Thread: Problem with brass

Originally Posted by Larskramer

I'm just setting it up as per the press instructions lol. Wind die to bottom with press up, lower press, wind another half turn, then tighten in. Maybe I need to learn alot more. Haven't had to do much in way of brass prep as I use to hunt, so only use 5 bullets each month, and I have 4 hunting rifles, so I only need to reload around 1 per caliber a year lol

You need to confirm why it wont chamber.
It could be headspace, it could be trim lenght, it could be the base is expanded, it could be the shoulder diameter but I think this last one is unlikely.

Mark a tight case with sharpie or vivid and try to chamber a few times. It should show up the tight spot.
Measure the shoulder length and over all lenght and the base diameter where the last part of the die touches on ones that fit vs ones that dont.
I think it is most likely that the die or its setup has not bumped the shoulder back.

Originally Posted by Larskramer

So, for some reason half my brass won't chamber.
7mm saum, I pulled all the projectiles, emptied then out etc then re sized all the brass with the full length dies, re loaded them to spec, and half of them still won't chamber.

What can I do? Buy new brass? If so, would my load be different going from adg to norma? I first lot of adg and I'm not too happy with it. The brass that wouldn't chamber was also tight and sticking when I was resizing.

The thread is well on it way now so I haven't anything to add except to say I always try my brass in the chamber after full length sizing.
Seen the odd hunting mate unable to close the bolt on a reloaded round whilst out on a hunt. If the case cannot then be extracted hunt ends.
Likewise on the fullbore range. Guys hammering bolts shut, or open again with wooden mallets. Some of those guys claim to be experienced handloaders.
It only takes a moment to cycle your prepped brass before moving on to charging and seating.

Greetings Larskramer,
Further to what Zimmer has said above you may wish to check that the crimping shoulder (if there is one) in your seating die is well clear of the case when you are seating the projectiles. To do this put a case close to max length in the shell holder and run it up, all the way, so that it sticks out the top of the press, as it would when seating the projectile. Next screw your seating die down until it touches the case and wind it up at least a full turn to get clearance. Wind down your lock ring and lock it and your done.
Regards Grandpamac.

you may need to resize brass that's already been fired in a different rifle to greater extent than you would need to do with new brass (or brass previously fired in that firearm).
Try cranking the die in a bit more and test it on a few of the problem pieces and see if problem goes away..
If problem goes away, then you should be good to put the die back to the original setting once the problem brass has been fired through that gun.

id be doing the sharpie trick that should show you whats up

I can 100% tell it's here that'd catching.

0.536" chambers, anything bigger and it doesn't. Hence why I'm guessing it has spring back. I'll get them annealed, and go from there I guess.

Hi Lars.

Im at home in the mornings mate. Have gauges, reamers, annealers, measuring tools and some 30 years of precision reloading knowledge.

Im also right on your doorstep(most important of all).��

Your welcome to pop over and we can get to the bottom of this. Can show you a few tricks on setting up your sizing dies.
(I suspect we might have to have a look at your case shoe and dies).

might be the light but where your measuring looks to have a slight crimp

Originally Posted by Jaco Goosen

Hi Lars.

Im at home in the mornings mate. Have gauges, reamers, annealers, measuring tools and some 30 years of precision reloading knowledge.

Im also right on your doorstep(most important of all).��

Your welcome to pop over and we can get to the bottom of this. Can show you a few tricks on setting up your sizing dies.
(I suspect we might have to have a look at your case shoe and dies).

I shall pop over tomorrow morning jaco. Cheers mate. Lars. Will bring ammo, rifle and bolt?

Originally Posted by northdude

might be the light but where your measuring looks to have a slight crimp

I think that's the light mate.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

You need to confirm why it wont chamber.
It could be headspace, it could be trim lenght, it could be the base is expanded, it could be the shoulder diameter but I think this last one is unlikely.

Mark a tight case with sharpie or vivid and try to chamber a few times. It should show up the tight spot.
Measure the shoulder length and over all lenght and the base diameter where the last part of the die touches on ones that fit vs ones that dont.
I think it is most likely that the die or its setup has not bumped the shoulder back.

Ah, the forgotten art of Prussian Blue, aka Engineer's Blue. Who needs a measuring instrument when you have the sharpie trick!

and throw away your neck sizing die if you are neck sizing. Full lenght sizing is more better

using rcbs f l sizing die. but if the case is too long from too much use, and the neck is maxing out before reaching the shoulder would this cause those different diameters?

Ok... here's smthing ive found from a supplied load. Same round, 1x measurement right at the base of the shoulder, and next measurement 3mm below... there is a crease right at the edge.

Is this fixable ? Or shall I just start with some new norma, or Bertram brass?

that's what i ment by crimp I've had it before from memory i think it was something with the seating die....it was ages ago