Gunsmithing TL3 bolt cross pin slip.

[308plinker]

As I am prone to do, I pulled the firing pin on my TL3 to hand fit/seat a new bullet in my 6.5cm. I use a makeshift Lapua sized/neck slit cut instead of an oversized mandrel. Anyway, on my 3rd attempt to close the bolt on my case/bullet, I hit a wall! Went to pull bolt out...another wall! Turns out the cross pin had slipped down enough to hit magwell cut front and back. Only took a few seconds to figure this out. You can reach in and push the pin flush and remove your bolt. Since the bolt head must be in place for this process to work, I now take a short piece of scotch tape one wrap around bolt body/pin...problem resolved. I’m sure most use the Hornady OAL gauge. I hate the damn thing personally. This may be floating around in another thread, if so I couldn’t find. Using my phone. This may save a few “oh shit” moments for some.

 

[Sheldon N]

I do pretty much the same thing with my TL3, except I use a piece of masking tape just enough to cover up the bottom of the cross pin and keep it from falling out. I also pull off the little washer spring and rotating lug piece so that it's just the bolt head and bolt body. That gets rid of any drag or resistance and the bolt handle can drop freely.

I use this technique often when setting up sizing dies, since you can feel the exact point that the case no longer drags in the chamber on bolt close. I also do it for determining distance to the lands. Take a case that has zero resistance and seat a bullet and work slowly inward until you can feel the touch/sticking point of the bullet on bolt close and reopen. No need to cut a slit in the neck. Go on youtube and search for "Wheeler accuracy find your lands exactly" and there's a video that shows the process in detail.

 

[Mordamer]

I have some thick grease. Just a smidge on the pin and I have not had it move while using a similar process as you to find the lands.

 

[308plinker]

I've used the seat/chamber method. I can do the same job in one step with a properly fit neck. If you jam it you're reaching for the air hose to blow the bullet back out. I primarily use this method because I check seating depth in the house on my ole lady's dining room table. Really pisses her off good.....LOL.
I have used the seat/check/seat/check/seat/check.......method. I use die-chem and the slip neck method. Either way you arrive at the same place. But one is much faster......