The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

How close to closed does the bolt get?

After attempting to chamber one of these problem rounds, doe the bolt 'stick' at all, when you then try to open the bolt?

Have you checked your cases with a case gauge?

https://www.1967spud.com/shop/reloading ... ce-gauges/

You've identified that the problem is a bulged shoulder.
So that means the sizer die is crushing the case when you re-size it.

Two possible causes of that which I can think of - either the die is set too low in the press. Or there is dirt/foreign-body/ecess lube inside the die.

So clean out the die and use a case comparator thingy to measure the base-to-shoulder length. Then re-adjust the sizer die to ensure minimum re-sizing.


Triffid

I use a Reding body die and a set of competition shell holders that way you can control the amount you bump the shoulder back. I use a L.E.Wilson type bushing sizer die to control neck tension and a L.E.Wilson type seating die.

This is my standard set up for all my fullbore rifles.
hmm whats next.

Might be worth just getting the headspace checked on the rifle and see how close / far it is from the go / no go limits

What bullet seating die are you using? I had the same problem before, and it turned out to be the seating die. I was using an old RCBS die, but it was designed to crimp the neck into the cannelure. I was using 155g SMK bullets and lightly bumping the shell holder against the seating die body, but it was enough to cause a donut around the case neck and also cause the case to bulge at the shoulder.

Thanks again to all. In order;
WelshShooter - Lee Resizing Lube always have - it's clean and relatively non-toxic, I do lube inside the neck and you are right, I have reloaded for 30+ years, originally pistols back inthe happy days.
The dies are Lee too and the expander is more of a rod and as smooth as silk and clean as is the die its self. Given the 100s of bullets I've assembled with these dies, I'm beginning to think Duey is right and the headspace needs checked.
Rox - at first I just stopped pressing down, as the bolt was so blocked (compared to a 'tight' round) but with subsequent playing about, I have found that pushing the bolt forward 'normally' means it will not lower at all from that position but if I coax it forward by about another 1mm, which takes little pressure but not much, the bolt will then lower with the sort of pressure you get from a slighly tight round. The bolt then raises with a similarly stiffer feel. Having thus used the breech and bolt as resizing dies, the cases have become easier to chamber although still a bit stiff. So sort of fixed but why the need?? More to follow no doubt.
Chanel12 - No I haven't. Thanks for the link, the resized cases are oversized for the gun, so I guess I need either a case gauge or a set of headspace gauges to show where the problem lies.
Triffid - thanks too, the die is clean, I guess a case comparitor thingy is a case gauge as above. :)
Alpha1 - Food for a bit of research. Excellent!
Duey - see above. I think you are right, I'm beginning to suspect the problem has to be with the new unit in the reloading process; the gun. Great!
North Star - I did not get as far as reloading these cases but I use a Lee bullet seating die and just press the bullet home with no cannelure, my loads left over from the previous 223 (a Remington) would not chamber in the Tikka. I have not tried the trick of pushing the bolt forward that 1mm and am not inclined to do so in the house right now, tempting though it is.
Also I'm about to disappear on holday for 2 weeks (no, not with Thomas Cook) so many thanks again to all of you, I will reappear directly with an update. Meantime enjoy your shooting.
PM

Since you can get the bolt closed with a little force, and it doesn't stick hard on pulling back, it sound more likely to be a shoulder position issue to me, rather than a bulge anywhere on the body (and I can't imagine how a FL die can result in 'shoulder bulge' - the die constrains the case diameter all the way from the web to the mouth).

You should be able to set the shoulder position correctly for the rifle. In order to do that you need 2 things:

1) To know the headspace dimension of your rifle.
2) To be able to accurately measure the head-shoulder dimension of your sized cases so you can adjust your dies to match them to 1).

The best way to find 1) is to use incremental headspace gauges. I use my gunsmith's before leaving his 'shop with a new barrel*.
The best way to find 2) is to use a case mic or shoulder comparator. Both of these can change their readings quickly as the sharp edge of the comparator surface wears, so obtain a 'go' gauge as a calibration reference.
Once you know 1) and can measure 2) you can adjust your dies to place the shoulder at a suitable position. I work on an average of 0.002" under the chamber headspace, which allows for variation up to +/- 0.001 while preserving at least 0.001" clearance. More than this causes unnecessary reduction in case life

I would avoid 'case headspace gauges'. They can only tell you that a case fits the gauge, not that it fits your chamber, which is different in every dimension to the gauge. I've had cases that gauge fine, but still don't chamber, and vice versa. I've had a gauge cut with the same reamer as my chamber, and it still didn't pick-up some case issues.

People often talk about 'set-back the shoulder 0.00x"; that ignores the fact that a fired case does not fully fit the chamber even after several neck-size-only firings, and that fired cases vary to some degree - and the the closeness of fit of a fired case to the chamber varies with brass thickness, work-hardening, annealing etc etc, so you're starting from a variable place. Work in absolutes. Know the size of your chamber; make the case some amount less than that so it fits like a glove. Well, actually, not like a glove - to quote Jim Hull of the Sierra test lab, the case should fit the chamber "like a rat turd in a violin case".

*If you don't have access to incremental gauges (they are expensive and somewhat rare) then a combination of fired cases and trial & error, perhaps with some scrap brass can suffice. For example, start by measuring a fired case. Adjust the sizing die to place the shoulder at the same size. Size some cases, increasing the head-to-shoulder by 0.001" at a time and testing in the rifle. This is best done with the firing pin/spring removed, so you can see the bolt handle drop under its own weight. Understand the tiny adjustment needed to move a die 0.001" - look for "Unclenick's Die Adjustment Graduations" for an idea.

Years ago had a similar situation with Lapua .243 cases. Turns out it had nothing to do with the body/shoulder, but the rim. As the case was being pulled out of the die, Lee incidentally, the rim on one side was getting "bent", for want of a better word.