I have an RCBS X die in .308 that I use for FL sizing. I set it up per the instructions, trimmed the cases to minimum, then FL size them (they grow about 0.005" -.008")so I have cases that are right at 2.005" long after sizing which should be about "nominal" based on 2.015" max minus 0.010". I am relatively new to reloading and have only done a few hundred .223 with 68gn BTHP for my AR and about 500-700 .308 so far. Most were 168gn SMK or 168gn Hornady and I recently decided to switch to 175SMK as I am shooting out to 900 yards at the "local" range and thought the higher BC would help as there always seems to be a 5-10mph cross wind. I was using some new and once fired brass, and am now working through it all as twice fired brass. (I had bought 500 pieces of .308 IMI Match brass about 10 years ago (half was once fired) that I had never used).
When firing my last batch of resized brass I was having some sticking issues (Savage 10BA-LE) in the chamber. I tracked that down to my error in OAL. I checked the chamber OAL to Ogive based on a 168SMK. When I started loading 175gn SMK to the same Ogive length using my caliper/Stoney point gauge, it was actually jamming into the lands. I do not use a hot load for my accuracy node (from my ladder test results) so it just caused some consternation at the range... I rechecked the chamber length with the 175 SMK and found I needed to seat the bullets about 0.006" deeper to just touch the lands. So I backed off another 0.006" to be off the lands (0.012" shorter).
So I found my next batch of rounds was still having some slight sticking issues where I have to smack the bolt handle a couple of times to get it to pull the case from the chamber. I get a bit of pressure signs on my brass (primer is a little flattened and I get a round mark on the head stamp from the ejector pin hole on the bolt). I am loading 43.4gn Varget (Hodgdon website says 45gn Varget is max for 175SMK) so I am trying to figure out why it is sticking. I bought a Lyman case length gauge and found that my cases are slightly "small" from the shoulder to the base using the gauge. When I fire, the case must stretch to the chamber dimensions. Would this cause the sticking?
Today I was playing with the die setting and set it so the case just fits in my gauge, but when I try to chamber the brass, the bolt will not close (too long for my chamber). So I keep screwing the die in a bit at a time and checking the brass each time to see if it will chamber in my gun and the bolt will close easily. Now that I have it so it chambers OK, but it is a bit on the "small" side again using the Lyman case gauge (only talking a couple of thou - using my finger nail from the case head to the "Min" side on the gauge, I can just feel the sharp edge of the gauge)... WTF? Any ideas?
I can obtain .25"-.30" groups with this load (when I am really trying... typically I get .4"-.7" groups) at 100yds so I don't want to screw with it too much. It just sucks when it sticks in the chamber as beating on the bolt handle totally throws off my shooting position. I have a new RCBS chargemaster I bought a couple of months ago and I weigh each charge and I use a Forster competition seating die for the bullets. I use Federal 210M primers.
A little more data... When I chrono my rounds I get about 2680fps +/-50fps but I don't know that I trust my (cheap) chrono that much (Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital). Lots of no reads, error, etc. Hodgdon website shows 45gn varget should give 2690 fps so I should be getting somewhat less than this. My rifle has a 24" 1:10 barrel and I think the data is for a 24"... (I think a magnetospeed chrono is in my future...)
When firing my last batch of resized brass I was having some sticking issues (Savage 10BA-LE) in the chamber. I tracked that down to my error in OAL. I checked the chamber OAL to Ogive based on a 168SMK. When I started loading 175gn SMK to the same Ogive length using my caliper/Stoney point gauge, it was actually jamming into the lands. I do not use a hot load for my accuracy node (from my ladder test results) so it just caused some consternation at the range... I rechecked the chamber length with the 175 SMK and found I needed to seat the bullets about 0.006" deeper to just touch the lands. So I backed off another 0.006" to be off the lands (0.012" shorter).
So I found my next batch of rounds was still having some slight sticking issues where I have to smack the bolt handle a couple of times to get it to pull the case from the chamber. I get a bit of pressure signs on my brass (primer is a little flattened and I get a round mark on the head stamp from the ejector pin hole on the bolt). I am loading 43.4gn Varget (Hodgdon website says 45gn Varget is max for 175SMK) so I am trying to figure out why it is sticking. I bought a Lyman case length gauge and found that my cases are slightly "small" from the shoulder to the base using the gauge. When I fire, the case must stretch to the chamber dimensions. Would this cause the sticking?
Today I was playing with the die setting and set it so the case just fits in my gauge, but when I try to chamber the brass, the bolt will not close (too long for my chamber). So I keep screwing the die in a bit at a time and checking the brass each time to see if it will chamber in my gun and the bolt will close easily. Now that I have it so it chambers OK, but it is a bit on the "small" side again using the Lyman case gauge (only talking a couple of thou - using my finger nail from the case head to the "Min" side on the gauge, I can just feel the sharp edge of the gauge)... WTF? Any ideas?
I can obtain .25"-.30" groups with this load (when I am really trying... typically I get .4"-.7" groups) at 100yds so I don't want to screw with it too much. It just sucks when it sticks in the chamber as beating on the bolt handle totally throws off my shooting position. I have a new RCBS chargemaster I bought a couple of months ago and I weigh each charge and I use a Forster competition seating die for the bullets. I use Federal 210M primers.
A little more data... When I chrono my rounds I get about 2680fps +/-50fps but I don't know that I trust my (cheap) chrono that much (Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital). Lots of no reads, error, etc. Hodgdon website shows 45gn varget should give 2690 fps so I should be getting somewhat less than this. My rifle has a 24" 1:10 barrel and I think the data is for a 24"... (I think a magnetospeed chrono is in my future...)
