In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

.270 win reloading

tomcat_blackknightstomcat_blackknights Member Posts: 67 ✭✭
edited September 2012 in Ask the Experts
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

  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    t_b,

    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.
  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    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.

    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.
  • AmbroseAmbrose Member Posts: 3,158 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Set your sizer die so when the ram comes up it bumps hard against the bottom of the die. All presses have some amount of "spring" and that's probably what's preventing your cases from being fully resized. As has been said, check brass length (after sizing). Max. case length for .270 is 2.540. I usually have to trim some cases after they have been fired twice.

    Congrats on your new rifle!
  • Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
    edited November -1
    The most common causes of your problem are previously noted, but to summarize: Partial resizing may leave a portion unsized that is larger than it's corresponding portion of the chamber, so completely full-length resize; 2. the necks may be crushing up against the front of the chamber, so trim the necks after resizing, to seems to me trim length for a 270 is 2.54 or so; 3. the bullets may be seated so that they contact the rifling- with a load that won't go completely in, dismantle and insert the empty case and see if it fits- if so, either seatthe bullet slightly deeper or select a bullet with it's full diameter farther back.
  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Coopers are beautiful guns, well done!

    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)
  • mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    No real good reason to use used brass, it will cause lots of problems and just is not worth the hassel.. Buy new brass and be done with it...
  • sandwarriorsandwarrior Member Posts: 5,453 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you've trimmed and are still getting stiff closing of your bolt, take a sharpie (is as important as your calipers) and color a case then chamber it and see where it's being held up. You might need to change shell-holders or have one ground down a few thousandths. You can do this yourself by gently putting the top against a fine wheel or belt sander (emory cloth, most machine shops have one). Do not use the round face or it won't come out even. I'm sure on a quick job like that someone will help you.
  • bambambambambambam Member Posts: 4,814 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by charliemeyer007
    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?
  • azpowerwagonazpowerwagon Member Posts: 376 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    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?[/quote]

    Set that shoulder back and you most certainly will have an excess headspace situation, with one exception. Don't do it....
  • navc130navc130 Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What you MUST DO is run some factory loaded rounds (maybe two or three different brands) thru the rifle to see if they chamber correctly. If they function OK then start doing a process of elimination of the reloading factors, i.e., what area on the case is causing the problem. If the factory rounds do not chamber properly, then you may have a rifle chamber problem: minimum size, out of round, too short at the shoulder or mouth.
Sign In or Register to comment.