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Just picked up a new Howa 1500 heavy barrel for my son, chambered my OAL round 5 times to get an average OAL to lands no problem.

Loaded the first round and tried it, chambers OK but bolt would not rotate closed.

Long story short(ish) I've Full Length sized rounds and empty cases that won't let the bolt rotate closed, some that will close with a bit of extra force and those that load fine, all are sized on the same die.

I've tried bumping the shoulder by 1/4 turn but same problem, I did 4 cases from the same bag, all PPU, all trimmed to length on the same trimmer, all sized (3 times to be sure) on the same die, 2 load, 2 jam.

ALL of the cases or rounds that fail to let the bolt rotate load perfectly into my Steyr, all case measurements are within SAAMI spec.

I've cleaned the bolt and chamber with Break Free, swabbed out, lubed with CLP and no change.

I managed to get a loan of some Wolf factory ammo and that chambers and locks no problem.

...have you tried it with your tongue out?

I've almost tried it with what's left of my hair pulled out!

Also tried the cases in another .308, again loaded no problem, nice and easy, no extra pressure to close the bolt.

Not having much luck with these new fangled center-fire Section 1 guns are ya!

How about I call by & swap it for a BSA Meteor target rifle & a go on my Raleigh Chopper?

At the moment that sounds quite tempting ...............

Off to take my die to bits, polish, adjust the de-capping pin to slightly lower the expander and try again sign01

Will it chamber sized but unloaded brass?

Paint the shoulders with a black marker pen and close the bolt a few times, remove the case, any marks on it?

That's the thing, it will chamber some but not others, all trimmed and sized on the same equipment and double checked again today.

I've just stripped, polished and adjusted the Lee die, put 4 PPU once fired (and previously sized/trimmed) cases through the die again.

Case lengths are all 51.12mm +/- .02mm, neck dia. is 8.53mm, all below Saami max spec.

2 will not let me rotate and close the bolt, 1 closes with some force, other with quite a bit of force.

Paint the shoulders with a sharpie, I reckon the shoulders need setting back slightly.

Done that, there are 2 concentric rings on the front of the shoulder and a missing patch going down the shoulder towards the case body.

This is a case where the bolt will not rotate (it may if hit with a brick!).



Just did the same to one that loads, same concentric rings but missing patch is smaller.

Is this a new rifle?