reloads sticking

reloaded some shells today. tried experimenting with seating bullets just off the lands. I got a shell case made 4 slits in the neck and put a bullet in it and put into gun. checked with calipers and got 2.875 to the lands. tried reloads at 2.865 to get ten thousandths off lands but when I put the shells in the bolt closes but when I open bolt i can lift the bolt but have to whack the bolt with hand a time or two to get bolt to slide back. is my oal too long and bullet is grabbing the lands and keeping it the bolt from sliding back. thanks guys. the rifle is a 260. nosler book says oal is 2.800.

forgot to add that resized cases by themselves cycle through gun just fine. tried all of the empty cases that i had resized and they work fine. thanks.

The easiest way to tell is to take one cartridge and seat it a little deeper and see if it fixes it. If it does then you found your problem, if not you have ruled out one possiblility ;)

Sometimes I have tried your slitted case trick, and found it didn't hold the bullet tight at all, and when I pulled it out to measure it I got a false reading because the bullet stuck to the lands just enough to pull it out of the slitted case and it measured long that it should be.

Just a thought.

thanks for the replies guys. would the lands hold the bullet like that if the bullet in them. thanks.

It could, it could also hold it tight enough fo the bullet to stick and when you pull the bolt back you end up with a gun full of powder :)

I know you probably already know this but hornaday makes a really nice oal gauge that works very well,I have had one for several years I think it was around 30.00 and the modified cases are about 5.00 each well worth the cost IMO. A handy tool to have when your trying to seat bullets .010 off the lands. I know there are other methods (cheaper) but as you have seen they don't work as well. Good Luck

Rataka I have used your method for years, only I only put one slit in the neck. Also only use the same bullet when you are measuring as you are going to load. The land contact can be different because of the shape of the bullet. I check several times and use the average and it has been real close for me.

There is another method, use a fired case (no slits) from the rifle you are measuring and adjust your sizing die so it puts just enough tension on the neck to hold the bullet in place but still able to pull the bullet out of the case by hand measure a few times and then avg. it from there. That will get you close but the correct tools are always best

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Originally Posted by rakatak

reloaded some shells today. tried experimenting with seating bullets just off the lands. I got a shell case made 4 slits in the neck and put a bullet in it and put into gun. checked with calipers and got 2.875 to the lands. tried reloads at 2.865 to get ten thousandths off lands but when I put the shells in the bolt closes but when I open bolt i can lift the bolt but have to whack the bolt with hand a time or two to get bolt to slide back. is my oal too long and bullet is grabbing the lands and keeping it the bolt from sliding back. thanks guys. the rifle is a 260. nosler book says oal is 2.800.

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My striker will do as you described if I'm setting the seating die and I don't get them set deep enough