Question

[cuffkey53]

I have several 308 winchesters and after alot of tries i need some advise.
I trim all cases and prime them I check to see if they will chamber and after all that i still get some rounds that either go in hard or they will not chamber at all any informatin you all could supply would be deeply apreciated after all
the time i have reloaded I can not for the life of me figure it out thanks in advance

 

[dmazur]

Well, if you are expecting ammunition to feed and fire correctly in any of the rifles you have, you are probably going to have to address the issue of headspace.

Here's one article that attempts to describe headspace briefly. The problem you may be having is called "insufficient headspace", but what it really means is that the headspace on some of your rifles is larger than it is on others. So, cases from the larger headspace rifles won't fit into the chambers of the rifles with shorter headspace.

Headspace explanation

There are many tools available to measure case length to the datum used to measure headspace. The LE Wilson case gauge is one. Here's a link to the instructions for this gauge -

LE Wilson case gauge instructions

If the cases that don't fit protrude from the gauge further than the ones that do fit, it proves a difference in headspace between the various rifles.

If the cases all measure the same, then you have a different problem.

If I'm just not understanding the problem, meaning they chamber fine until you complete the reloading process and seat (possibly crimp) the bullets, then the problem is most likely a seater/crimp die that is bulging some of the cases.

You didn't mention resizing. You are running them through a full-length resizing die, are you not?

 

[cuffkey53]

I relly apreciate your answer I should have thought of that but somtimes it is better to ask others i will be getting a head spce gauge I have found that the military 308 that i have will feed what ever you feed it but the howa and
remington tactical rifle that i have are real fussy again thanks for the answer

 

[dmazur]

Well, the case gauge is handy to have, as a quick way to set up a resizing die, but not necessarily the answer to your problem.

Are the cases full-length resized? If not, that pretty much points to a slight difference in fired case length.

If they are all being resized to the same initial length, headspace may not be the answer. (Unless the length chosen isn't to match the shortest chamber.)

 

[cuffkey53]

I will keep that in mind thanks again