bolt lifts but needs to be "finessed" back...

[ILikeLead]

Alright. I've been handloading for nigh on 2 yrs now. Bought a Rem700 in 300WinMag. Loaded up 20 just to "work up" a load... various charges of H4350 with 200 gr Sierra

I started at minimal loads, and using Remington cases full length resized at first.

I noticed after shooting the bolt would lift easily, but needed to be wiggled back. This happened at my lightest loads and I'm gonna pull the rest.

The primer shows a bit of "flow" but is not flattened at all.

Basically I will try another powder, but I would like to know what is happening here. I suspect that the case is expanding just in front of the belt... I can see the brass is scratched in this area if I re-load the empty fired case into the chamber...

Does that sound reasonable? Are Remington cases just weak? I fired heavier loads out of a BLR using same components and no issues like that...

Still kinda scratching my head. Thanks for any input.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

Is it a new Remington? Could be the chamber is rough or has burs in it. I had to send my 300 back to have the chamber polished as I couldn't even eject commercial ammo. They told me the gun had "rust" in the chamber. Since it was a pawn shop purchase it is possible this was the problem so I paid the $100 bucks to have the chamber polished and it works fine now. I also purchased a new Remington 700 in 7mm magnum last year that I had to send back due to burs causing deep cuts in the brass (took two trips back to Remington to get this fixed as their "authorized" repair center did nothing to correct the problem). If your bolt opens freely with commercial ammo, then there is a possibility that it is a problem with your dies. Are you neck sizing after fired in your gun or Full Length resizing? A very knowledgeable reloader told me to "always" full length resize magnum brass. I have not had any magnum brass stick following this advice.

 

[243winxb]

Sizing Belted Magnums

I fired heavier loads out of a BLR using same components

The same brass in both rifles? If so, could be part of the problem as the belt is not sized with normal dies. Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die. http://www.larrywillis.com/index.html

[/URL][/IMG] Click for larger view.

 

[JDGray]

My R700 LTR .223, extracted hard at first, but after a few hundred loads now is fine. I actually forgot about it, as it fixed itself without me noticing

A friend of mine has a 300 Winmag, and his gun wont hardly chamber a factory round, it needs a trip back to Remington. I bet 5 rounds chambered out of the box of 20.

 

[ILikeLead]

Yep its a new gun. It will chamber a unfired round fine but once it's fired it is harder to pull the bolt back.

As for the two guns, these handloads are new brass. I have not reloaded any brass fired from the BLR.

I did not know about the belt not being resized, and I thank you for that info...

Could be some roughness to the chamber, and I'll try to chamber more without firing to see if they're scratched.

 

[kingmt]

I had the same problem with mine & still do if it gets some carbon in the throat. A good cleaning makes it work but it probably really needs polished. I carry a brass rod to the range with me. A little tap & out it falls.

 

[gamestalker]

Your most likely loading too light. Belted mags need more pressure to properely fire form the brass and the result is brass that doesn't spring back properely.

 

[Mal H]

I think gamestalker is on to something. If you fire a round that is really over pressure, the bolt can't just be "finessed" back, you sometimes have to use a hammer. (BTDT)

What is the load of H4350 you used? Did you use a magnum primer?

"Are Remington cases just weak?"
Yes, personally I think they are weaker than some other brands you could use, but not so much that they aren't perfectly fine for reloading.