Headspace too tight on PPU brass

Hello,

I apologize if this has been covered. I did several searches and came up empty. Here goes...

I swapped my mid-90's 112 from .223 over to .308. I set the headspace correctly with a Forster gauge. I only have PPU brass which I ran through a semi-auto. A Full Length Sized PPU case will not chamber.

For giggles I wanted to see how much headspace I would need to chamber the brass I have. I added two pieces of masking tape to the head of the GO gauge. I measured a huge .008" extra in tape. I set the headspace again and measured the GO gauge with tape and I compressed it to an extra .006. Now a FS PPU case would chamber just snug.

I have no intention of firing with this headspace setting.

My question is this: Does my PPU brass have too much "grow" in it from being fired from a semi-auto?

I'll get a piece of commercial brass today. I'm thinking that will be the litmus test.

Has anyone run into the above issue before?

Have you measured a piece of full length resized brass. Firing in a loose semi-auto will stretch the cases and force FL resizing. My bet is you have not resized enough.

Figured it out. I have a nasty burr on the extractor. I removed the extractor. Now all my PPU brass chambers with the headspace set properly on the GO gauge. Time for a new extractor and a ball... "****it, dink dink" and its gone...

if Im not mistaken. isnt removal of the extractor/spring/ball advised before headspace measurements?...

Can someone confirm this?

I've never removed anything on the bold before headspace check. I also never use a gauge though.

I have read somewhere it is recommended to remove the extractor also. But, I never have. I also use gages on some and brass on some to set headspace.

It sounds like you may have this figured out, but I will still throw my hat in with my experience.
http://savageshooters.com/showthread.php?t=26112
It took alot to get them full length resized for me. Just a thought in case you are getting any chattering while sizing. I had to use lee lube, the hornady wasn't slick enough and they didn't properly resize.

The gauges I buy have a notch in the base so that the EJECTOR pin is not pushing the gauge over to the side. The extractor clips over the rim of the cartridge, so I fail to see how it is going to cause any issue.