Chamber slop?

[hotburn76]

Do not know why I have not done this before but decided to measure the neck diameter of a loaded hand load and a loaded factory load for my 204 and they where both around .225  I then measured a fired case at the neck and it was .232 to .234 on most.  That is a difference up to .009 of slop when a bullet is laying in the chamber.  Is this number a lot?  Good? Average?  Just curious what the average neck difference is on ammo compared to chamber.  I can also see a difference in FL sized compared to fired loads in the shoulder area.  Seams like the shoulder blows forward a lot, at least enough to where I can notice with my eyes, not sure how one would measure a shoulder with it being curved.  Just curious as to what chamber space in the neck I should have. 

[Bob A]

Hotburn76,

I don't really know what's good or not, maybe someone esle will help us out. But I do have a bunch of 30-30 cases here on my table.
The fired cases waiting for their next turn measure .333 on the upper neck. Cases loaded with cast, sized .310 measure .330.
Cases loaded with .308 Sierra Jacketed bullets measure .329.
Cases that are sized and primed, ready to load measure .327.
So, it seems that this rifle has less "slop" than your .204. I have some .311 cast on order. Looks like my Marlin would chamber .312 cast.

Bob A

[LaOtto222]

.009" seems excessive to me. Most of the guns I have .003" or .004" difference between fired and loaded rounds. The main thing is how does it shoot? If it shoots well, then who cares? If you neck size only the body should hold it centered in the chamber. I would neck size only, unless you have to full length size. If you do full length size I would back off the die, until the round just chambered and do not size it any more. If you do indeed have excessive head space, then you will stretch the case every time you push the shoulder back. All of the case growth comes from the web area and you will get head separations there, eventually. The less you size, the better off you are. You may have to anneal case necks once in a while because of the working of the necks so much. Good Luck and good shooting.

[wncchester]

Sounds like you may have a maximum tolerance chamber and are using brass with thin necks, a not uncommon situation.  We have to live with it unless we are willing to buy and fit a custom barrel.

Your chamber tolerance is likely on the max length side too, if your dies are made to minimum tolerance you are surely stretching the cases quite more than necessary a bit each time.  DON'T FL SIZE by the "normal directions" of pressing the die against the shell holder!  Experiment by backing off with the die until you get a snug feel when closing the action on a sized case.   Or, you can get a case measuring tool such as the RCBS Case Mic and use it to measure both the fired case length (to the shoulder) and then match that with the length after sizing to set the die properly.  Hornady also has a case measuring device that works but I prefer the Case Mic for repeatability.

[Catfish]

.009 is not out of the ordinary for a factory chamber. .003 to .004 would only be had with custom chambers if your using factory brass. I have some custom chambered gun that are tight necked and I have to turn the neck on to get the ammo chambered. With these gun I like to have .002 neck expansion. The thing is you`ve got what you`ve got. If your gun is accurate forget it. If your wanting less neck expansion you have 2 choices. 1. rechamber the barrel or get yourself some .222 Rem. mag. brass and neck them down to .204. You can run them through your seating dies first then your sizeing die for your .204. I like to lube the case necks with mica, graphite will also work, before sizing.

[hotburn76]

Thanks for the info guys.  I have a Handi 204 which is break open.  When I first bought the gun I was buying Hornady 32 grain V-Max factory loads to sight the gun in and get through the break in and cleaning procedures.  The best I had with those where around 5/8 inch at 100 yards if I remember right, and that was less than a 100 rounds through it.  So I think my gun is a good shooter, I just have to find the right hand load for it.  The best I have done so far is 3/4".  Just playing more and trying to find things that could help me more, and not do things that waste time.  I have not bought a neck sizing only die since I am getting mixed reviews about doing a neck only size in a break open, some are doing it and some are not.  I also like the idea of buying the new tool and measuring the shoulders and setting the die up higher and not smashing it down as much. 

Catfish,  Are you mentioning the parent .222 case so that when it is resized the necks will be thicker and fill more of this space?  Sounds logical, just trying to understand what you are thinking.

[Catfish]

Hotburn76,
   Not the .222,   the .222 mag. The mag. case is longer than a .223 case but has the same shoulder as the .222. It is a direct neck down. My CZ like the Sierra bullets fwr better than the Hornady`s, and do a fantastic jog on groundhogs, but are to thin skinned for coyote. From what I`m hearing the 35 gn. Berger is the best bullet for coyote.