OK 308 Jedi loading masters please advise

[m657]

Briefly:
had custom 308FL XP100 for IMHSA, loaded for years no issues. Gradually the neck-resizing (perhaps) resulted in inability to close bolt on a tight match chamber due to stretching(?). I got a trimmer and closely trimmed down a bunch, loaded and had no problem thereafter.

Didn't shoot for about a decade due to health issues, traded off the XP, now have Ruger m77. Did this last spring, didn't get around to the range at the time.

Some of these old LC brass I had left will chamber in the m77 and some won't. This is with newly reloaded but at the time OAL measured brass to spec.

Don't have the measurements in front of me right now, but took a bunch of practice ammo to the range and found only a few would fit.

OAL was right when I loaded them a couple years back. Got a case gauge, and all of them fit properly in that.

Bullets are 150 grain, either RNFP or spitzer style. Doesn't seem to matter which, some fit chamber, some don't.

Will get on OAL etc this week end.

Whatever could be wrong here?

They all "seem" to be same external dimensions as new factory load samples I have on hand.

The mouth of the reloaded brass is all just a bit shorter than the case gauge, and they all easily fall into and out of the gauge.

 

[john traveler]

It would seem likely that your neck-sized only cases have grown in the casehead-to-shoulder cone dimension. Your case gage should reveal this at the same time you gage the case length dimension.

It's time to run the fired cases into a full-length resizing die to get them to chamber in any .308 Winchester chamber.

 

[Paul5388]

Most of the time the solution to bolt closing failures is to full length resize, not trimming. Use of a collet type neck sizer will delay the need for FL resizing.

 

[WR Moore]

I can't recall who makes it, but someone makes a shoulder bump die that works on loaded ammo.

 

[Fkimble]

Take some unloaded brass and size it and see if it will chamber ok, if not and I don't expect it to, then use your full length die turning it in a little at a time until the sized brass allows the bolt to close with very little felt resistance, Use a different case for each try for best results.

 

[growr]

If you happen to have an RCBS .308 case micrometer it will help determine if your shoulder is in the correct spot. I use it for die set up when reloading for my M1A where head spacing and shoulder set abck are critical as well as OAL.
I do agree with FL re-sizing, trimming to length and then see how how they chamber. Will probably work fine.
Randy

 

[m657]

Thank you gents, will be in the reloading room a bit today....cheers to all.

 

[growr]

let us know how it finally turns out and what the REAL problem was.
Randy

 

[m657]

UPDATE:

ok.....got NEW brass, sized & mounted 1-165 spire point....feeds perfectly!

Disassembled a small sample of the old loads, without bullet the brass would not chamber.

Full length sized, brass would chamber; mount bullet to same length, proper function.

Despite 'mirror image' of old vs new vs factory load, I have several hundred old brass/loads on hand now to deal with.

Odd that they ALL fit perfectly IN the case gauges--yes, I got another to confirm fit--and I can see no deviation from spec. Unable to measure shoulder angle, yet something obviously changes in doing the FL sizing.

Next issue: the RCBS collet bullet puller I got to extract the old 150 gr bullets, proves the throat of the 650 tool head to be just about 1/8" too short to allow use of the device.

While I can dismount them via the impact hammer "easily enough" it does leave the nose slightly deformed.

And I have no single stage press....after 30 years with a Dillon, I'm not thrilled about adding the single stage to my limited space.

 

[perrazi]

put a small piece of styrofoam in the bottom of the hammer where the bullet lands. should solve the bent nose thing.

 

[HighPowerShooter]

I run a XP-100 in 7mmIHMSA
(300Savage necked down to 7mmmm)

I full length resize every 4th or 5th reloading.

 

[m657]

re: "put a small piece of styrofoam in the bottom of the hammer"

[sound of one hand smacking forehead]

....working GREAT!!!

.....who wouldda thought.....

Thank you kindly perrazi

 

[papajohn428]

I use an old foam earplug. It jams itself into place, and doesn't have to be pushed back into place when you whack the hammer on something to get the goodies out.

 

[deerhtr]

ok the simple man explanation. your cases are fire formed to your old gun if any work in your new gun you got lucky. fl resizing resets it to factory spec. size which fits in any gun.