.308 VLD help needed *SOLVED*

[ArcticFun]

So I've run into an issue with trying to reload 175gr Berger VLDs. I can't seem to get them to chamber at all in my M40A1 and they are difficult to chamber in my R700 LTR. I've tried every COAL I can possibly think of up till the bullet can't be seated any shorter. I even duplicated the factory FGMM COAL and still cannot get the 175gr Berger's to chamber. I am at a loss to how that is working becuase the VLD's are smaller for longer than the 168gr and 175gr SMK's.

I have been able to load 168gr handloads into both rifle without issue so it's not my resizing die that's causing the issue (I full length resized all my brass).

The chamber/throat for the LTR is stock and I'm unsure of the M40A1, I assume it's a match chamber because everything else on the gun is match grade so a match spec chamber seems likely. The LTR is a 1 in 12", 20" barrel and the M40A1 is a 1 in 10", 24" Obbiermer barrel.

Current set-up for reloading is:
IMR 4064 powder
CCI large rifle primers
Federal GMM brass, once fired
For 168gr SMK's a COAL of 2.800" is what I'm using


Any help would be appreciated.

 

[vman]

Re: .308 VLD help needed

So even below a COAL of 2.80 you cant chamber the rounds?

How is that even possible... can you chamber just the brass cases without the projectile?

 

[ArcticFun]

Re: .308 VLD help needed

No, I just found out that my FL sizer die wasn't down all the way, rookie mistake. I adjusted it. Now it's a little stiff to chamber the brass and the die is adjusted all the way down (firmly contacting the shell holder but no shoulder crushing or pockets). Is this natural for a match spec chamber or am I missing something else? The rounds chamber easily in my LTR but that's a standard chambering job... To describe the stiffness when chambering for the M40A1 is just like the extraction from my LTR after I have fired a round. The brass is sitting rather tight in the chamber.

 

[2ndPanzer]

Re: .308 VLD help needed

You might need to take about 0.010 off the base of the die, this will allow you to control the shoulder bump some. I ran into the same issue with a Finn target rifle. ended up having to take 0.040 of the base to get it to size as I needed it too. Anyone with a lathe can easily trim of the base for you. Another option is to rent a pull through match reamer and finish that chamber out another 0.002 or so. Just don't use a dremel tool on anything and you should be fine...

 

[Captain Kirk]

Re: .308 VLD help needed

Yea, sounds like a die issue. I have ran into this when reloading brass for a rifle that had been fired in a different rifle with a more generous chamber, the die just cant resize it enough when you take brass spring-back into consideration.

Here is a possible solution: place a feeler guage on the bottom of the shellholde/shellplate, resize and see what happens. Start with a thinner guage and work up in thickness, you will know after chambering few if your neck or brass dimentions where the issue, you are bumping the neck back slighly which is where I think your problem may be.

Kirk R