Need some help

[beerbelly]

I loaded my first rifle cartages. 243 Winchester. I loaded a few once fired brass and shot them in a single shot cheep-o rifle. I reloaded them again and tried to shoot them in my friends browning Abolt. The bolt will not close with these rounds. I fired a new round in the Abolt and reloaded it and it fired in that rifle no problem. I am using new Hornedy full length dies. So what am I doing wrong?
                                                 beerbelly
                                             

[stimpylu32]

BB

My first guess would be die set up , not getting the shoulder back far enough for the A-bolt , the single shot will have some frame flex that will allow the case to grow between .002 and .005 were the bolt does not have that flex .

2nd would be to check your case OL to see if they need trimmed , even new brass can grow quite a bit on the first firing as the chambers are cut diffrent .

stimpy

[beerbelly]

stimpy I kept thinking about what you said about die adjustment. I had them adjusted as per instructions that came with them. Screw them down until the touch the shell holder and lock.
 I went back and loosened the lock ring and screwed the die in a little more. The bolt wanted to lock but nor quite. So I adjusted it down a little more and what do you know! They chamber just great. I still don't under stand it as they were adjusted per instructions. Anyway thanks a bunch.
                                                Beerbelly

[victorcharlie]

The single shot has a larger chamber.  When you shot the round the brass expanded to about the same size as that chamber.

Then you full length resized it following die manufactures recommendations and now it won't work in another bolt action rifle which has a smaller chamber.

All chambers are somewhat different depending on several factors, and very few come close to being perfect.

  The die manufactures recommendations are just that, and reloaded ammo needs to be tried in the firearm before cranking out a bunch of rounds.  After all, the die only goes in or out.

By the way, did you find a good load for your .243?

[beerbelly]

Not yet. Just getting started. Have loaded some pistol round , but this is first time to do rifle. The brass needs trimming and I am waiting on the pilot. It should be here tomorrow or the next day. I am trying some H414 and 85 grain spitzer bullets.
                                                        Beerbelly

[bilmac]

The press has a little slack in it. If you just lower the handle and then screw the die down to the shell holder there will be a slight gap between them when you are working a case. Sometimes this gap is enough to keep a round from chambering. You did just the right thing, screw the die down some more. That takes the slack out of the press linkage. If you want to get the die and shell holder to absolutely touch you could just screw the die down some more, but that would negate the compounding effect of most modern presses.

Now if you tighten the lock ring while it is down tight against the press you will probably find that the die will be jammed. So you have to tighten the lock ring while it is away from the press then run the die down , size a case and then try it in the rifle. If it don't work back the die up adjust the lock ring turn the die down, you get the routine until you find the sweet spot.

This reloading stuff will make a patient man out of you Beerbelly.

[Glanceblamm]

I could be wrong but I think that Redding is the only die manufacture to give instructions on the setup that say (If you are loading for one rifle) or (If you are loading for several rifles of the same caliber) as said in the instructions. These Instructions could be followed with any die set of course or the same thing may be listed in a good Reloading book.

I will not post the instructions unless prompted to do so as you are getting some good advice right here.

[stimpylu32]

Beerbelly

Glad to help .

Now you just have to watch your headspace if you use this ammo in the single shot , as they may set too deep in the chamber to get proper pin strikes , or you may end up with case head seperation from it .

stimpy

[mjbgalt]

single shots that hinge open are notorious for letting the base of the cartridge grow too much when fired. i don't know if they do not support it enough or don't lock tight enough or what the deal is, but they seem to always allow more brass flow there than bolts.

same with some locking rear lug bolt designs like the SMLE and 788.

-Matt

[beerbelly]

They won't be used in the singel shot anymore. I think I am going to keep thease seperate from others and watch carefuly.
                               Beerbelly