6.5 creedmoor brass

Geoff Clover

Private
Minuteman
Mar 15, 2023
9
1
Az
Howdy shooters, reloading question: I have been reload for a long time now and have encountered a new problem I can’t seem to find an answer- I have lots of once fired brass (all Hornady) that I full length resize, trim, clean and load and have never had a problem even with brass from other rifles. I just loaded some with the same process and I had a problem with them pushing really hard into the chamber and when firing, severe over pressure. I stopped after 2 rounds to investigate and have no ideas. I have measured the other loaded cartridges and compared to new factory within a few 10,000’s of an inch to factory. Load is 2.805” with Hornady 143 eld-x on 43gr reloader 16 and cci 200 primers gives me ~2700 with no pressure signs. Going back to factory ammo cycles with no problems. I am at a loss and would appreciate any help. Thank you
 
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OAL is good for ensuring cartridge fits magazine and feeds properly. However, messing with seating depth and bullet jump you need to address Case Base to Ogive (CBTO) and consistency. Prepare a dummy cartridge, use felt marker to blacken the bullet, feed and carefully eject dummy and check for striations on bullet ogive.
 
Share your actual fired vs sized measurements of you want to find an actual answer. We need actual data.

43 grains of rl16 is a lot. Especially for a gas gun.
I’ll try and take a few pics for you. It’s a bolt gun and I have been using this load with no issues for a while now and that’s why I’m just so confused with the problem.
 
Are you full length sizing,making sure the shoulder is pushed back far enough?
I’ll have to recheck my dies, I have been using the Hornady does for a few years now. Yes I full length size always but good point about the shoulder, I’ll have to check some other once fired and compare when they are resized. The die has been locked in and I checked before but I also have two kids so who knows if they messed with them. Thank you
 
OAL is good for ensuring cartridge fits magazine and feeds properly. However, messing with seating depth and bullet jump you need to address Case Base to Ogive (CBTO) and consistency. Prepare a dummy cartridge, use felt marker to blacken the bullet, feed and carefully eject dummy and check for striations on bullet ogive.
Thank you, I did that and was about 0.060 jump to the lands so they weren’t jammed in 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
Have you tried to just load in a sized case? If nothing changed with the round, then I'd look to see if my barrel had carbon built up and causing a carbon ring or similar effect with carbon build up, but yeah some actual data would be helpful
 
I’ll try that and see if I’m having issues with just resizing and load one of them in to see if the bolt is not closing or closing hard with just the resize. , it goes in line with one other post on the thread. Thank you
 
Old thread bump.

I am having a similar problem. My bolt rifle will have a heavy bolt lift with the Hornady brass. I have reloaded mixed head stamp batch to confirm. Unfortunately I am new to the cartridge and it will be a low volume gun so I don't have a lot of data.
 
The solution to hard chambering is to make sure the chamber is clean, followed by a comparison of fired case dimensions to resized case dimensions. If the chamber is clean, and a resized case chambers with difficulty, then it is too big. Find out where it is too big and reduce that dimension using the sizer die by screwing the die in. Oftentimes people assume that a die cannot be screwed in more because it is touching the shell holder, but this isn’t so. With a case in the die, the press frame stretches/flexes and the die is pushed away from the shell holder by the case being sized. This results in cases that are undersized for some chambers. Also, make sure you have adequate lube in the case. The slicker the case the more it conforms to sizing. Use imperial sizing wax.
 
The solution to hard chambering is to make sure the chamber is clean, followed by a comparison of fired case dimensions to resized case dimensions. If the chamber is clean, and a resized case chambers with difficulty, then it is too big. Find out where it is too big and reduce that dimension using the sizer die by screwing the die in. Oftentimes people assume that a die cannot be screwed in more because it is touching the shell holder, but this isn’t so. With a case in the die, the press frame stretches/flexes and the die is pushed away from the shell holder by the case being sized. This results in cases that are undersized for some chambers. Also, make sure you have adequate lube in the case. The slicker the case the more it conforms to sizing. Use imperial sizing wax.
My cases are sized and chamber easily. I only have a heavy bolt lift with the Hornady cases even after they have fire formed in my chamber. I have loaded 2 powder charges, have no signs of pressure but get heavy bolt lift with the Hornady only.
 
Well fucking at least provide that then.

Jeebuz why is it always torture to get basic level info out of people.
-“I got an issue”
-“Well what’s the info we would need to know to help?”
-“None of your business smart ass”
I have already solved MY problem with a different head stamp.

Would you take reloading advice from me?
 
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See, he won’t do it. He asks a question, we try to help, he starts to obfuscate.
And this wads your panties ? Sensitive little fella you are . :rolleyes:

Funny you think you are helping with your advice . The guy that does not know the how to setup a FL die . 🤣
 
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