Author Topic: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!  (Read 660 times)

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Offline Dogshooter

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Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« on: February 13, 2011, 11:12:20 AM »
I have been reloading rifle and revolver cartridges for over thirty years and never had any problems but in the last couple of years have started seeing a problem chambering my reloads. I full length resize, and trim to specs, and one or two out of every 15 to 20 rounds will not chamber in my rifles. Not just one caliber, all of them. I tried replacing dies, didn't help. I mic every dimension I can think of when comparing a cartridge that WILL chamber against one that WON'T. Some rounds will chamber but you have to really bear down on the bolt and with those, the shell base shows material scraped off when you remove the shell. This is driving me crazy as I have tried everything I can think of and am still having problems. Any thought from you guys as to what I might try next???
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Offline Wyo. Coyote Hunter

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Re: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2011, 11:17:07 AM »
 :-\ I ran into this with a Cheetah..I neck truned the brass and that solved that problem..I may have done this with my swift also...

Offline BCB

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Re: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2011, 11:28:16 AM »
Is it possible that the neck expander plug is pulling the shoulders just a bit forward when the case is removed from the sizing die?...

That would cause a headspace problem.  It would be difficult to measure that with any measuring tool...

I put a bit of graphite in my case necks from time to time and that stops the extreme drag when the expander plug is pulled from the case neck...

Just a thought...

Good-luck...

BCB

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Re: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2011, 11:49:53 AM »
+1 to WCH.  I too think that neck turning may "ease your pain".

Offline Keith1

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Re: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2011, 05:24:31 PM »
A couple of months ago I bought 50 new Winchester 26/06 brass. Forty seven of the brass were fine with no problems at all. Three would not chamber. I trimmed them, full length re-sized them with no changes at all. I finally just threw the 3 away. Got tired of screwing around.
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2011, 12:57:27 AM »
problem could be a tight chamber. Ive got a few reminton rifles that have chambers on the small side and if i use brass thats been shot out of any other gun it takes small base sizing to get them to run in them. Sometimes even small base dies wont take them down enough. In those guns i have to dedicate brass to that specific gun and start with new brass and still use small base dies. Thing is a tight chamber really isnt a bad thing if you can work around it. they usually shoot better and brass lasts longer.
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Offline Doug B.

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Re: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2011, 01:43:08 AM »
Any chance that after all these years there is "buildup" of gunk in the chambers themselves?

Maybe really scrubbing out the chambers would solve some problems.
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Offline gman628

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Re: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2011, 04:35:29 AM »
"I full length resize, and trim to specs, and one or two out of every 15 to 20 rounds will not chamber in my rifles. Not just one caliber, all of them"

I'm not going to be a lot of help to you, but I see that with most of the answers you are getting seem to only be addressing the problem as if it were only one caliber or rifle.  Since it seems to be happening with everything you reload, we need to look at the equipment or procedures that are common to all your reloading. 

If you want to accurately measure your head space, RCBS makes caliber specific Precision Mic's http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=574297 , I've got a couple and like them.  If I thought it was head space issues, I would first turn my die in a full turn and do a few dummy rounds, that will tell you if that's the direction you need to look or not.  Since you say you have tried changing dies with no change, I don't think it's expander plugs, or worn out dies, and I don't think you'll need to turn necks for everything you own.  Also, have you changed anything like buying different shell holders, or, if you have reloaded a lot over the years on the same press, make sure the moving parts are not worn out.  If the press is worn out and you're getting a lot of flex or spring back in it, this might cause an issue.


Offline Catfish

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Re: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2011, 07:45:17 AM »
Without seeing what you have I can only guess. 1 st. guess, you don`t have your sizing die down all the way and are leaveing a ring just above the case head. 2nd guess, you are crimping your bullets in and putting to much presure causeing the shoulder to expand. I doubt that the expander plug is your trouble but would suggest that with your ram all the way up you screw the sizeing die down untill it touches the shell holder.

Offline Dave in WV

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Re: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2011, 01:07:06 PM »
What type of firearms does this happen with (bolt actions, lever actions, handguns) ? Some cleaning rod guides for bolt actions allow a buildup of slovent & gunk just ahead of the chamber neck. Maybe a thorough cleaning using a bore brush will help.
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Offline john keyes

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Re: Problems chambering reloads. HELP!
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2011, 02:19:55 PM »
I've had a high primer keep the bolt from closing, check that.
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