Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

[Garvey]

It is a case problem not a seating depth problem I think. I seated the bullets the same in cases that I resized as I did in cases another guy resized. But the ones I resized were hard to close the bolt.

Is there a problem with the location of the die in the press or do I need another die, or is it something I'm totally missing?

 

[dmg308]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

You need to bump your shoulders back a smidge.

 

[Garvey]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

That makes sense. I'm reading TresMan's series for the third time right now. I'll follow his lead on the case prep topic.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

It sounds like you need to adjust your die to fit YOUR RIFLE'S CHAMBER. I would never shoot ammo someone else sized in THEIR dies. You have no idea how much the shoulder is being bumped back or the headspace length of the sized rounds. The Hornady / Stoney Point headspace measuring tool on a cheap pair of electronic calipers is a good way to keep up with what is going on inside your rifle.

 

[Leaddog]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dmg308</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You need to bump your shoulders back a smidge. </div></div>

+1. I use a Redding precision mic, but the Stoney Point works very well. Take an average of 10 or 12 fired cases before making any die adjustments.

 

[Garvey]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

You guys are certainly correct about the fact that I need to size my brass to MY rifle. I've been adding the additonal tools I need to my shopping cart today, to do that very thing. With my late Grandad's machining instuments (good ol MADE IN USA stuff) I can measure to .001" I bet I can get this sorted out pretty quickly after reading TresMan's series and using his recommended techniques.

Thanks!

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

Check your PMs.

 

[samnev]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

The way we set up dies when using a new rifle or die or both is to first lube then smoke the brass and adjust the die per instruction. Then run the case into the die. The die wil remove most of the smoke on the case to the point where the resizing ends. Many times the factory instructions do not set the shoulder back quite far enough which is very easy to see on the smoked case. I continue to adjust the die until the smoked indcates the die is reaching the neck/shoulder junction. On rare ocassion, most recently on a Remmy SPS, we still had to move the should back about 0.010" further to get the bolt to close normally.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

Santo,

Did you remove the firing pin assembly before you adjusted that die? .010" (ten thousandths of an inch) is a lot to move the shoulder on anything. A friend goes .004 on his 375 H&H mag. But that's a really long case. IN MOST CASES, .010" is way too much to bump shoulders. I would be afraid there will be a case head seperation in the not too distant future.

 

[1Bolt]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

What about trimming the brass?

 

[samnev]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

Yes the firing pin assembly and the rest of the bolt was disassembled. The brass was brand new Privi 308 brass. We checked the brass with a Wilson case length gauge. The brass set a little high in the bottom slits on the gauge. So we set the shoulder back until it was in between, almost on the bottom cut. Then the bolt closed normally. After that we bought some Federal 168 Match that ammo chambered fine, normal bolt closure. The only thing we can figure is the Privi brass was out of spec. Additionally checked the head space, closed on the go, didn't on the no go. I've used Privi brass in many of my foreign metric caliber rifles for years without a problem. We got the brass from Graf's as I usually do.
This was my brothers brand new SPS Tactical rifle, 1 week old at the time, which is why I keep saying we. My 308 is a TRG 22 and I use Lapua brass. He has now put over 100 rounds through the rifle with absolutely no sign of any incipient head seperation. He has since bought 200 Winchester cases. No problem at all
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Santo,

Did you remove the firing pin assembly before you adjusted that die? .010" (ten thousandths of an inch) is a lot to move the shoulder on anything. A friend goes .004 on his 375 H&H mag. But that's a really long case. IN MOST CASES, .010" is way too much to bump shoulders. I would be afraid there will be a case head seperation in the not too distant future. </div></div>

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

Good luck. I hope it does well for you. Just I've NEVER heard of anyone bumping the shoulders back 10 thousandths on a standard commercial cartridge.

 

[samnev]

Re: Why was the bolt hard to close on 400 rounds?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Victor N TN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Good luck. I hope it does well for you. Just I've NEVER heard of anyone bumping the shoulders back 10 thousandths on a standard commercial cartridge. </div></div>

Thanks for the good luck response. As I said I believe the the Privi Patisen brass was out of spec since was to long as indicated by the Case Length Gauge. I had never seen this before either. Unfortnately My brother loaded the brass with out checking it. I talked to a very good friend who runs Northern Arizona Munitions and builds specialty Ammunition for a living and has been in the business for 30 years. When the problem occured I spoke to him before we did anything. When I told what we had measured his first reation was "out of spec brass" and recommended setting the shoulder back which we did and the trimmed to length.