Case shoulder issues

[zzrguy]

Hey guys just loaded and shot 30 30-06 round and I found it hard to lock the bolt down. When I got home I looked over the brass and thought it was just maybe the new heads I was using need to be seated a little deeper. I start setting up to load up some 308win and wanted to make sure I didn't have the same issue well I set the test round to the max col and tried to cycle the bolt on my 308 it was very hard to close the bolt all the way. Open and close the bolt handle and it got a little easier. Check the round be after it ejected and it was not touching the lands. Next i just cyled a empty case and it was the same. I'm thinking maybe it the case it was not fired out of my gun so maybe the chamber might have been a little loss in the gun it was fired from so I puthought one of the case from my gun in it it was smooth as glass so I full length resized it and tried it again Bam the issue is back. It seem the shoulder is getting miss shape when resized how do I stop this from happening any more. Here some pictures left is fired right is resized.
Any help would be greatly

 

[kev74]

Are the necks on those bent or is it the light?

I think I would first take the sizing die apart and make sure its clean and in good condition. Next, make sure its set up right in the press.

If that doesn't do it, maybe check a factory round. If the factory round doesn't work either, its time to check the headspace.

 

[meketrefe]

The dies will produce a perfectly shaped round.
Make sure they are clean as Kev suggested and also make sure that....

- trim the case below max length so the case stops in fact at the shoulder and not at the mouth of the neck.
- chamfer and debur as needed.
- measure the diameter of the neck to make sure it falls withing spec. If the brass is too thick from factory
might cause stickiness after going through the expanding button and might be too thick.
Thickness of the walls between 12 and 14 thousands all around should be ideal.
- Neck turn as needed.
- Having a tight chamber is not a bad thing. Eventually will stretch. Try a different shell holder, some might
be 1/2 thousands to 1 thousands shorter before bottoming that might be all you need.
- Factory ammo is normally done up to 1 thousand below SAAMI but less for match chambers.

Obviously clean well the chamber and take a peak with a good light just to make sure nothing else obvious
is in there. Same thing in the bolt face. If you are going to get a good feeling for the case you should remove
the ejector plunger and make sure that doesn't interfere with the whole equation. Debris behind the ejector
plunger or even a spring out of spec can cause excessive force that will not give a good reading and feel
and might also be the cause for issues in push feeding.

I hope this helps.

btw.. those blems on the brass are just from feeding or something else?

 

[Acer-m14]

i reloaded some .223 or was its my .270 .. any case i had both soft points and plastic tip bullets ..
the plastic tips wouldn't chamber .. OAL both the same , WTF .. couldn't lock the bolt down ..
from the good guys here . another 1/2 turn on the sizing die fixed it .. had to kick the shoulders back a bit more ..

 

[zzrguy]

Are the necks on those bent or is it the light?

I think I would first take the sizing die apart and make sure its clean and in good condition. Next, make sure its set up right in the press.

If that doesn't do it, maybe check a factory round. If the factory round doesn't work either, its time to check the headspace.

The shoulder angle is change after resizing. I have the sizing die bottomed out on the press at full stroke. The die and gun are brand new. I never notice this problem the last I loaded the 30-06 so it was a surprise this time and I really just started reloading 308s so I was looking very closely at everything.

 

[zzrguy]

i reloaded some .223 or was its my .270 .. any case i had both soft points and plastic tip bullets ..
the plastic tips wouldn't chamber .. OAL both the same , WTF .. couldn't lock the bolt down ..
from the good guys here . another 1/2 turn on the sizing die fixed it .. had to kick the shoulders back a bit more ..

I don't think I cam get the sizing die down any further.

 

[Acer-m14]

@zzrguy full length sizing die you have ? ... back it up .. run the press up all the way .. bring down the die till it hits the press , , drop the press , spin die one more turn .. that should do it ..

I use a old lee press for my stuff .. still 3 turns of threads on my die

 

[Eddie Gunks]

The shoulder angle is change after resizing. I have the sizing die bottomed out on the press at full stroke. The die and gun are brand new. I never notice this problem the last I loaded the 30-06 so it was a surprise this time and I really just started reloading 308s so I was looking very closely at everything.

If the above by @meketrefe does not work,
Maybe check the die 1st. And then look into the gun.

Does it happen with factory ammo?

 

[zzrguy]

Ok got it I the down was not down far enough .
I stroked the press to just be for Cam Over turned the die less then a guarter turn it just about locks up the press. Then cam it over . That fixed it . If i turn the die a cut hair more it locks up the press. And a 8th a turn back and it does not fix the issue. That some tightass tolerances .

 

[meketrefe]

Ok got it I the down was not down far enough .
I stroked the press to just be for Cam Over turned the die less then a guarter turn it just about locks up the press. Then cam it over . That fixed it . If i turn the die a cut hair more it locks up the press. And a 8th a turn back and it does not fix the issue. That some tightass tolerances .

If you have a tight chamber and you reload that is a good thing. The chamber will only "stretch" over time.
If the current shell-holder bottoms all the way down they try other brands, there are slight differences.
Also the competition shell-holders will let you tune up whatever the purpose, tighter for match or looser
for hunting loads/auto-loaders.
There is no better headspace gauge than the case you are firing itself.

Redding compention shell holders...
Redding Competition Shellholder Set #1 (308 Winchester 30-06

 

[zzrguy]

If you have a tight chamber and you reload that is a good thing. The chamber will only "stretch" over time.
If the current shell-holder bottoms all the way down they try other brands, there are slight differences.
Also the competition shell-holders will let you tune up whatever the purpose, tighter for match or looser
for hunting loads/auto-loaders.
There is no better headspace gauge than the case you are firing itself.

Redding compention shell holders...
Redding Competition Shellholder Set #1 (308 Winchester 30-06

Thanks I'm stuck with Hornady shell plates I'm using a LnL AP Press.
I will be getting a single stage press shortly.

The LnL AP is awesome for handgun but a bit of a pain for bottle neck rifle case.

 

[meketrefe]

Thanks I'm stuck with Hornady shell plates I'm using a LnL AP Press.
I will be getting a single stage press shortly.

The LnL AP is awesome for handgun but a bit of a pain for bottle neck rifle case.

I have a couple of those LnL and they are great. They produce pretty consistent rifle ammo but better
for the smaller rounds. Another thing one can do is to shave one-two thousands from the die itself and then
tune up that way when faced with progressive plates. Or if you don't have a machine try a shorter die
that could be anything as soon as it preserves the shoulder angle.
It doesn't have to be an Xdie, it can be another caliber that is shorter.
The FL die from the 308-1.5" Barnes wildcat would be perfect for slightly touching the shoulder since
this wildcat is nothing but a short version of the 308. Great cat for the AR15 too by the way.

 

[David D]

Make sure you don't have any lube on the neck or shoulder when you resize. After you shoot the rounds, neck size only, no need to full length size the entire cartridge if it will be used in the same gun.