Noob Collet Neck Sizer Question

[Woodworker74]

This is my first post. Been reading this blog for quite a while, been re-loading for...not long.
My question is this. I am re-loading .308 for a bolt gun that has fired the cases previously. Using Lee collet die to neck size. Most of my re-loads have chambered without a problem. Some have been a little less than willing, and 3 have absolutely refused to chamber. Like, the bolt can't even begin to close. Like I previously said, ALL these rounds were fired from the same bolt action rifle one previous time, and then re-loaded. COAL is good, trim length is good, so what am I doing wrong here? Ideas???

 

[StandingTall]

I don't believe you're doing anything wrong, since most of your rounds are chambering. Sometimes you have to full length size some brass again instead of just neck sizing. Do that for those 3 rounds and see if it works.

 

[beatledog7]

Did you check the case length after sizing? Even neck sizing could in theory be enough to stretch a case a few 1000ths (reducing the neck opening has to displace that brass to somewhere).

If they are too long after sizing, it could be that the necks are being squeezed up against the rifling. Pull the bullet from one that won't chamber and see if it is over length. Measure the outside neck diameter of the case, then see if it will chamber by itself. If it will, then measure the outer neck again. Did it get squished by the chamber/rifling?

 

[USSR]

rookieloader,

Buy yourself a Redding Body Die. You are going to have to bump back the shoulders of all your brass at some point, so you might as well get used to it.

Don

 

[Woodworker74]

I'll pull the bullets and double check the brass length. I 'll try chambering them as well. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[gamestalker]

Yep, those shoulders are in need of bumping and case bodies may need some resizing also. A properly adjusted FL die will solve both problems.

GS

 

[Curator]

Rookieloader:

The Lee collet die may not be your problem, and bolt guns do usually not need to have the shoulder "bumped back" on fired brass for several reloadings. Most likely, your bullet seating die is not adjusted correctly and this is causing the shoulder/body portion of your cases to bulge slightly. What is probably happening is your case mouth is engaging the "crimp" restriction in the seating die and your bullet has no canulure into which the brass can be pushed. This causes the case to flex outward slightly at the shoulder. It is important that all your cases are trimmed to the correct length as sometimes one extra-long case will hit the crimp ledge and then not chamber in the field. To adjust your seating die, put a resized case on the shell holder and raise the ram all the way with the seating die unscrewed somewhat. Screw the die in onto the case until you feel resistance then back off one and one half turns and tighten the lock nut. This will insure your cases will not encounter the crimp ledge. Adjust your bullet seating screw as needed for proper OAL with your selected bullet.

Look closely at the cases that won't chamber and see if there is a slight bulge where the shoulder meets the case body.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Find out what is hitting before you pull the bullets. Use a marker and color the bullet and case just past the shoulder. Then chamber the offending round and the marker will be disturbed where things collide.

 

[gamestalker]

I missed something in your original post. After resizing, check to see if they chamber. If they do, then something in the seating process is the culprit. If it is happening in the seating die, you need to place a piece of brass (without a bullet) in the shell holder and run the ram to full extension, slowly so you don't deform the brass. If the brass makes contact with the die, then you need to back the die out until it doesn't contact, then thread the seating plug in to adjust seating depth, not the entire die, as that will cause crimp, which is likely the culprit of your deformed brass.

GS