 

[Swift4Yotes]

Dies were not set with a comparator and as far as my brass I couldn't find new anywhere. However I just bought 100 new Norma cases off of gunbroker last night.

 

[Shynloco]

Might I suggest that besides the FL sizing for the shoulder bump, after you anneal that brass, if you haven't already, run it through either a Body Die or a Small Base Die (same result). You may actually have a slightly tighter chamber and the two dies I mentioned could reduce the base size by .001 (over a FL Die) that might be enough to alleviate a potential problem. Just a thought and something I've used on brass fired in another rifle. AND be sure to use a healthy dose of lubricant and I recommend RCBS Lube2 that has always kept my brass from getting stuck in your die using this procedure.

Alex

 

[Swift4Yotes]

Tried to rechamber a few spent cases this morning and the first two I grabbed got stuck and one had to tap out with a cleaning rod it was so tight. There appears to be scuff marks on the rim side of the shoulder. No marks on the one that doesn't stick. I bought this 177 rounds of mostly once fired and weight sorted brass for 25 bucks so I am out very little but from what you guys are telling me I need to resizing it differently if I keep using it? As far as setting dies with a comparator, does that take a special die. I have a new set of the standard full length as well as a neck sizing RCBS dies. I was going to fire this new Norma I have coming and then only neck size. The last thing I want is a locked up gun when pup distress is blaring after my first shot and my potential double is staring at me trying to figure out the combination to my model 700 safe ;D

 

[Shynloco]

Not sure if you are getting what I meant. If you have or access to a 220 Swift Body Die or 220 Swift Small based Die, then run some of the problem brass through one of the two dies. These two dies will reduce your brass body by .001 (smaller than any new ordinary sizing dies) so you can reform that brass to the dimensions of YOUR PARTICULAR CHAMBER. If it sticks after that, throw that once fired sticking brass away.

Alex

 

[Erik Cortina]

Neck sizing will only cause you headaches and won't improve your accuracy. F/L size every time and only bump the shoulder about .002"

 

[CatShooter]

Tried to rechamber a few spent cases this morning and the first two I grabbed got stuck and one had to tap out with a cleaning rod it was so tight. There appears to be scuff marks on the rim side of the shoulder. No marks on the one that doesn't stick. I bought this 177 rounds of mostly once fired and weight sorted brass for 25 bucks so I am out very little but from what you guys are telling me I need to resizing it differently if I keep using it? As far as setting dies with a comparator, does that take a special die. I have a new set of the standard full length as well as a neck sizing RCBS dies. I was going to fire this new Norma I have coming and then only neck size. The last thing I want is a locked up gun when pup distress is blaring after my first shot and my potential double is staring at me trying to figure out the combination to my model 700 safe ;D

No one makes a small based die for the 220 Swift.

If you are not having resistance lifting the bolt handle, but just at the top of the bolt handle travel, you do not need to "bump" the shoulders. I neck size by 220 Swift cases and they do fine.
If you FL size the .220 Swift "Every time" the heads will separate and fall off - that's how the swift got it's bad reputation 50+ years ago.

You should run your fired cases through the chamber (but DON'T force them to where they are difficult to remove)... and sort out the ones that stick - are they all the same headstamp??

If some were fired in another rifle, that might be the source of the problem... take the stickie ones and run them through a FL die and see if that solves it.

 

[Swift4Yotes]

I FL sized to start with. The sticky one appear to be the newer rp headstamp and not the old normas. All the brass was fired in different rifles. Does an FL die not contact the shoulder? Body and neck only? Forgive my ignorance reloading is fairly new to me and myprevious experience is with the milder .223. No issued with it.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I FL sized to start with. The sticky one appear to be the newer rp headstamp and not the old normas. All the brass was fired in different rifles. Does an FL die not contact the shoulder? Body and neck only? Forgive my ignorance reloading is fairly new to me and myprevious experience is with the milder .223. No issued with it.

F/L sizing contacts the entire case. Neck, shoulder, and especially the base. If you F/L size with minimum bump you will not separate the cases and you will not have chambering nor extraction problems like you will if you neck size only.

 

[Swift4Yotes]

How do you control bump?

 

[CatShooter]

I FL sized to start with. The sticky one appear to be the newer rp headstamp and not the old normas. All the brass was fired in different rifles. Does an FL die not contact the shoulder? Body and neck only? Forgive my ignorance reloading is fairly new to me and myprevious experience is with the milder .223. No issued with it.

R-P heads are very soft.... they are half as hard as Lapua, and much softer than Winchester. Norma cases are excellent - I shoot Norma and Winchester cases in my swifts.

The FL die will contact and PUSH the shoulder - on a .220 Swift, that is something that you DON'T want to do - neck size until (or IF) the cases get difficult to chamber, and then be careful setting the FL die, so it sizes just enough to close the bolt with a little resistance.

 

[Erik Cortina]

How do you control bump?

Get a headspace gauge.


http://www.midwayusa.com/product/479704/hornady-lock-n-load-headspace-gage-5-bushing-set-with-comparator

[youtube]http://youtu.be/P-UrMTyJ1_E[/youtube]

 

[Webster]

I have a 1972 Rem 700. The extractor is a "C" shaped piece of spring steel that is riveted to the bolt. The extractor may be shaped a little off. Have a good gunsmith look at it. Ask Rem if they will look at the bolt.

 

[CatShooter]

I have a 1972 Rem 700. The extractor is a "C" shaped piece of spring steel that is riveted to the bolt. The extractor may be shaped a little off. Have a good gunsmith look at it. Ask Rem if they will look at the bolt.

It is not an extractor problem...

 

[Webster]

RE: LHSMITH POST

Brass does not harden on the shelf. I don't think I need correction on this statement.

 

[Gabe22BR]

According to Hodgdon's site , you are at MAX on the powder, and over the max loads.



TRY STARTING BACK AT 39 GRS OF H380 AND SEE IF THE CASES STICK, accuracy will improve as well. This is how I see it.