Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

[TimK]

There's more to this story, but the issue at hand is this: I've FL resized some once fired Lapua .308 brass. I FL sized it the first time I loaded it, and the loaded rounds chambered easily.

After FL sizing it the second time, the bolt closes hard on an empty case. The cases are 0.003" over the length listed in the manual (2.015", mine measure 2.018"). Could it be just that 0.003" that causing the stiff bolt?

 

[dmg308]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

Sounds like you need to bump the shoulders a little more.

 

[Engine 22]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

Is it possible that the bullets are being pushed into the lands? Are the bullets of the same lot that you orginally loaded? Chamber a round and then extract, see if there are any marks on the bullet from the lands. If not, then it's probably the shoulder as stated above. You could also color the shoulder/neck/bullet area of a cartridge with a sharpie then chamber. This should show exactly what's up.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

"the bolt closes hard on an empty case. The cases are 0.003" over the length listed in the manual (2.015", mine measure 2.018"). Could it be just that 0.003" that causing the stiff bolt?"

Conceivable but not likely. Most chambers are actually 20 or more thousants longer than book max case lengths suggest.

As said above, you likely need to set the shoulders back a tad. Turn the die down another 1/16th turn, that will move the shoulders back another 4.5 thou and that should be enough.

 

[TimK]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

The die is down hard on the shellholder, exactly the same as the first time I loaded them. Also, note that it's empty cases that are chambering hard, not loaded rounds. There's no bullet to touch the lands.

 

[SMH]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

I encountered a similar problem.
I have to adjust my dies until there is a FIRM camming action to the press. (Hornady Single stage)

 

[Mark Walker]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

How far back are you bumping the shoulder?

 

[Cigarcop]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

Get yourself a Body die and bump the shoulders back correctly.

 

[MitchAlsup]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cigarcop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Get yourself a Body die and bump the shoulders back correctly. </div></div>

Get yourself a way to measure the position of the sholder. Then use it to setup the die.

 

[TimK]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SMH</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I encountered a similar problem.
I have to adjust my dies until there is a FIRM camming action to the press. (Hornady Single stage) </div></div>

That did it. Problem solved, or at least put off.

 

[Hummer]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

Won't hurt to get a LE Wilson case gage. I have never seen a case sized that is a "GO" in a Wilson Gage that did not fit in any SAAMI chamber. Even better is to get a MO Gage and this will let you know exactly where the shoulder is on firing and where it went after sizing.
If I was only going to get one gage, it would be a MO Gage.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

"Turn the die down another 1/16th turn, that will move the shoulders back another 4.5 thou and that should be enough."

 

[TimK]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Hummer</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Won't hurt to get a LE Wilson case gage. I have never seen a case sized that is a "GO" in a Wilson Gage that did not fit in any SAAMI chamber. Even better is to get a MO Gage and this will let you know exactly where the shoulder is on firing and where it went after sizing.
If I was only going to get one gage, it would be a MO Gage. </div></div>

Pardon my ignorance, what is an "MO Gage"?

 

[427Cobra]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

Tim K a case gets longer when FL sizing before it gets shorter, THROW AWAY the instructions that come with most FL dies, you can properly adjust a FL die in one of two ways with great repeatability.

1 get a headspace measuring tool, deprime the brass, measure using the tool, note the length, now FL size the brass and whip the lube off, now remeasure the sized brass, the goal is for the brass to be .001-.002(bolt gun) .003(semi auto) less than before sizing, if not screw the FL die down until you get there.

2 this works on bolt weapons only, remove the firing pin assy, and ejector, reinstall the bolt in the weapon, now resize the case and adjust it until a sized case has very little resistence about half way down when closing the bolt, remember very little.

The reason new brass was fine and fired brass was not is because the brass has expanded to the internal size of the chamber.

 

[nhm16]

Re: Bolt is hard to close on a FL resized case

Here's my thread on the 6mmbr.com forums on this topic:
http://www.accurateshooter.com/forum/index.php/topic,3743017.0.html

In my case, I have a Lee press and you can't adjust the die to "cam over" any more once you hit the top of the die. Camming over also doesn't do you any good if your shellholder is solidly against the die and the die still won't size the case enough.

I finally just ground down my shellholder so that the case gets pushed further into the die to actually allow the die to bump the shoulder. Alternately, I could have had the bottom of my body die ground down too.