headspace issues?

[barrel-nut]

Did you set up your full-length resizer yet? I think your headspace is correct, assuming that your GO gauge was milled correctly, as I'm sure it probably was. As stangfish pointed out above, it's possible that your new unfired brass' headspace is as long or maybe a hair over your chamber's headspace. Try full length resizing a new case. That should resolve the difficult chambering issue.

Or, an alternative, would be to re-headspace your barrel using a piece of new brass (heresy!). But the better, and easier route would be to just full length size your brass till they fit your (already) correctly headspaced chamber.
I think when you resolve the difficult chambering issue, much of the difficult extraction problem will go away as well. Bolt action rifles can exert tremendous pressure on a tight piece of brass by means of the camming action of the bolt lugs, combined with the leverage of the bolt handle. If you are having to slam/force the bolt closed, you are essentially resizing your brass in the chamber, and jamming it in there. Firing it under these conditions only jams it in tighter. You shouldn't have to slam the bolt closed. Try full length resizing.

[KRP]

Maybe not though, if someone can explain how "insufficient" headspace could cause these symptoms?

Difficulty chambering an unfired case can mean that the case headspace is too long making it difficult to chamber the round. This has stood out since the begining. I personaly think his situation could actualy be a combination of case headspace length and hot load.


The bolt closes on a go gage so, assuming that was built correctly, the headspace is sufficient. You're talking now about the headpsace being too long?

[barrel-nut]

He's referring to case headspace, not the chamber's headspace.

[drybean]

try setting your full lenght size die with your headspace
gauge ,then bump the shoulders back .002
drybean

[gotcha]

Drybean, I know you mean well but forcing a steel HD SP gauge into the sizing die could very well be disastrous. Recommend checking hd sp on new then fired then f/l sized brass & compare measurements for starters. This will tell you if die is capable of setting back shoulder enough for smooth chambering. My 2 cents Dale

[stangfish]

So i am going to hit the high points that I think have some merit. The first goal would be to get a new round or a freshly resized case to be chambered and extracted with relative ease.

I see two suggestions that address this issue. One being the case shoulder or head space, is too long. The second being a possible issue with the profile of the ejector. The head space issue could be by resolved in a couple of ways. Comparison of the gage and the resized or new case is critical and cannot be overlooked.

The solution if the case shoulder is longer than the gage is to bump the shoulder back with a full length sizer die and inspect with a case head space gage. The next thing to consider is opening the chamber head space to place it nearer to the no-go tolerance. You can take two approaches to headspacing a chamber, While maintaing SAMMI spec's by staying with the go no go lengths, you can make your chamber fit yur brass or you can make your brass fit your chamber. You can make it shorter or longer but you risk either not being able to chamber a round or incipient head separation. I refuse to argue the headseperation issue due to thelikelyhood but the risk remains.

The ejector pin is next, you are working on head spacing a barrel and can figure this one out. You could polish it and put a slight radius on the edges.

I think that at this point we have smooth chambering and extraction.

Next, how is extraction after firing? Easy... problem solved. Difficult....back off on the load.

Now ladies and gentlemen, we are cooking with gas.

[Tnslim]

I have set up the fl dies and still have the chambering problem of being pretty tight to chamber. I'll re-adjust the fl die to see if any relief can be found. The ejector has been removed as I don't like to fish my brass out of the dirt. Actually, the ejector has flown to parts unknown when I pushed the pin out but I did find a lost extractor ball while looking for the ejector. Now, back to the work bench.

[stangfish]

So what is the difference between your go gage and your resized brass (headspace)? You should be at least -.001 on the brass.

[jo191145]

Set those 30 pcs of high pressure brass aside. The webs may be expanded enough that they'll never freely fit that chamber again.
Stick with virgin until the problem is solved.

On that note: Shoot and Clean? Did you thouroughly dry the chamber after every cleaning?
Full house loads and solvent in the chamber can get ugly quick.

Best advice, remove the extractor and begin again. Either the brass is sticking in the chamber or the extractor is binding on the brass.
Figure which is which and your almost home.

The rims on some Lapua 6BR can be very thick. Its possible the extractor has'nt enough height clearence. Gotta run............

[Tnslim]

Just an update. I reset the headspace using a full length piece of new brass. I added maybe a half thousandth headspace and problem solved. The bolt handle will now go barely halfway down when closing using a measured piece of scotch tape on the case. Bolt chambers fine will little effort now and extraction is good also. I shot 50 rds this past Tuesday using 85gr Sierras while doing load testing with no chambering problems.

[Blue Avenger]

In my 6br I had problems with new brass not wanting to chamber all the way. short version I found my 6br rem RCBS die left the body taper a bit large and I had to run them in my 7br die with no expander to get rid of some taper. Then neck them with the 6 die.

my dies and chamber are all rem, not norma

[stangfish]

Lets hope this news is not temporary. It remains to be seen once fired and resized if it will chamber. If not we know you will need to change your load or borrow a case headspace gauge.

[Tnslim]

I'll find out shortly as I'm getting ready to take it out again this afternoon.

[Tnslim]

update on range trip. I didn't take the 6BR today but I still had a ball by introducing my neighbor's 9 yr old daughter to the sport of shooting. I let her shoot my old model 5 tubefeed 22 and noticed she was shooting right handed but looking thru the scope with her left eye. Turns out she is left eye dominant so I drug out my 17HMR lefty and the girl is a natural. Her last 5 shot group was all 5 touching dead center bullseye. She's hooked now. If weather permits I'll take the 6BR out Tuesday.

[JW]

Good for you!!
You can always work on the 6BR, but taking a 9 year old shooting is a lot more important in my opinion
Thanks for sharing about your range trip
Good luck on the issue with the 6BR
Jack

[Blue Avenger]

:)