Author Topic: Encore won't cock with handloads (Read 397 times)

bigbuck270 · « **on:** March 22, 2004, 08:21:34 AM »

I started reloading for my 22-250. The manual said the overall length should 2.4. I loaded 24 shells with 4 different loads tring to find the best. When I got to the range I had to slam the barrel shut to get it to cock. Eventually it shut, cocked and fired. Are the shells too long or what else could cause the hammer not to cock?

RonF · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2004, 09:03:23 AM »

It is probably not the overall length. Since you had to slam the action shut, it is probably that you did not quite sufficiently size the cases. Screw in your sizing die just a bit, about 1/6 turn. Try the case in your Encore. Repeat the process until it closes easily, then stop.

RonF

Thomas Krupinski · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2004, 11:43:46 AM »

Take your dial caliper and see if you can check the case length, they may need to be trimmed. Even with new brass this could happen.

It is also possible that the headspace is too long from insufficient resizing, and that the overall cartridge length may be excessive depending upon the configuration of the bullet and when it engages the rifling. But I would suspect excessive case length.

old4x4 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:02:01 PM »

I love it when the loading manuals show an overall length. For what gun?? This number varies with each and every gun in existence, except their test gun.
With my Encore, I made up a long dummy round and chambered it, If the rifle didn't close gently, I removed the round gently(maybe with the help of a cleaning rod), and turned the seater down a 1/4 turn at a time until the gun closes easily, then maybe shorten the round 5 thou or so. The good thing is if you have any loads left, you can seat them down a little..harder to lengthen them!! In fact, this weekend, I have to use this technique to find out overall length for some new 100 gr bullets for my 6.5-06 AI barrel. Good Luck!!

bigbuck270 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 23, 2004, 06:18:50 AM »

Here is the strange part. After I resized the once fired cases they were all shorter than what the manual reccomends so I didn't trim anything. I will have to try both. Thanks for the help.

Thomas Krupinski · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2004, 06:35:23 AM »

If you remove an unfired cartridge from the chamber after closing the action on it and cocking the hammer to make sure it went into battery, does it show any signs that the bullet was engaging the rifling?

I have a 35 Whelen that I load long flat heavy cast bullets and it that long flat bullet will strike the rifling on the side of the bullet before one with a tapered side will. Therefore I have to seat these bullets deeper into the case for the bolt to close and go into battery. With a bolt action I can force it to close and then see the rifling marks on the bullet when the unfired case is extracted, or if it's too far out, it will pull the bullet from the case and leave it in the barrel.

Bullseye · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2004, 06:48:34 AM »

old4x4

Don't the COL listed in reloading manuals give the SAMMI spec length for the round? There has to be spec for each round or factory ammo would not work in all guns with a SAMMI spec chamber. I agree most seat the bullet closer to the rifling, but I have never seen a gun that the COL in a manual will not chamber in, just like a factory round.

old4x4 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2004, 08:59:56 AM »

Bullseye, the thing that gets me is that COL doesn't take into account the position of the ogive or the shape of the bullet. In other words, like in the speer rel. manual, data is given for a certain weight bullet, but it comes in boattail spitzer, spitzer, flat nose, roundnose. We know that spitzers can be seated out further than roundnoses. That's what I meant.

Thomas Krupinski · « **Reply #8 on:** March 23, 2004, 10:59:35 AM »

Quote from: Bullseye

old4x4

Don't the COL listed in reloading manuals give the SAMMI spec length for the round? There has to be spec for each round or factory ammo would not work in all guns with a SAMMI spec chamber. I agree most seat the bullet closer to the rifling, but I have never seen a gun that the COL in a manual will not chamber in, just like a factory round.

I believe the col is more for function through an action and magazine rather than a chamber measurement.

tripper · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2004, 05:22:27 PM »

Tom I think you may be right. I tried loading pointed bullets for my old 30-30 bolt savage. By the time I got them out to where they were just of the rifling they would not fit in the clip.