111 .308 having trouble loading

[bottlerocket]

I put together some new loads for my .308 111 today and I am having a REALLY hard time getting the bolt to lock down or unlock back up. I tried some factory remington rounds and they work just fine. I measured every dimension I could think of for the cases and they look just about the same. Does this rifle require a crimp to get it to fit right? I cant think of anything else...

[MARK25-06]

try bumping the shoulder back .002" and try again. MARK25-06

[seanhagerty]

Sounds like you did not have the full length seating die set properly. Try full length sizing some empty brass and see how the bolt operates with it going in the chamber.

Sean

[bottlerocket]

Shoulder cant go back any further, I already have the die flush with the shell holder

[Slowpoke Slim]

OK, we're going to need much more info from you if you want some valuable help.

Have you loaded for this rifle before?

Does a sized, but not loaded piece of brass do the same thing?

Was the brass new, once fired, fired in your rifle, or fired in some other rifle?

Have you checked your over all length of your loaded rounds?

Have you tried marking up a loaded round with a sharpie marker and chamber it to see where it's rubbing at?

Is this a factory stock rifle? Or has the barrel been swapped?

Answers to these questions might lead to more questions, or at least some useful advice.

[bottlerocket]

Have you loaded for this rifle before? Yes

Does a sized, but not loaded piece of brass do the same thing? Yes

Was the brass new, once fired, fired in your rifle, or fired in some other rifle? Once fired in my rifle

Have you checked your over all length of your loaded rounds? Yes, they are correct or even just under

Have you tried marking up a loaded round with a sharpie marker and chamber it to see where it's rubbing at? Yes it looks like the shoulder just slightly

Is this a factory stock rifle? Or has the barrel been swapped? Stock

[M.O.A.]

did you neck size it or full length ?

[bottlerocket]

did you neck size it or full length ?

Full

[M.O.A.]

you dont have .310 bullets do you if not i would say you dont have the sizer die set right to high

[Papa]

Hi,

Just another possibility: Have you checked to make sure your cases don't need trimming?

Papa

[bottlerocket]

Hi,

Just another possibility: Have you checked to make sure your cases don't need trimming?

Papa

They are .009 below max

[earl39]

what brand full length die are you using? Also what press?

[nova1194]

My 308 has a short throat and rounds cannot be loaded to the max length listed in the reloading manual. If you do then it is just as you described, cant hardly open or close the bolt.
Try seating the bullets a little deeper.

Mike

[bottlerocket]

what brand full length die are you using? Also what press?

Hornady
Lyman Spar T

[MARK25-06]

try bumping the shoulders back .002" grind a couple thou. off the shell holder, that will let the case go up into the die and bump the shoulder back MARK25-06

[Slowpoke Slim]

Gentlemen,

If a sized, but not loaded piece of brass has the same problem, it has nothing to do with seating depth.

bottlerocket,

You have the FL die down flush to the shell holder, with no gap. You can still turn the die down another 1/4 turn past flush, and "cam over" your press to bump the shoulder back. If the marker trick shows a slight rub on the shoulder, then they will need bumping back.

This will probably fix your problem.

BUT--

If you're running the die down to the shell holder and touching without sizing a piece of brass in it, you will have a slight gap between the bottom of the die and the shell holder when you do size a piece of brass. The extra resistance of sizing a piece of brass will take the "play" out of the press linkage, causing the ram to travel slightly less distance (we're talking a couple of thousandths here, like a sheet of paper thick). This could be just enough for your FL die to not bump the shoulder back. You can check this for yourself by shining a light at the die/shell holder all the way up with a piece of brass in it, and look from the other side for a hair thin gap between them.

You've loaded ammo for this rifle before, but I take it this is the first time you've had chambering problems? Is this the first time you've loaded fired brass, or have you been able to reload brass before that was fired in this rifle without this problem? Are you using the same die set and shell holder as before?

You may have to experiment with another brand FL die that is slightly "tighter" than the one you're using now.

[Luckus]

Try what Slowpoke Jim says, it will probably work.

[Luckus]

Sorry, Its Slowpoke Slim!

[wbm]

If the front bolt is tightened too much and protrudes into the receiver (doesn't take much) it can also produce the problem you are experiencing.

[earl39]

If the front bolt is tightened too much and protrudes into the receiver (doesn't take much) it can also produce the problem you are experiencing.

that would affect all loads. Reread his first post and you will see it doesn't happen with factory loads.

[gotcha]

The last time we heard from bottle rocket was the 27th. If he resolved the problem, sure would be nice if he'd say so ::)