223 reloading problem

[Paul M]

Hello to all.

New member and first post, so here goes;
I have reloaded forever, from pistol calibers back in the distant past, to currently; 223 and 270.

I just got a new 223 - a Tikka T3x which declines to chamber my carefully made reloads. The cartridges slide from the mag into the breech but the bolt resolutely refuses to budge from fully open. Fortunately I had bought factory Sako too, so had great fun burning them off while sighting in.
The fired Sako cases, even without a dummy bullet, still chamber and eject nicely but once run through a full length Lee resizing / decapper die - which I have used for 20 years, the gun again refuses them. Case length 44.7mm before and after resizing. Neck diameter 6.5mm before, 6.3mm after resizing.

I have never come across this problem before and frankly, I can't explain it. The 270 is also a Tikka and will eat anything.

Any suggestions or observations would be welcome or if any additional information would be helpful, please let me know.

Many thanks indeed.

Paul M

[shotgun sam]

Try trimming a bit more off the neck, I reload for 4 Tikka T3's and had that problem with one of them

[kevinww]

Hello and welcome, might be worth re asking your question in the reloading section here https://www.full-bore.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=11 as fewer members seem to visit the New Members section.

[dromia]

Moved to correct forum, be sure to post in the correct forum in future as mis-posts will be removed!

[mag41uk]

if the cases fit prior to running thru the die the case length will be fine.
the die is doing something to the case.
just neck size them with a collet die.
run a marker pen around the case shoulder fit into chamber then extract and look for witness marks.
bulged shoulder would be my guess

[North Star]

How does the hand-loaded neck size compare to the factory loaded neck size?

[andrew375]

You will probably find it is caused by the expander button on the fl die. When you are withdrawing the case the button is dragging the neck forward and the shoulder with it thus making the head space dimension longer. To see if this is the problem simply resize the case without the decapper/expander in the die. Then throw the expander away and buy a Lee collet die.

[dromia]

Expander balls are an abomination and should be destroyed on sight!

[Paul M]

Thanks very much indeed to all. Unfired case length; don't know, I burned them all off!! Once fired case length 44.6mm. Resized case length 44.7mm. Resized case trimmed with a Lee trimming tool; 44.5mm but still the bolt will not close. I tried resizing cases with the expander / decapper removed; exactly the same I'm afraid so it's not to blame. I cut the neck off the case; same again.
The trick with the marker pen worked; it is the shoulder, I just forced the bolt down. But why is the shoulder bulging forward and not being reshaped by the die? I am using the full length of the die. I'm happy to buy another one but what is going on??
Thanks again.
PM

[WelshShooter]

The expander ball could be dragging the shoulders forward? What lube are you using and are you correctly lubing the inside of the case neck? I'm assuming so as it sounds like you're an experienced hand loader.

How does the expander ball feel to the touch? Is it rough or is it smooth? If its rough you could chuck the stem in a drill and polish the expander ball a bit with a high grit silicon carbide paper and 0000 steel wool. Sometimes I've had to do this with Lee dies.