300 WM new barrel, chambering issue.

[masterblaster]

I just put a new barrel on my 111, its a bull from CBI, with a match chamber, I headspaced it properly with a go gauge the a go gauge with a piece of tape. Some cartridges load just fine but other are tight, have to bang the bolt handle back to pull the empty out of the chamber, do I have the barrel on too tight? I cant tell where its binding, its shooting great. So far shooting hand loads and factory rounds, no pattern what ones ones are tight.

[stangfish]

How did you set your die up for the reloaded ammo?

[nso123]

So you are saying the problem occurs with both factory and hand loads? Have the hand loads been loaded in fired or new brass?

[masterblaster]

Yes both, the handloads hav been in once fired brass, FL sized and trimmed. I rechecked the headspace with the gauge again tonight. Its good.

[stangfish]

The headspace on a belted magnum is set off the belt and I personaly hold that dimension. I would bump the shoulder on the reloads and see what happens there.

[masterblaster]

bump the shoulders you mean run all the way up in the sizing die? I am doing that already, its a lee sizing die. Should I get a fancier die? Lee is all I use for my 7 other calibers, but they are not belted.

[nso123]

The headspace on a belted magnum is set off the belt and I personaly hold that dimension. I would bump the shoulder on the reloads and see what happens there.

X2. The match chamber might be slightly tighter than a standard chamber which could be contributing to your problems.

[masterblaster]

Okay tell me how do I bump the sholders if I am already running them all the way up in the lee FL die? Do I need a different die for this?

[stangfish]

Describe all the way up.

[masterblaster]

Until the shell plate is hitting the botto of the die with about 10-20 lbs of pressure on the press lever.

[nso123]

Are you crimping when you seat the bullet?

[masterblaster]

No I never crimp, had a over crimp prob years ago on some 308, never did it again.

[nso123]

You might want to get the chamber specs from CBI and then check your brass dimensions. 300WM can be a little funny around the belt if I remember correctly. I have never had a problem with mine, but it is not a match chamber. I remember measuring some of my brass for some reason and I think it was a similar situation that someone was having.

[stangfish]

Do you have a way of measuring case headspace?

[northlander]

Look at the outside of your brass, look for scraping marks from the minimum spec chamber and brass that has been fired in other (larger) chambers. Belted magnum calibers are not the easiest to resize. several years ago I read an article where a company developed a special two piece die for properly resizing belted magnums. The problem you are describing is not uncommon with brass that was fired in a larger chamber. that is the whole reason that the company made their two piece resizing die.

Try using all new brass and see what happens. To see which of your fired cases will work try putting some magic marker (easily removable) on the outside of the brass about 3/8" to 5/8" up from the head. You should be able to see which cases are the problem ones. I have a Model 70 with a factory tube that will not tolerate any "snug" cases. Once I sorted through my brass the problem was eliminated.

Jim Briggs
NSS

[masterblaster]

Okay Jim, got it, I will try the same brass I fired through the barrel last weekend tomorrow, I reloaded it already. This barrel looks like a howitzer and shoots like a M1 tank Jim. Quite a wait but worth it. I know the die you are talking about I read the same article.

here is the article

http://www.larrywillis.com/300winmag.html

[Willoughby]

recommendation # 1
get a hornady head space gauge
set your die until it resizes your brass 1 thousandth shorter than your fired brass
I run 2 diff 300 wm's this way
recommendation # 2
if #1 is not an viable option for you
take a case fired in your barrel and reset your headspace with that piece of brass

[masterblaster]

I will try that this weekend, I have the H headspace gauge but didnt check before resizing, you know why,,,,,, because I am an idiot sometimes. I will do this on sunday.


Modified by me......Apache.......I'll have to issue an infraction next time if you use that language openly......keep it family friendly, remember.

[Blitzfike]

I''ve been shooting belted magnums for a number of years and when getting used brass from someone else, I always had to check to make sure it would chamber after full length sizing. Many would not, and some of mine got to the point that they wouldn't chamber. I read about a collet sizing die that squeezes the brass back to SAAMI specs, to cure that issue. I read several testimonials about it and decided to try it. It works.. If interested, here is a link to the website. http://www.larrywillis.com/
scroll down to the collet sizing die. I use this on all my belted magnums and it recovered lots of brass that wouldn't chamber in my guns. I personally like it a lot. That may help your problem, or it may not but at some time your brass will swell just ahead of the belt and won't chamber without resizing with a die like this one. Good luck.. Blitzfike

[Blitzfike]

Sorry Jim, I missed your post about the collet sizing die. I sure like mine.. Blitzfike