Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Cases sticking in chamber of brand new Tikka T3

I've got a brand new T3 LH in 300wsm.
With starting loads of 4 different powders I'm getting cases sticking in the chamber after firing. The bolt handle would lift without any issue, the cases just didn't want to be pulled out of the chamber. One or two I had to knock the bolt back with a chunk of wood.
This is brand new Winchester brass that was full length sized and trimmed to length. Bullet used was a Nosler 180 Accubond.
I'm using a Hornady die set. OAL was exactly what the Nosler book listed.
Powders were RL 17, H380, H414, and H4831. Primers are CCI magnum rifle.
There are not ANY pressure signs that I can see.
After full length sizing, I chambered one of the pre-stuck brass, and it still is "sticky".
I can't figure out what would cause this.
I am ready to send it back to Tikka after I shoot a few factory loads first.
Anybody have some input for me?

Factory loads are what I would try next. If the same problem persists, then I would send it back to the factory.

It is not uncommon to find dies that will not re-size the cases down enough fit into the chamber, if they were fired in another rifle with a larger chamber.

The fact that you said you were going to try factory loads next, but you sized and reloaded some brass indicates to me that the original brass was not fired in your rifle, but you did say new WW brass.

If you have a micrometer, seat a bullet and measure the neck diameter. Subtracting .308 from your reading and dividing by 2 will give you the neck wall thickness. This should be about .015"

It could be that you have some cases that are too thick in the neck and cannot expand inside the chamber when they are fired.

"The bolt lifts easily, but it is difficult to extract the case."

Usually, if the cause is from too high pressures, the bolt will be difficult to lift. The fact that you feel the stickeness when you go to extract the cartridge, instead of when you lift the bolt leads me to believe that there is something besides the cartridge that could be giving you problems.

You said it is brand new. Did you clean the barrel and chamber throuoghly, making sure you removed all oil or grease?

Also, measure the necks of some fired cases. This measurement should be larger by .002 to .004 than the neck measurement with a bullet seated.

I`ll try and help! Start with the simple solutions first.

First, you need to eliminate any sticking brass in your chamber after full-length re-sizing. Your problem could be in the Hornady die which might not be sizing the brass down quite good enough.

To find out, make sure that after the bottom of your die barely touches your shellholder, your die is then screwed down another 1/4 turn or so. Doing so will insure that you are full length re-sizing your brass as best as the die will allow. I had somewhat the same problem when starting to load my new 300 WSM for the first time over two years ago. However in my case, the case shoulder was hanging up too much feeding from the magazine to the chamber. Re-adjusting my die as above immediately solved any feeding problems. I use RCBS dies.

If that doesn`t work, then you may want to try switching dies and see what then happens. That just may solve your problem.

If not, then I`d say your Tikka has a tight chamber which explains your easy bolt lift but also accounts for the difficult extraction from your chamber.

I would try solving the problem with the dies first, then go after the rifle, in which case you may wind up sending the rifle back to Tikka.

The problem is either in your die, a tight chamber, or both. But start with the dies first.

Are you lubing the cases and cleaning them afterwords? Seen that happen to more than one person by not cleaning off the lube. If you are and they are sticky after resizing you have a very tight chamber or you dies aren't doing what they should, but since it's new brass sounds more like a dirty chamber to me.

I found with many of the WSM's, I had to "cam over" new brass to get it to chamber easily. Just a 1/16th turn of the die down, size and test in your Tikka's chamber. Once you find the setting, lock your setting.
"Cam over" is just a little "extra" shoulder bump back.
Keep us posted.

What is happening to you also happened to my brother. we tried different dies and the same thing happened. we sent the rifle back and when we got it same thing. we talked to our gunsmith and he said that is a problem that a lot of gunmakers have with trying to chamber the short mags. Because they take the same short actions that they use with a .308 case and modified it to fit a short mag. The only company that I know of that chambers the short mag to exact diminsions is Kimber. If the dies do not work I would send the rifle in and try to get a new one. If they send you a new one you will most likely not have the same problem.

I'm assuming that the brass you sized and loaded chambered just fine?? If so and they won't come out after firing I can only guess that there is something rough about the interior of your chamber. If it took extra effort to chamber the new fl brass then I believe the issue is with your sizing.
The last few hornady dies I've bought are doing a pretty strong "resize". I would say they could easily change the headspace of even new brass. You may wind up having to shave about .010-.015" off your shellholder if you can't get the shoulder space to bump back. Once again....if your new brass chambers fine and then wont' come out....I would be leary of the guns chamber dimensions.

Everything 123...said in his first post is spot on.

I also might add, grab your micrometer, and a headspace gauge, and take ALL your case dimensions (neck, shoulder, "L", headspace) on your reloaded rounds. Then check all the same dimensions of the fired cases. That usually tells the story.

One other possibility is the relation of the bullet's ogive to the lands in your rifle. I wouldn't assume just because you loaded according to the book, you weren't jamming the lands. That alone could lead to excessive pressure. I just had that happen to me with minimum charged loads.

Take all the measurements on your unfired, and then fired rounds, and you'll find out what is going on.

I suspect that the shoulder is not pushed back far enough. To find out, chamber an empty case before sizing and after sizing to see if there is any difference in resistance while closing the bolt. Your chamber might also have a short neck which would require trimming your brass to shorter than listed specifications. This and shooting factory ammo should tell you the story.

I know of other people with Tikka's that had headspace issues. Not quite the same issue as your's but speaks for their fit and finish. They are not all bad, you got the 1:10000. I would buy one.

My first set of 300 WSM dies were Hornady. After several tries and working with Hornady on the phone, I sent them back to Midway. Check the case length (not head space) after sizing.

I usually FL size my new brass then trim it. But that's just me.

Before you call or send the rifle back, you have to fire factory rounds. I've sent a rifle back and the first thing the company told me was which brand of ammunition did to use. Do not say reloads or hand loads, they'll dismiss you as not knowing what you are doing. When in actuality your hand loads will in fact be more accurate. Go with a quality brand. I used Black Hills Gold Match grade 30-06 rounds (the rifle I sent back was a not a Tikka 30-06) and they still said there was nothing wrong with my rifle. After convincing them there was a 30 degree temperature difference between their range and mine, they replaced the stock. Again, not the same problem as what you are having.

Hope I helped

HaYen

the shooting factory ammunition is the best advice I have heard, if it sticks with factory ammunition send it back to them. If it does not then its your problem.

Perhaps I am missing something here, but I fail to see why tinkering with the dies would help with the extraction of a spent case. I can see how it would help get the round into the chamber but not out of the chamber once the round has been fired. If the round chambers easily and the case conforms to the chamber when the round is fired, it should be easily extracted unless the pressure is excessive or unless the chamber is rough. I had a 7mm Rem Mag M70 that had very difficult extraction for a while until I gave the chamber a good cleaning.

I shot 5 round of Federal Fusion today.
No problems.
I have readjusted my dies, and will try again.

If it was not mentioned, get a shotgun swab, coat in JB, and polish....

Good luck...

Glad to hear that the factory rounds worked fine. And here I thought that I had the answer.... I figured it must have been right hand reloads in a left hand gun.

perhaps you want to pull the bullet out of one of the factory fusion loads and measure the case length and neck thickness as compared to what you are producing.

Shot some handloads today.
Sticking seems to be gone after adjusting for more cam over.
Now the stupid thing won't shoot...another problem completely.
Fusion and all my handloads are grouping at 4" at 100 yards. I'm not a great shot, but my other rifles let me shoot under and inch all day long.
Maybe this needs to go back to beretta?