Can't seat 30.06 reloads, factory loads are fine

[Bobvonryan]

I am somewhat new to reloading rifle ammo and I had reloaded a lot of 30-30 with no problems. I just began reloading 30.06 165gr SSTs from Hornady. My shell casings have been trimmed to 2.490 and I full length resize. The published OAL of the cartridge is 3.210 according to the latest Hornady reloading manual. This length will not fully seat in my Remington 7600 pump. It's a whisker too long. Factory loads that I have tried all seat and shoot fine. Will seating this loads to, say 3.200 cause an unsafe load? I am using Superformance powder and loading to 58g with 61 being a max load. Thanks!

 

[tcj]

You may need to get your FL die down a little more. Had that same problem with 30-06 for a Garand. Brought my die down a hair more and the problem went away.

I carefully checked the measurements near the case head and it was slightly larger (before my correction) than factory loads.

Also, picked up a Dillon case gauge and am finding that if it fits and drops easily in the gauge then it will chamber for my guns (Garand and Winchester).

 

[USSR]

Bobvonryan,

The reason your reloaded cartridges will not chamber is unlikely to be the cartridge OAL. In about 99% of the cases (no pun intended), failure to chamber a reloaded rimless bottleneck cartridge case is the result of not pushing the shoulder back enough. As previously stated, screw your resizing die down just a little more.

Don

 

[MEHavey]

30.06 165gr SSTs from Hornady. ...published OAL of the cartridge is 3.210 according to the
latest Hornady reloading manual. This length will not fully seat in my Remington 7600.
It's a whisker too long. Will seating this loads to, say 3.200 cause an unsafe load?

Go ahead and seat to 3.200 (or even slightly shorter) as long as the case neck doesn't extend up/beyond the bullet shank. (SST's are pretty truncated, but I don't think that 10-thousandths will even push you past the crimp groove.)

 

[Bobvonryan]

The reason your reloaded cartridges will not chamber is unlikely to be the cartridge OAL. In about 99% of the cases (no pun intended), failure to chamber a reloaded rimless bottleneck cartridge case is the result of not pushing the shoulder back enough. As previously stated, screw your resizing die down just a little more.

I don't think this is the problem since I'm slightly camming over (I don't want to break the darn thing) at the top of the cycle on the full length re-size. I'm going to go to the range and try a shorter OAL to 3.205 and see what happens.

 

[MEHavey]

I read your problem as the overall length of the cartridge being unable to clear the receiver's internal
dimensions. (Leveraction shooters deal with this all the time. Nothing new)

As stated earlier, shortening the cartridge/seating the bullet slightly deeper should be no problem.

 

[Bobvonryan]

The reason your reloaded cartridges will not chamber is unlikely to be the cartridge OAL. In about 99% of the cases (no pun intended), failure to chamber a reloaded rimless bottleneck cartridge case is the result of not pushing the shoulder back enough. As previously stated, screw your resizing die down just a little more.

I don't think this is the problem since I'm slightly camming over (I don't want to break the darn thing) at the top of the cycle on the full length re-size. I'm going to go to the range and try a shorter OAL to 3.205 and see what happens.

 

[rcmodel]

Did you try and see if the sized cases will chamber before you load them??

It is possible you are inadvertently crimping the bullet in long or untrimmed cases when you seat them and buckling the shoulder.

rc

 

[rodregier]

Making up a dummy with no primer or powder will permit you to experiment with your press setup and chambering with your intended usage firearm.

I also buy cartridge headspace gages for any chambering I reload for. It's not an absolute guarantee of function for the resulting product, but it permits me to easily catch most of the brass prep issues that can bite me. Insufficient resizing is easily detected with such a gage. Dropping the completed cartridge into the gage will also detect shoulder buckling too.

Non-exclusive source:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/685086/le-wilson-case-length-headspace-gage-30-06-springfield

 

[USSR]

I don't think this is the problem since I'm slightly camming over (I don't want to break the darn thing) at the top of the cycle on the full length re-size. I'm going to go to the range and try a shorter OAL to 3.205 and see what happens.

Screw your die in a further 1/8 turn and see. You will not break anything.

Don

 

[interlock]

i am with the die thing.... but on one particular brand of brass and in one of my shell holders my 7mm08 does the same. i ended up cutting a little bit of coke can out and putting it under the case and on the shell holder.

 

[cfullgraf]

Yes, the accumulation of tolerances in the die/press system can sometimes cause problems resizing the case enough.

 

[MEHavey]

It is possible you are inadvertently crimping the bullet in long or untrimmed cases when you seat them and buckling the shoulder.

If the OP can cycle the round through the action (i.e., it isn't too long) -- but can't get the bolt
to close -- then RCM has likely pin-pointed the problem.

 

[Salmoneye]

Listen to RC...

Start with a sized case...Will it chamber?

Then seat a bullet...Will it chamber?

Then crimp the bullet...Will it chamber?

You'll find where you are going wrong...

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The published OAL of the cartridge is 3.210 according to the latest Hornady reloading manual.

Will seating this loads to, say 3.200 cause an unsafe load?

I am using Superformance powder and loading to 58g with 61 being a max load. Thanks!

Just to answer your question directly.

I realize you're new at this but think abut what you're asking. The difference between an OAL of 3.210" and 3.200" is One - One Hundredth of an inch. Couple that with being 3 full grains below the max charge, do you really think that round will be unsafe?

What is the OAL of the factory round you tried? Like said above, the OAL may not be your problem...