I just got a Ruger American in 243.I have brass that was fired in a different Ruger and FL sized.Not loaded or primed but has been trimmed.They chamber ok but the bolt has to be closed with some effort.Is this safe to use?Will the brass ,size itself to my new rifles chamber? Virgin brass chambers just fine
With the once fired brass and virgin brass being chambered something is taking a small chip out of the mouth of the brass.Should I send the rifle back or is it something a smith could easily fix?
If you're feeding empties from the magazine you have no problem, the mouths are simply hitting the rear edge of the chamber, they won't do that with a bullet to guide them in.
You can't reload fired brass without sizing it so do a proper FL sizing and it will fit fine and it won't matter what it was previously fired it.
They have been FL sized and not feeding from magazine but put straight into chamber by hand.
As you probably know, not all chambers are cut equally. FL dies resize the case, but not to SAAMI minimum or even close, in most cases. Depending on how you set up the sizing die, the cases may not have been fully sized. You may have to set the die closer to or on the shell holder to ensure adequate sizing of cases for use in the new rifle.
I would use the existing sized brass for load development. I would buy new brass for use in hunting loads and when sizing fired brass, ensure the die is set up properly to be sure that things don't go sideways in the field. Such fired and properly resized brass should fit much better in your camber.
Set you're die to cam over (1/4 turn past point of contact with shell holder) then size a couple making sure you bottom out the press stroke (all the way)..Do they chamber now?
Set you're die to cam over (1/4 turn past point of contact with shell holder) then size a couple making sure you bottom out the press stroke (all the way)..Do they chamber now?
Will try that tomorrow......thanks
Assuming that the brass is of a proper length, if it takes a bit of extra effort to close the bolt, don't worry about it. After you've fired it in the new chamber it will be fine.
Sometimes I have a hard time explaining things on the net... With my advice above you will feel and see the shell holder contact the die before the press is all the way through the stroke..Keep pushing down on the handle, you will feel it go past (cam over) until you complete a full stroke of the press... Hope you understand this, hard for me to explain..
Assuming that the brass is of a proper length, if it takes a bit of extra effort to close the bolt, don't worry about it. After you've fired it in the new chamber it will be fine.
Brass has been trimmed so I think I will go ahead and load as is if there wont be any pressure problems
[quote=MuleyFan]Sometimes I have a hard time explaining things on the net...
Dont worry....I understood what you were saying
How about the second question........what could be causing the nick at the case mouth?Is there a burr or something?
Do you still get a nick in the brass if you hand feed into chamber and close bolt over cartridge ?
Do you still get a nick in the brass if you hand feed into chamber and close bolt over cartridge ?
Yes....thats the way I have been doing it.I havent tried feeding from magazine yet.I ran a loaded round through it today to see what happened.There must be a burr in there.The bullet was scratched from tip to base.
Just turn the die down a little at a time until they chamber easily. No need to over size if you don't need to. The brass should then fit fine from there on in. Cam-over is usually unnecessary and works brass too much. I only have one rifle that needs as much sizing as the die can give. The rest vary a bit.
What stillbeeman said! powdr