Handloads Jamming Bolt

Ivan9686

The bolt on my Weatherby Vanguard 30-06 jammed and would not chamber some 168 gr Hornady Amaxs I loaded with a Lee Classic reloader. These do not have crimping grooves and per Lee guidance, should not be crimped. The once fired commercial cases were sized and trimmed to specs and the loaded product was measured for specification. I did note the cases had a definite ridge around the neck. They work fine in a NEF handi rifle. Any suggestions on what on the issue and a remedy.

charliemeyer007

Can you post some pic's of the ridge. Does it appear after you seat the bullet? Back your seating die one turn out of the press and turn the bullet seating stem in to seat the bullet to proper depth.

You might have a tight chamber and a loose die even tho both are within the specifications.

Ivan9686

Maybe the term ridge is not appropriate. With commercial ammunition or hand loaded with a crimping groove, the transition between the bullet and the case feels smooth. With these, the end of the neck is noticeably larger than the bullet ad you can feel it. I don't have any of the loads with me right now so a picture isn't possible.

Mobuck

Look at the shoulder for an imperceptible bulge. Happens quite often. The crimp shoulder in the seating die bumps a slightly longer case and the force causes the shoulder to swell.
Did you chamfer the case necks after trimming?

Ivan9686

The cases were chamfered. There is no sign of a bulge.

charliemeyer007

So will your sized cases fit in the rifle? Are you neck sizing or full length? Shell holder and sizing die the same brand?

Okie743

I would think about full sizing a brass case and try chambering the hull without a bullet in the case. If chambers ok without a bullet your bullet seating die needs adjusted properly in the press per charliemeyer007 suggestion. (the shoulder area is bulging due to incorrect adjustment of the bullet seating die and the H&R has slightly larger chamber and will take the case ok.)

If the brass hull chambers hard without a bullet, try adjusting the sizing dies down to where it touches the shellholder with a slight breakover of the press arm so as to further full size the case. If the hull still chambers hard in the Weatherby try a RCBS sizing die. If still no go fire couple factory shells in the rifle then send your RCBS sizing die and your fired hulls to RCBS and they will make you a sizing die at a very reasonable cost if any. (they will custome make a die for your guns chamber using the fired case for reference

FrancF

quote:Originally posted by Ivan9686
They work fine in a NEF handi rifle. Any suggestions on what on the issue and a remedy.


Just a question, did you shoot them out of the NEF handi rifle first then only Neck size for your Vanguard?

Ivan9686

Thanks for the input. The cases are once fired from unknown rifles. I have a set reloaded from brass shot in the rifle that I will check.

Mobuck

If you have a rifle with a really tight chamber, one option is keep trying different die/shell holder combinations until you find something that works. Another option would be to have a shell holder milled off to allow more sizing. Most expensive would be to have gunsmith check and adjust the headspace. Until you've come up with the right solution, check fit of the cases prior to priming.
I'm just guessing that there's something amiss with the way you're sizing or seating.
My daughter's Savage 243 is a PITA due to it's minimum headspace. I keep a set of brass specifically for that rifle since I've not found sizing dies that will resize cases from another rifle to fit 100% of the time.

Ivan9686

Thanks for your input. The real test will be the once fired brass that were actually fired in the rifle.

Okie743

Try rechambering one that has been fired in the gun before full sizing and if ok full size and test again before adding a bullet.
I kinda suspect you may be distorting the shoulder area just behind the neck when you are seating the bullet, but this is just a guess from my past experience.

JustC

invest in a headspace tool, I use the stoney point "head and shoulders" version. It will tell you if the cases from the NEF have the shoulder further foreward, which will indicate the chamber in the NEF being longer, thus your problem.

if this isn't it, then mic the case right at the body/shoulder junction (on the actual body just behind the shoulder). If the fired cases are thinner in dia at this point than they are after seating a bullet, then your seating die body is too far down, back it off a turn or two. As stated by several other members.

Okie743

Let us know what you find?