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.270 win reloading
tomcat_blackknights
Member Posts: 67 ✭✭
so i just bought a cooper .270 win. (havnt shot it yet) the reason i went with a .270 is because its such a common round plus i have a ton of used brass for it that i accuired some how. (not sure how but i have it) i have been reloading for around 3 or 4 years. mainly straight walled pistol stuff. so i wanted to start loading up some ammo for this gun. i planned on just starting with the exact same loads that cooper used to test fire this rifle. which work out well since i have the same powder and primers they used. i bought a set of hornady full lenghth dies adjusted them as per hornadys directions which are close to other manufacture directions. ran a dozen or so through the resizer die. with that being said once through the resizer die i tried to chamber a resized piece in my rifle and the bolt wont clamp down. some do some dont. mainly more dont than do. now a buddy of mine suggested that the brass i accuired went through a semi auto rifle there for i might need to get a set of small base dies to get them back to unfired dimensions. my question here is i could see useing a small base die if i were to use this ammo in an automatic, but shouldnt a full length die at least resize this brass enough to make it chamber in my bolt action?
Comments
The only reason you would need a set of small base dies, is if you were reloading for a semi-automatic. You are fine with what you have.
As for your brass, since you are not sure where you got it from, you have no history of its use. You don't know if it was once fired, reloaded 8 times, or just tarnished from age, but never fired. I would discard it and start from scratch, as then you can keep track of each and every loading of a certain run of brass you have.
From the symptoms you are giving, it seems that some of the brass you have might need to be trimmed. Trimming is very important, as it keeps the case mouth/neck from getting wedged into the forcing cone area of the chamber. Always check your case length after resizing, and trim accordingly. Also, deburr, and bevel/chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouth when you are done trimming.
For accuracy purposes, in bolt actions, or single shots only, I would suggest you acquire a neck sizing die(sizes only the neck, and leaves the rest of the case alone). I don't believe in crimping to harshly, unless it is for use in a semi auto, or lever gun, or a revolver or semi auto handgun. As a matter of fact, most of my bolt guns I use no crimp with. I also like the Federal GM(Gold Medal) primer's, as well as the CCI BR2's.
If you were going to really get into the high end accuracy, you would be getting a neck turner, and a bushing die.
You might want to also post this over on the reloading forum.
Best
EDIT 1
quote:Partial resizing may leave a portion unsized that is larger than it's corresponding portion of the chamber, so completely full-length resize
This only applies to cases that have been fired the last time, in a rifle other than yours.
I'd spring for some new brass (200 is what I like for rifles of the bolt varity) and work them up ie flash uniform, light champher, fire form with a nice lead bullet, trim to length, full champher. Use you unknown brass for lead loads trigger time.
I have neck turning stuff for outside and reaming for the inside but I almost never use it as most all my rifles shoot better than I can with out all the extra work.
I have seen a time or two when you get a tight chamber and loose sizing die, twice in 40 years with over a 100 rifles.
I would think you will not need or want a crimp on your 270 bolt gun, a 458 yea unless you single shoot it it needs a crimp.
My last thought is you did clean the rifle before testing.
Congrats on your new rifle!
You can also check the shoulder setback, if the dies have the shoulder even a tiny bit too far forward for the Cooper it won't close..or will be tough to close (because you're basically setting the shoulder back with the bolt)
Are you feeding the brass through the mag or are you just dropping the rounds on top and letting them fall into the chamber. Some rifles have problems getting the extractor over the rim making it hard to close the bolt.
+100
You full length dies should size the brass to shoot in your gun.
You may need to do some more adjusting on your dies. You may not have the shoulder set back enough?
You may need to do some more adjusting on your dies. You may not have the shoulder set back enough?[/quote]
Set that shoulder back and you most certainly will have an excess headspace situation, with one exception. Don't do it....