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

Newbie question (sorry).

Noticed that if I neck re-size only from fired new factory .303 PPU ammo, the brass seems a little tight when closing the bolt after I have reloaded it. The very last portion of the closing action sometimes is quite difficult.

The length is correct, seating depth etc. Could I have over neck sized the brass causing a slight bulge at the neck by over compressing the brass?

The round will go in ok and obviously its fire-formed to my chamber and I expect it to be a snug fit but the reloaded rounds are quite tight.

If I take a new case and put it in the gun then if I tip the gun back (without a bolt in it) the case will come out quite freely. If I do the same with the sized brass with no bullet then it will come out but requires quite a tap to get it out or a gentle tap with a cleaning rod.

Once I assemble the round then the I get the issue of the bolt resisting the last bit of closure.

Any ideas?

MikeB

ps. .303 No5 enfield.

Does this happen with a neck sized round with no bullet seated?

What neck sizing die are you using?

Have you measured neck diameters before and after seating a bullet?

If I full length size and chamber an empty case, it will fall back out of the chamber by itself if I tilt the rifle back. The bolt will close fine.

If I try the same with the neck sized brass (using a Lee collet die) then its a snug fit and will nine time out of ten require coaxing out with a cleaning rod or a plastic knife.

Both will close the bolt but the neck sized stuff seems to have slightly more resistance.

Noticed that about a CM away from the rim the case seemed to have scrape marks about a CM in length, not so noticeable on the full sized brass once i got them out.

If I then seat a bullet using the Lee seating die then the cases that have been neck sized only seem to have issues closing the bolt or they do close but with some resistance. The bolt will seem to push all the way in but the last bit of the closing action is stiff.

Noticed this at the range that 25 rounds that I loaded seemed to not have this issue but the other 25 (loaded at a different time using the same once fired brass) did. Therefore its defo something I am doing inconsistently.

So is it the collet setup incorrectly or the seating die setup maybe applying too much pressure and bowing out the bottom of the case?

ps. I have been trying to not full size from the off to try and pre-long the case life but if it makes a difference then I will full size everything.

Mike

When I used Lee collett dies I could never get the consistency right. I would sometimes undersize the neck with the bullet actually moving in the case. This was definately user error on my part.

Not wishing to start a fanboy debate on the merits or otherwise of Lee kit, but I've never had the same issue with either Forster or Redding dies.

Cj10 you are comparing apples and oranges comparing the Lee collet to bushing dies. The collet when properly used controls the inside and outside neck diameters, the bushing dies only controls outside diameters.

Mikeb I suggest that you measure your cases before and after sizing to see where the growth is when sizing and bullet seating.

dromia wrote:Cj10 you are comparing apples and oranges comparing the Lee collet to bushing dies. The collet when properly used controls the inside and outside neck diameters, the bushing dies only controls outside diameters. .

Have to admit that I didn't know that.

I simply couldn't set up the collet correctly, which was user error on my part and moved on to other dies.

Ceri

Cj10 wrote:

dromia wrote:Cj10 you are comparing apples and oranges comparing the Lee collet to bushing dies. The collet when properly used controls the inside and outside neck diameters, the bushing dies only controls outside diameters. .

Have to admit that I didn't know that.

I simply couldn't set up the collet correctly, which was user error on my part and moved on to other dies.

Ceri

I couldn't set them up correctly and consistently either, and changed quickly to a more 'fool-proof' die...

...but many say they really like them...

mikeb wrote:If I full length size and chamber an empty case, it will fall back out of the chamber by itself if I tilt the rifle back. The bolt will close fine.

If I try the same with the neck sized brass (using a Lee collet die) then its a snug fit and will nine time out of ten require coaxing out with a cleaning rod or a plastic knife.

Both will close the bolt but the neck sized stuff seems to have slightly more resistance.

Noticed that about a CM away from the rim the case seemed to have scrape marks about a CM in length, not so noticeable on the full sized brass once i got them out.

If I then seat a bullet using the Lee seating die then the cases that have been neck sized only seem to have issues closing the bolt or they do close but with some resistance. The bolt will seem to push all the way in but the last bit of the closing action is stiff.

Noticed this at the range that 25 rounds that I loaded seemed to not have this issue but the other 25 (loaded at a different time using the same once fired brass) did. Therefore its defo something I am doing inconsistently.

So is it the collet setup incorrectly or the seating die setup maybe applying too much pressure and bowing out the bottom of the case?

ps. I have been trying to not full size from the off to try and pre-long the case life but if it makes a difference then I will full size everything.

Mike

It's just an observation but the 303 Brit case headspaces on the case head and you need to watching out for weaknesses developing here. If just above the case head you get a slight concavity in the case wall try feeling the inside of it with a straightened paper clip: if you meet resistance it's time to scrap that case.

Are you saying that the neck sizer and the full length sizer treat the case differently with respect to these marks? What are you lubing your cases with and, after a session are you giving your dies a wipe out with a rolled up tissue very lightly oiled to remove any crud and avoid against surface rusting?

Are you consistent in the way to tighten your dies into your press and, if you're following the Lee instructions are you winding the die in by the same number of turns each time you use it?

Lee Collet dies work as long as they are correctly adjusted. So do Redding ,Forster or what ever its easy to blame the dies but it normally turns out not to be the dies as long as they are set up right of course.

I think you are looking at the wrong end of the case my friend.I think you need to measure your cases just above the rim.
Ideally neck size two or three makes of cases fired in your gun. Make sure they are all trimmed to the same over all length.
Then measure the case thickness just above the rim and see how they compare.