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Very tight bolt cycling

Started by FinsnFur, May 06, 2012, 10:09:16 AM

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FinsnFur

I could of swore I mentioned this on here a while back but I cant find it now. Maybe I didnt.

Anyway, I had about 300 rounds made for my Ruger 22-250 that were so tight I could barely close the bolt on the gun. The guy doing my reloading at the time has been reloading for years and years, and the only issue he could find was that a few of the primers weren't seated all the way.
I ran some through it, both hunting and target shooting, over the last year or so and basically set them aside and only used the ones that would cycle.

I got the itch to have a bunch more rounds made up so over the weekend I bought some dies and powder, etc, and went over to Rick223's to have him teach me how to do this on his RCBS.

I told him about the rounds I had that didnt want to let the bolt close, so we tore a bunch of them part to see what was happening.
Guess what was wrong....
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Todd Rahm

Weren't 22-250 Brass or bullets lol?  :alscalls:

CCP

QuoteGuess what was wrong....

Bullets not seated deep enough?
Shoulder bulged out?
Neck sized only and they were not originally fired in your gun?
Some had 6mm boolits loaded in them?
Got some 375 H&H mixed in with your 22-250's? (Very common mistake)

#1 reason for problems with reloaded cartridges are shooting someone else's reloads!!!! :eyebrow:

Quoteonly issue he could find was that a few of the primers weren't seated all the way
Yeap over loaded. When seating my bullets, if my powder pushes out my primer I back off .003 grains. :alscalls:
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ccp@finsandfur.net

Okanagan

Quote from: CCP on May 06, 2012, 01:09:44 PM
#1 reason for problems with reloaded cartridges are shooting someone else's reloads!!!! :eyebrow:


Ditto that!  I used to shoot reloads from an acquaintance, but once I started reloading and realized all that could be done wrong, the memory gives me a chill. 

If factory loads chamber easily, then it sounds like the reloaded cartridges are physically bigger than the chamber somewhere and have to be squeezed into shape to go into place.  Bullets seated so long that they jam into the throat is the first thought with me also.    Otherwise a bulge caused by defective die or a defective use of it.

Ya got me curious!  Want to hear if using .375 boolits in a .22 bore is the culprit!






FinsnFur

We compared a bunch of them to factory loads, and then compared them against other reloads that cycled well.
Comparing the COL, the brass length, seat depth, looked for bulges in the brass...Couldnt find nothing different.

I took one of those shells that we had pulled the bullet on and fed it into the rifle. Bolt still closed hard, no bullet.
Then ran it through a full sizer stroke, and stuck it back in the rifle. It cycled like a dream.

These rounds were reloaded once from the gun. It seems the guy only resized the neck the second time around.
I was a little disgusted since when I asked the guy about it he wasnt sure and said it might be the primers, which he reseated then.
But I do realize that whether someone else was reloading them, I was reloading them, or me and someone else reloaded them together, it can still happen. I didnt know enough about reloading at the time to even question what might be causing it let alone attempt to determine it.

Anyway...I spent a couple hours this morning doing this;




So now Rick223's kinda teaching me the basics and letting me use his equipment. We did manage to get a handful of test loads made up yesterday with different seat depths, to see what the gun likes. I was really impressed with the groups on one load. So now were going to play with charges and do it again, just to see if we can draw them even closer together.
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Hawks Feather

Full length sizing or at least setting back the shoulder a little should take care of the problem.  After about 4 or 5 times shooting the 6BR, I have to set the shoulder back a little. 

Jerry

HuntnCarve

I believe you are becoming hooked Jim? :innocentwhistle:  That's how it starts.. An interest in achieving the utmost accuracy... :eyebrow:  Soon a new powder comes along...Then maybe some new fangled bullets...Ya gotta try the various primers...What about a new brand of brass?...Some updated reloading equipment would be nice..How about a progressive press? ..A new reloading bench and cabinets to hold all the reloading equipment.  Perhaps a chronograph and some ballistic software?..
Yep!  You are on your way! :wink:

Dave

shaddragger

 :readthis: I neck-size most of my brass but you have to push the shoulder just a little or it gets stiff to chamber.
Take your kids hunting and you won't have to hunt your kids!
Allen

Hawks Feather

Wilson hand dies and a Sinclair press would be nice.  Of course then you need to turn the necks on your brass - Norma or Lapua are nice.  Heck, if you are going to do this you might as well have the rifle rebarreled in a tight neck version so that you can really get all the accuracy out of it.  For about $3,000 you will be all set up.

Jerry

FinsnFur

3 grand? Thats it? :eyebrow:

I would love to go all out and dump a bunch of cash into a reloading hobby.
The truth is though, I dont have the time. :sad: Most evenings I'm editing right up till I cant keep my balls open any longer. (eyeballs) And when I get too far behind, I burn up the weekends catching up.
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Okanagan

#10
Hey Jim, thanks for telling us what was happening.

You can get started reloading without all of that stuff and for not too much coin if you buy the basics.  My first 20 years of reloading I used a Lee Loader, a little set of hand tools.  I bought a powder scale and always used that instead of the little scoop, and shot sub MOA with hunting loads.  For smaller cartridges, the little Lee single press is cheap and works well.  Big magnums need more muscle but not a .223.  Once I went to an RCBS press and dies, I kept my eyes open and have picked up a second press, a Rockchucker, at a garage sale, and other stuff at sporting goods sales, etc.

Wish you didn't have to work every night like that.  That's not healthy in the long run.  Glad you get some fishing in once in awhile.



CCP

Jim I noticed in your picture you use a battery charger? I will have to add one to my bench so you want be 1up on me. :biggrin: Does charging your powders help add velocity to your loads??

As others indicated you will continue to add to your new addiction. The first clue to your new addiction is your denial of being addicted. :alscalls: You will find prepping a few cases while setting at the puter is a real stress reliever.

A 20 dollar lee powder measure is in your future and will help alot. Dont let the 20 dollar price tag fool you,I have had several 200 dollar and up powder measures that cant hang with the 20 dollar Lee.

I loaded a few rounds yesterday (90) and took some pictures of my process and will try and make a post on it this week.
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Carolina Coyote

Jim, Just neck sizing is good but I would recommend using a Bushing  Bump neck Die and a RCBS Precision Micrometer to check the amount of bump needed. I shoot a 243 WSSM and was having the same problem of tight Bolt cycling and even using a Full Length sizing Die if not setup properly will not bump the shoulder back and cause tight cycling. You can also when setting up your Dies for sizing, cycle some of the Brass through your Gun to see if they Cycle properly. CC 

FinsnFur

You want to run current through the brass while you fill them CCP. ( 12 volts)
It prevents some propellents from hanging to the sides of the shell therefore avoiding lingering combustion.

We got em to cycle Carl...it took a full resize do it. :wink:
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FinsnFur

ok...now you guys got me looking at press prices :doh2:
knock it off :madd:  :laf:
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Frogman

Think of all the money you will save over buying factory ammo!  Besides, it's fun!!

Jim
You can't kill 'em from the recliner!!

FOsteology

Whoever originally came up with the phrase, "You'll save tons of $$ rolling your own", was a lying SOB!  :laf:

CCP

QuoteWhoever originally came up with the phrase, "You'll save tons of $$ rolling your own", was a lying SOB!

FOS is correct

Jim let me give you an idea of things to come.

You get all your basic loading stuff and start working up a load for your 22-250. Once you get a load with your 45g hollow points you decide you want to try out the new 50g offering from X manufacture BUT you are not quite satisfied with that load you have made and think the 55g offering maybe better suited. This continues through all the different powder and bullets weights you can find.

Now once your half ass satisfied with your loads and feel you have the best loads you still find yourself not completely satisfied and feel a new trigger would tighten up those groups and start chasing again. Once you get tired of playing with the trigger you decide to free float the barrel and then several hundred rounds later you decide fiberglass bedding and a new aluminum action block is what is needed.

After this you decide the barrel is burned out and you need to either replace the barrel or go to a new gun. Once you decide on the new gun you go to the internet looking for one and run across a wildcat that will do everything you ever imagined and since you already reload no big deal!!

6months going through loads with the new rifle you go through all the steps you did with the other just to find out there is another cartridge out there that is even better than the one you got and the whole process continues again.

Now before you started reloading you shot 50 to 100 rounds a year at most but now since you reload and save so much money you fire 1000 to 1500 rounds a year.  :laf:

Now this is with just the 22-250 you will certainly have to buy dies and reload for all your other guns too. :innocentwhistle:
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ccp@finsandfur.net

JohnP

Yes sir that is the way it normally goes, just a CCP described it.
When they come for mine they better bring theirs

CCP

Forgot to mention when you do all that with the 22-250 you get into your new guns and find yourself trading off the 22-250. 10 years later your reading the forums and someone post a picture of their 22-250 just like the one you had.

You then reply
I had one just like that it was the best shootin rifle I ever had wish I still had it and may just pick me up another. :doh2:
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ccp@finsandfur.net