Tight closing chamber?

[hotburn76]

The new Savage 204 has only seen FL sized once and all the rounds since then have been partial neck sized.  So far the cases I have been using have been just neck sized three times I think and for the first time the other day I noticed the bolt had just a little resistance to it.  I would say I can still close it ok, maybe while sitting and just using two fingers pushing.  Mainly curious as to when is a hard closing bolt to hard?  They are trimmed good, so it is only the shoulder doing it, just curious as to when I should bump the shoulder a tad?

[wncchester]

" Mainly curious as to when is a hard closing bolt to hard?"

It seems that should be YOUR decision, not ours. 

[hotburn76]

So if it is up to me then it has no affect on safety or accuracy?  Asking because I want to make sure I can not create a problem or affect my gun.

[Brithunter]

Actually if the cases show no signs of stress then it's simply time to FL size them. All that has happened most likely is that the shoulder has moved forward just enough to make chambering tight full length sizing will bump the shoulder back and you can partial neck size again until the case show signs of failing or this happens again.

[wncchester]

"...then it has no affect on safety or accuracy..."

Correct for safety, accuracy could be degraded. 

Otherwise, how much chambering pressure you are comfortable with and are willing to accept is yours to determine.  When  it gets to be more than you want, FL size. 

And trim the cases if they are too long but, actually, that's rarely a problem.

[beemanbeme]

If they are trimmed to a proper length and the bullet is not intruding into the lands where before it didn't, then you have nothing to worry about. You do not have a dangerous situation.  As posted, it's your call when enough is enough.  For hunting ammo, you want enough slop that there is no resistance to the bolt closing; for shooting from the bench, considerably more resistance can be tolerated. 
To keep from having to re-adjust my dies back and forth when I experience the same situation, I set up my die to full length resize the brass. And then, I take a piece of flat stock and make a washer with a hole in it big enough to fit around the threaded portion of my die. I put that between the lock washer on the die and the top of the reloading press. I am now neck sizing or as they call it now, partial full length resizing.  When the cases get blown out so that it's pretty stiff to close the bolt or I'm loading hunting ammo, I merely remove the washer and I'm back to full length resizing.

[Old Syko]

You may want to invest in one of the neck dies that also has the capacity to slightly set back the shoulder at the same time you're neck sizing rather than full length or partial sizing on occasion.  Saves some wear and tear on the brass causing it to last a bit longer.

[wncchester]

"...You may want to invest in one of the neck dies that also has the capacity to slightly set back the shoulder at the same time"


Syko, who makes that die? 

[Old Syko]

I don't shoot 204R but use this die in 22-250 and 308.  Excellent investment.

EXAMPLE:  http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=519605

[PaulS]

If the case is trimmed to the correct length, the sizing process does not alter the position or angle of the shoulder, and the load came out of the chamber easily then the cartridge should fit back into the chamber - easily. If you have not had hard extraction issues then you have a problem with your die changing the dimensions of your brass during the reloading process. (sizing the neck, neck expansion or bullet seating)

If your neck sized cases are opening hard on the third firing, you are probably over the pressure limits for your gun.
In order for the case to be tight after firing it has to expand beyond the actual case dimensions. That requires the chamber to expand beyond the limits of elasticity of the brass.