Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Tight chamber?

Eureka! Plenty of lube inside the case neck did it! I noticed immediately how much easier it sized. Never did the necking up thing, I guess I didn't know what normal pressure was to neck it up. That was a bit of a duh thing for me, should have known better. Thanks for your help folks! I am glad I asked on here. Honestly I was still a bit nervous just calling it a tight chamber and firing it as is. Had I done that, I figure somewhere along the line I would have had case head separation. I guess I will chuck the Nosler brass and chalk it up to a good learning experience!

Now might be the time to measure your expander ball and see if it's a bit over size. You have looked at about everything else. Great thread. It looks like you have it figured out.

kwg

This was a great thread full of good information. Thanks guys.

Jim

Jevyod, so far so good. Your testing where expander is removed from die would suggest that you do not have a headspace issue. The FL die as installed in press where shell holder bumps die base, camming over a bit, sets back the case shoulder and sizes the case body taper to where case will chamber ok.

I assume you don't have tooling to measure the shoulder setback after FL sizing so an assumption is that the die is manufactured to give an acceptable shoulder setback where you are not excessively shortening the case.

I use bore mops to clean inside case neck, both before sizing and after sizing. No brushes here as I do not want to rough up the surface of the case neck. My preferred solvent is PVC pipe cleaner. Kinda nasty stuff but does remove loose powder fouling, case lube, and evaps proper. I suppose Isoalcohol or other solvents are good to. Pardon my rambling here.

I suggest you examine expander for any roughness. Polish expander might be a good option too.

This is what the Lee expanding rod looks like. Almost like they expect people to neck up brass! But again, thanks for all the good suggestions and the help!
Now I will run the brass through the tumbler to clean off all the RCBS lube!

Sound like the smith short chambered the barrel to help with case life. I would think you could buy a shell holder set of various thickness.

So going forward, what's you plan to know how far you're pushing the shoulder back during resizing?

You're almost there, by the way.

Good shootin' -Al

Well Al, he can use either a 40 S&W or 45 ACP case if I remember correctly or the Hornady case gauge.

That's a good trick Swifty, pistol case that is.

I invested a good amount of time spinning my own gages on lathe.

A pistol case, the Hornady checker or this brass gizmo I make will all work.

I was thinking I should get on of Hornady's headspace gauge kit, but was not finding 338-06?

Either way Al, you threw out a bone with no meat. I just added some cheap meat. I would use the pistol case for now and who knows he may not see the need to spend 50 bucks on the Hornady.

Wait, the 30-06 will work because it headspaces the same?!

Yep.
👍

Sorry I just saw the 45 acp method. That is cheap and easy, as I have 45 acp brass at home. But yes, I was planning on checking the headspace for real this next go around!

Felt pen or smoke the case and find where its tight

In my post of 2-23 (#18169949), I offered to send to you one that I make. No need to buy anything.

Good shootin' -Al

That's very good of you Al! Hope Jevyod takes you up on that offer.

Very kind of you sir! Pm sent

Have a similar issue with a custom 300 Winchester mag. RCBS and Redding dies would not keep the shoulder bumped to fit the minimum chamber, but a Forster FL sizer worked.