Dragunov/Izhmash Tigr owners that reload

[dromia]

For any gun that requires rapid feeding, even bolt actions, I full length resize. All my live quarry rounds are full length resized, for example, in the unhappy event that I may need a follow up shot.

[snayperskaya]

Had an email back from an associate in Russian who owns a Tigr and he has advised me not to reload the cases that have been fired and stepped as even though a resizing die may remove the ring the brass can be weakened enough to cause a case neck seperation which isn't worth the risk.

I have some primed unfired milsurp cases I reload then it's back to the Glorious Milsurp of the Motherland

[dromia]

Sounds like those guns have a headspace and or chamber issue.

[snayperskaya]

Sounds like those guns have a headspace and or chamber issue.

Why do you say that???

[dromia]

If there is no headspace issue and the case is fully supported within the chamber and the bolt face why should it be a problem?

[snayperskaya]

If there is no headspace issue and the case is fully supported within the chamber and the bolt face why should it be a problem?

There is no headspace (checked with go- no go gauges) or chamber issue, chamber is in perfect condition.

Why should what be a problem?, do you mean the ring once it is resized?.Apparently when a round is fired and the case neck is ringed by the step in the chamber and subsequently resized the brass can be stressed at the point were the ring was which can cause a failure of the case neck during subsequent firings.

After obtaining a copy of the rifles manual it states that handloaded ammunition should not be used.

[dromia]

What your ruskie chappie said would be a problem.

[snayperskaya]

What your ruskie chappie said would be a problem.

Apparently it stresses the brass at that point which can fail after subsequent firing/resizing, each time it is fired the case gets a touch shorter and then is stretched back by resizing and so on......not sure how right this is but going by what someone more experienced with reloading for these things than myself has adviced.

[dromia]

If the headspace is off yes it can be an issue but with firearms within normal specification then at least half a dozen FL resized reloads are possible without worry.

With the Enfield which is said to be notorious for this I have had eight FL resized handloads from my current batch of brass which has been fired in sundry different rifles with no problem so far.

If what your ruskie pal says was an immediate issue with once fired brass then none of us would be handloading ammunition at all, if an incipient case head separation is due the you can usually feel for the potential separation ring with a bit of bent wire in the case.

[knewmans]

You're missing the point Dromia. With these chambers there is a deliberate ring machined in the chamber at the bottom of the neck. This produces a ring in the fired case at this point which provides a visual indication to Russian authorities that a case recovered at an 'incident' has been fired from a civilian rather than a miltary chambered firearm.

The chambers don't have a head space problem as the shoulder and case head are fully supported.

The concern which Snayperskaya's colleague has expressed is that even if the ring is removed during sizing it will have unreasonably stressed the case at the base of the neck.