Stiff Chambering 308

[Gunner46]

Ok, No clue here. This is the 1st time I have run into this in my 30+ yrs of reloading.

I loaded up a bunch of 308 Win for my brand new Ruger American. I did everything step by step that I've always done. Trimmed case length, didn't over adjust the die, etc, etc.

But when I got to the range, when I went to chamber a round, it fed perfectly up to the point where I tried to turn the bolt down. Strong resistance. STOPPED right there. :W:

After I got back home, and my "WTH" got to me, I tried to figure out what was up. I ran my thumb nail along a few rounds, and felt a very slight ridge right at the shoulder bend. When I applied some firm pressure on the bolt, it chambered. So, I did it again, and then again. About the 3rd time through, they went right in.

1st question: Are these safe to shoot, as is?

2nd question: If so, will the resultant shot be an accurate depiction of the rounds true performance?

3rd question: What the Hell did I do wrong?

 

[Ben Lamb]

If there is a little ridge on the shoulder, you need to re-set your die. It's crushing the shoulder a little bit.

You also might need to adjust your OAL if this is a new rifle. Chambers differ and you might not have as much room as other rifles.

Should be safe to fire if it chambers. Just don't horse on it to chamber. If it takes that much pressure, pulling the bullet and resizing isn't that much of a chore.

 

[TimeOnTarget]

If there is a little ridge on the shoulder, you need to re-set your die. It's crushing the shoulder a little bit.

You also might need to adjust your OAL if this is a new rifle. Chambers differ and you might not have as much room as other rifles.

Should be safe to fire if it chambers. Just don't horse on it to chamber. If it takes that much pressure, pulling the bullet and resizing isn't that much of a chore.

Exactly, you are setting the shoulder back to far and crushing the case. Are they trimmed to the proper length?

 

[Gunner46]

Yeah, I made sure to trim to specs. OAL was also to spec.. Kinda throws me, because I purposely backed off the die to start with. The brass was some 2nd run reloads I had leftover from my Rem 600. After a couple of chamberings, they slide in just fine. I'll not go to the range again without test chambering a reload, just to make sure. Should have known better.

Oh Well, just another excuse to go back and shoot some more..............

 

[emrah1028]

I usually get that ridge if I try to crimp too hard. Mouth has nowhere to go, so it pushes the shoulder back and forms that ridge. Maybe you're crimping too hard.

Also, are there rifling marks on the bullets if you unchamber them? I ask because I have a Savage Axis 30-06 that did the same thing that you're experiencing, but only with 180gr. bullets. I have to load them at a ridiculously short OAL (for that size bullet) to get it to chamber. I unassembled all those rounds.

Stepped down to 165gr. Partitions and problem solved. Must be a short chamber (or leade).

Emrah

 

[St52v]

If you backed the die off before you started you may not be pushing the shoulder back enough until you chamber it causing that bulge at the top. Take a case and size it and try to chamber it. If you have trouble turn the die in 1/4 turn and repeat until it chambers. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[danr55]

Were you using new brass or reloading brass fired through another rifle? If it's once or twice fired brass, the first time it was fired will set the shoulder. If the chamber is just a couple of thousandths deeper than the new rifle, they could both be in spec, but you get what you're seeing here. Make sure that when you set your die, you run it all the way down to contact the shell holder then back it off a quarter to a half turn. Then size a case and try it. If it's a little tight but there is no ridge on the shoulder, take the die down in 1/8 rurn increments.

It may also be that the chamber on your new rifle was cut at the end of the run. The finishing die was worn and it's a bit shallow. If thats the case, a gun smith should be able to run a chamber reamer in there and turn it by hand to remove just a bit of matierial. He would check it with a min/max chamber gage.

 

[Blacktailbc]

I've had that happen when I accidentally set up my seating die, as I would my sizing die. Crunches a ridge right in the shoulder of the case.

 

[Mthuntinfool]

I had that happen with a batch for my 22-250, the bolt closes with some resistance, but they fire and extract fine, and I didn't notice a loss in accuracy.