This has me puzzled

[devon deer]

Any advice on this welcomed.
New brass, Lapua brass, it's a 6.5/55 SE, no issues
But, I have tried to reload once fired brass out of the rifle.
Problems, full length resized and trimmed to length and all within SAMMI specs.
Tried the unloaded brass and it chambers fine, bolt closes, no issues.
Then I load a bullet, bolt won't close, but new brass no issue.
So I'm thinking must be my RCBS die, borrowed my mates Redding, same issue.
It must be a shoulder issue but nothing I can see.
Maybe the tolerances of the Steyr are very tight?
I don't know, I'm at a complete loss
Cheers
Richard

 

[Laelkhunter]

It's odd that brass fired from the rifle is resized then it won't chamber when loaded. Maybe something going on with the bullet/case mouth?? Are you crimping the bullet in the case? If so, it might be causing a slight bulge when seating/crimping the bullet. If you are crimping, back the seating/crimp die out about two turns and seat the bullet.

 

[perma]

Maybe color a dummy round with a marker and see where it’s making contact. Only happens with a bullet in so I wonder if it’s a neck issue?

 

[winmag]

OAL too long? I suspect it’s most likely a tight neck issue.

+1 to coloring up a round and see what’s making contact.

 

[Addicting]

Have you measured the neck diameter with and without a bullet? Compared with the factory load? Are the bullets you're trying to load correctly sized to .264?

If that is all good adjust your die to bump the neck a few thousand more.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

It's odd that brass fired from the rifle is resized then it won't chamber when loaded. Maybe something going on with the bullet/case mouth?? Are you crimping the bullet in the case? If so, it might be causing a slight bulge when seating/crimping the bullet. If you are crimping, back the seating/crimp die out about two turns and seat the bullet.

^ This was my first thought.

If the brass chambers fine before seating a bullet, it doesn't seem it's a brass sizing issue. If that brass has already been fired without issue, it doesn't seem like it'd be a neck clearance issue. I'd think it's one of the following:

1. your seating die is screwed in too far and is bulging the brass when seating a bullet
2. the bullet is being seated too long and jamming hard into the lands
3. trying to seat a bullet that is 277 or some other diameter

Have you measured the neck diameter with and without a bullet? Compared with the factory load? Are the bullets you're trying to load correctly sized to .264?

If that is all good adjust your die to bump the neck a few thousand more.

Yes to bolded but i'd look at once fired brass neck diameter vs with a bullet seated after re-sizing.

 

[In2Hntn]

My first thought is OAL, second would be neck diameter, check before and after the bullet is seated. It sounds like it should be one of those two things.

 

[antelopedundee]

You may have the seating die screwed down too far to where the case mouth is hitting the crimp feature built into the die. Instead of crimping you are pushing the case down to where it bulges enough [probably at the case body shoulder junction] and won't chamber.

 

[devon deer]

Many thanks, all noted, if I get time this weekend I will take a look at all your suggestions.

 

[Zellhouse]

Ran into a very similar problem with Dad's .270 Win in a Remington 721 bolt action. It was the 2nd time reloading the brass, when about 30% of the rounds the bolt wouldn't close. Took into a local gunsmith with a good reputation & they measured the chamber. Was told the chamber wasn't concentric & they quoted a price to rebore it.

Have held off on repairing this as the gun is a family heir loom & I don't want to do anything that would ruin an, otherwise excellent shooter. At this point I am looking at changing brass out after 2nd time it's fired.

Anyway I read your post & thought I'd respond to a similar problem. Let us know what you decide to so.

 

[grizzly63]

If your load is too hot, your brass may not spring back to its intended size.

 

[devon deer]

You may have the seating die screwed down too far to where the case mouth is hitting the crimp feature built into the die. Instead of crimping you are pushing the case down to where it bulges enough [probably at the case body shoulder junction] and won't chamber.

I think was the problem.
I went right back to basics.
Rather than FL resize I neck sized only, and they chambered fine.
Then I moved onto the FL die, problems, it's bizarre as everything measures fine.
So I wound the die back out and it's working ok, the odd thing is the FL die has never been adjusted since I started.

I did wonder what @Zellhouse said I was beginning to think either I was going mad or the rifle had an issue.

The loads are fine, no pressure signs

Thanks for everyones input, hopefully try them out later!

 

[Zellhouse]

Tried closing the bolt on all cases B4 the bullet was seated. No problem in closing. Just after the seating did the problem arise & then only in 1 out of 3 rounds. Also am running a lighter load at 2800 FPS as the groupings were the tightest at 100 yards.

Appreciate the feedback... you're spot on regarding the neck resizing. From what I was told from the Gunsmith the neck resizing is the issue caused by the chamber. Just wasn't sure their cure was better than the illness.

 

[Zellhouse]

I think was the problem.
I went right back to basics.
Rather than FL resize I neck sized only, and they chambered fine.
Then I moved onto the FL die, problems, it's bizarre as everything measures fine.
So I wound the die back out and it's working ok, the odd thing is the FL die has never been adjusted since I started.

I did wonder what @Zellhouse said I was beginning to think either I was going mad or the rifle had an issue.

The loads are fine, no pressure signs

Thanks for everyones input, hopefully try them out later!

Will see if your solution works for my problem. Thanks...

 

[antelopedundee]

Does a fired case chamber? Does it chamber after FL re-sizing? I would think that would eliminate the FL die as the source of the problem. Try cleaning the FL die by putting an oversize patch or piece of TP in a needle eye jag and squirt a tad of Ronsonol on it.

 

[WYWINCHESTER]

I had that same problem with one of mine. It was after I replaced the extractor, ball, and spring. The ball was too big in dia. and would not let the bolt close completely. Put the old ball back in and everything worked correctly. Don't know if that helps, but it fixed mine.

 

[Bullshot]

I am fairly new to reloading. First, I am not pushing the envelope on seating bullets out so havn’t had that issue. Do as others have suggested to determine if seating depth with your bullet is the problem. The only problems I HAVE had with chambering have been related to seating with the crimp set wrong or slightly mismatched brass lengths such that most will crimp fine then one or two longer cases will end up bulged. The bulge might not be noticeable to the eye. Re-read the seating die instructions and follow precisely. And be really consistent with your brass length, testing with good calipers. I’d suspect you end up with much better outcomes.

 

[Robert N]

What aren’t you telling us?

What was the exact load? Powder? Weight? Bullet? Weight? Primer? Let’s confirm the brass please: pre-sized OAL? Post Sized OAL? Where did you get your starting load data? What was it? Elevation? Temp?

What rifle are you using? What is the load you are comparing the reload to?

What is our starting point? What else is different? What haven’t you told us?

I’ve seen loads go from “normal” to “get a hammer” in 10 degrees of ambient air temperature.

More data is a good thing. Help us out?