30-06 problem

[jacob.elliott]

Don't know if this should go here or under gunsmithing but here goes.
A friend of mine has a 30-06 in a mauser action, don't know what kind, it won't chamber reloads. it will only chamber never fired brass. we have trimmed the case to spec and beyond but the bolt will never close it is very tight.

Using the same dies my brother-in-law's rem. 700 has no problem chambering the reloads.

Could the dies be worn out? I don't know how this could be because the brass is so much softer than the dies but ???.

Could the chamber specs be out on the mauser maybe?

Any help would be great

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Are you trying to chamber the brass alone or the reloaded case with a bullet? Test the resized unloaded brass to make sure the dies aren't worn out. If the brass chambers correctly the problem is elsewhere. My guess would be the Mauser action is slightly shorter than the Rem 700 and the your round's OAL is too long. If the bullet is hitting the rifling it will prevent the action from closing. Try shortening up the OAL and see if that works.

What is the OAL of your reloaded round?
What bullet are you using?

 

[jacob.elliott]

trying to chamber the reloaded case with bullet.
don't know the oal
using a 180 gr nosler ballistic tip

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Is the Mauser originally in 30.06(Colombian) or has it been rebarrelled? If it has been rebarrelled it is possible that it is short chambered. Either way a gunsmith should be able to deepen his chamber to accommodate the reloads (if it is proven that the reloads are proper specs,OAL..etc...) I would also recommend a chamber cast of the Mauser.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The OAL is very important, I'm leaning to that as the problem. Try what I posted above. I'm guessing it will help...

 

[wyocarp]

You need to mic the difference between the factory loads and your reloads and find out where the difference is.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Lamp black a loaded round and attempt to chamber it. Then extract it and inspect the lamp black bullet for rifling marks. If you see any, shorten the AOL until the cartridge is no longer contacting the rifling. BUT...Do not go below minimum AOL of that particular bullet...Also you may have a case shoulder that is too far forward and needs to be set back by readjusting the resizing die...You need to insure that the case is trimmed to the proper length too.

 

[USSR]

...you may have a case shoulder that is too far forward and needs to be set back by readjusting the resizing die...

9 times out of 10, this is the problem.

Don

 

[redactor]

Could it be that you are resizing your brass in a Neck sizing die? That would explain why they chamber in your brother's rifle but have problems with the other one.

 

[ants]

Go back and read posts 7, 8 and 9. They would surely seem to be on the right track.
To bump the shoulder back a little more, screw the sizing die down a little tighter, maybe 1/4 turn at a time.

Let us know if you find the problem to be something else. It's always good to learn a new lesson.
Best of luck.

 

[33rowdy]

I agree with USSR! QUOTE "...you may have a case shoulder that is too far forward and needs to be set back by readjusting the resizing die..."

Adjust the die like you always do. But this time add a .020" feeler between the die and the shell plate. Its the same trouble I had with my 30-06.

 

[rcmodel]

What if he doesn't have a shell plate?

If he is using a normal press with a shell holder, adding a .020" shim between it & the die when adjusting it will only make it worse.

rc

 

[33rowdy]

Good point!

 

[jacob.elliott]

the shell holder makes contact with the die

it is a fl sizer not a neck sizer.

i will check the oal this weekend when i get home to my press.
thanks will report back

 

[Borg]

Make sure you uea plenty of lube inside the neck, to keep the expander from stretching the shoulder out.
Borg

 

[ranger335v]

Jacob, try chambering one of your normally FL sized cases. If it chambers, you have a seating problem. If it won't, you have a sizing problem. Insufficent sizing is most likely. Bet you checked for die to shell holder contact with no case in the die and no strain on the press. ??

Push a case fully into the die and look to see if there isn't a sliver of space between the die and holder. If so, you aren't fully resizing the case. Turn the die down a tad and do it again, continuing until there is no longer a gap. Then try chambering again. I bet it will go after that.

 

[jacob.elliott]

i will try some stuff this weekend. no skin off my nose if it doesn't work but its a problem to solve

 

[Chawbaccer]

THe die making contact with the shell plate won't do it. The die has to be another quarter turn down or maybe more.

 

[Hummer70]

Don is right. Chances are 1 in 4 the die chamber is cut too deep thusly it will not bump shoulder back enough for bolt to close assuming the case length is in spec.

First you need a chamber gage. NOT A CASE LENGTH GAGE, A CHAMBER gage that measures base dimension, shoulder location and OAL at same time.

Dies can be corrected by chucking in lathe and taking off ..005" to .010". I have taken off as much as .020". Then start sizing cases and adjusting downward till the bolt closes with very slight resistance to no resistance.

On magnum chambers all bets are off. It can gage GO on a headspace gage but still not chamber resized rounds. Friend just went through this. He bought four sets of dies and none worked. We ran them in my dies, did not work.

I pulled barrel off, set it back one thread and rechambered with my reamer to ZERO headspace and every one of his cases chambered just fine. Magnum shoulder locations can give major problems. When I resize magnum I just bump the shoulder back .001 to .002" and they work fine.

 

[Sunray]

Check the headspace. Not likely the issue though. He sure it's .30-06?
Since factory ammo chambers, he can set up the sizer die to neck size only.
"...Could the dies be worn out?..." Not when the 700 chambers 'em. Size a case and see if it goes in. The chamber is the best case guage.
"...the shell holder makes contact with the die..." It should just kiss the die. Not a hard touch.

 

[rcmodel]

"...the shell holder makes contact with the die..." It should just kiss the die. Not a hard touch.

Not in my experience.

Most of the time, you need the die to touch the shell holder, then add another 1/8 - 1/4 turn until the press "bumps" or toggles over at full ram travel.

This takes all the slack out of the linkage and accounts for press frame flex.

If the die just "kisses" the shell holder, you will not be full-length sizing a bottle-neck rifle case fully.

rc

 

[jacob.elliott]

well, he didn't feel like bringing his gun over after fighting fires for 15 hrs. so i guess it will have to wait. thinks for all of the tips though.