I'm loading .223 for my Cabelas 12FV. Using Hornady 52 grain BTHP, #2249. Even with a minimum length of 2.255 (using Accurate 2460) the bolt won't close. It seems the cartridge is too long. At 2.240, it still won't close.
Any ideas? Thanks.
Will a full length resized case fit? Can you check head space? Can factory fresh loads chamber OK ? We need more info. You might have a chamber that is to small or short in some dimension. Lots of things could be wrong and you might end up having to send it back to Savage.
I'm using brass I've used before. Factory loads work fine. What's the mim. length I can use?
Is this the first time you have reloaded for this rifle? Are there marks on the bullet where it is touching the rifling when you try to chamber one of your reloads?( If there are marks on the bullet you will have to shorten you OAL, I have an AR15 that I set at 2.225 ). First thing I would try is loading a fresh full length sized name brand casing ( (Hornady, Nosler, Norma,etc.) and see if it fits.
Last edited by 98dyna; 01-27-2019 at 04:08 PM. Reason: more info
My 12fv 223 was extremely short throated. I ended up using a different reamer and touching it up by hand. It cut almost exclusively in the neck and throat area. After touch up, I could load and chamber rounds at normal lengths.
You may not have your die set up properly. For a sanity check, chamber the spent brass before any sizing and see if bolt closure is normal. Then repeat with your sized brass. Be sure to check case OAL too and trim if needed.
What tool are you using to measure case base to shoulder datum?
Incidentally, I am shooting a factory 12FV that came from the factory long chambered. I can close the bolt on a no-go gage. It shoots very well so I'm not inclined to loosen the barrel nut and reset the barrel. I've measured it and it's only a couple of thou long, so no worries.
Banning a gun will not solve what is a mental health crisis inflamed by incendiary rhetoric on social and television media. The first amendment in this case is less precious and more likely the causal factor than the second amendment.
what kind of gun is your old brass from?? Sometimes you need to use a small base die to bring things back in.
I'm using Hornady brass I fired from the same Savage 12FV I am trying to reload. Thanks for all the above inputs.
If factory loads work fine it almost has to be something you are doing in the reloading process. First thing I would do is start comparing measurements from one of my reloads to one of the factory rounds that chambers and shoots fine.
Personally I steer clear of Hornady brass as much as possible anymore having purchased their brass for two different cartridges (.204 Ruger and .284 Win) and both gave me nothing but fits. Weights on the .204 Ruger brass were all over the place and there was so much variance in the neck thicknesses that I had to turn them to the point that half of them ended up splitting the neck on the first firing. In the case of the .284 Win brass I could never get it to extract from the chamber after firing, and no it wasn't due to high pressure. Winchester, Lapua and Norma brass all extracted fine from the same chamber, but the Hornady wouldn't for whatever reason.
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I've starting throwing the Hornady 223 brass in the trash as it seems to be more difficult to FL size, don't know what it is about the Hornady, but it seems to take a lot more pressure on the press lever even with extra lube. I get some "extra" resistance on some FC/LC brass at times, but nothing like the Hornady stuff so I just don't mess with it anymore.
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