Out of the box Tikka will not chamber rounds

[Mike Casselton]

There are other ways to get the base smaller without buying a SB die.

If you're loading only the Manbun, then your stuck.
If you load other, longer .473 based cartridges, then you might be able to use a 25-06, 270, 280, 30-06 to squeeze them down without working the shoulder and neck.

Ask @powdahound76 how he got his used BR brass to fit his chamber

 

[powdahound76]

It was just a little fat for about .125” above the rim.
Had good measurement on the brass everywhere else.

Tried a 6.5 manbun (hornady match) die and it didnt cut it.

Tried an old RCBS FL .308 sizer with no decap pin or expander and worked like a charm.

And of course, once they were fired in the chamber, easy and light pass in the Whidden 6BR die and they drop into the chamber with ease.

 

[Haney]

8000 is written as .008

Keen sense for the obvious eh ? Can you pick out the fly shit in your pepper ?

 

[Haney]

It was just a little fat for about .125” above the rim.
Had good measurement on the brass everywhere else.

Tried a 6.5 manbun (hornady match) die and it didnt cut it.

Tried an old RCBS FL .308 sizer with no decap pin or expander and worked like a charm.

And of course, once they were fired in the chamber, easy and light pass in the Whidden 6BR die and they drop into the chamber with ease.

Whatever man… I have enough sense to know if a rifle isn’t chambering a handload for another rifle, to throw a factory round in it, pull the trigger and measure.
Not go to the internet acting like my new rifle, that won’t chamber another rifles rounds is jacked up.
This thread has been way to complicated is all…. It’s a very simple solution.

Measure before you go sizing away at your brass

The OP started the thread to ask questions and learn . Who are you to give him shit ? Why not just shut your mouth and not act like a sarcastic asshole ?

 

[Mike Casselton]

Keen sense for the obvious eh ? Can you pick out the fly shit in your pepper ?

Yeah, I can.
Now go be an asshole somewhere else.

 

[bradworley]

8000 is written as .008

No offense taken! I'm here to learn.
I've watched tons of videos, scoured this forum and own a couple loading manuals, but still get stumped from time to time (and say dumb shit like 8000th)
I just started reloading about 3 months ago for 308. I'm sure I've been making lots of mistakes that are now being amplified with my new 6.5 manbun, lol

 

[NBPRP]

From a personal stand point, I find it commendable that the OP turned to this forum to ask questions and gain knowledge from all us learned folks. He/She instead could have just tried to figure it out on his/her own and possibly damaging some/all of his/her equipment or worse yet endangered him/herself or possible bystanders.

My first foray into the shooting sports has been addressed in the past in these Forums and it is no secret that I experienced a 'Learning Curve' and was subjected to a certain degree of hazing which seems to be human nature and/or expected.

As per The First Amendment we have the right to say what we want, when we want, and as often as we want and that won't change on this Forum.

Hopefully the OP has a thick enough hide to weather the bantering and idle prattle that just might be encountered here.

 

[918v]

No offense taken! I'm here to learn.
I've watched tons of videos, scoured this forum and own a couple loading manuals, but still get stumped from time to time (and say dumb shit like 8000th)
I just started reloading about 3 months ago for 308. I'm sure I've been making lots of mistakes that are now being amplified with my new 6.5 manbun, lol

For future reference, Sakos and Tikkas are headspaced on the short end of the range and you often feel the bolt closing snug to tight on factory rounds. It just depends on the brand.

Second, Forster dies size the shoulder length the least of the major die brands. If your chamber is in the middle of the headspace range and you cam over on a standard shell holder you end up with .002-003” shoulder bump. If you have a short chamber you end up with no bump.

The solution is Redding or RCBS or similar as you found out. RCBS makes the only 6.5cm small base die on the market. It will get your base diameter down to .468” if you need that.

 

[bradworley]

For future reference, Sakos and Tikkas are headspaced on the short end of the range and you often feel the bolt closing snug to tight on factory rounds. It just depends on the brand.

Second, Forster dies size the shoulder length the least of the major die brands. If your chamber is in the middle of the headspace range and you cam over on a standard shell holder you end up with .002-003” shoulder bump. If you have a short chamber you end up with no bump.

The solution is Redding or RCBS or similar as you found out. RCBS makes the only 6.5cm small base die on the market. It will get your base diameter down to .468” if you need that.

You pretty much just described exactly what I went through!

 

[supercorndogs]

The OP started the thread to ask questions and learn . Who are you to give him shit ? Why not just shut your mouth and not act like a sarcastic asshole ?

 

[bradworley]

When measuring shoulder bump with the Hornady headspace gauge, my fired brass is at 1.558
I've found that bumping the shoulder back .004 is ideal for my rifle.
Anything larger than 1.556 and the bolt will not close.
1.556 and 1.555 are tight and risk the bolt gouging the brass
1.554 and 1.553 seem to be the sweet spot

 

[Haney]

View attachment 7977120View attachment 7977121

I see you and spiffy are the same person, that's some funny shit coward .

 

[Mike Casselton]

When measuring shoulder bump with the Hornady headspace gauge, my fired brass is at 1.558
I've found that bumping the shoulder back .004 is ideal for my rifle.
Anything larger than 1.556 and the bolt will not close.
1.556 and 1.555 are tight and risk the bolt gouging the brass
1.554 and 1.553 seem to be the sweet spot

Measure the .200 part of the web on 3-5 fired cases.

Size them back .002 at the shoulder.
Measure again at the .200.
Record the difference.

Size them back .004 at the shoulder.
Measure the .200 again.
I'd bet it's smaller than the .002 shoulder setback cases.


It truly sounds like the web area is still a bit fat with .002 shoulder setback.

By setting the shoulder back .004, you're also making the web a bit smaller.

 

[bradworley]

Measure the .200 part of the web on 3-5 fired cases.

Size them back .002 at the shoulder.
Measure again at the .200.
Record the difference.

Size them back .004 at the shoulder.
Measure the .200 again.
I'd bet it's smaller than the .002 shoulder setback cases.


It truly sounds like the web area is still a bit fat with .002 shoulder setback.

By setting the shoulder back .004, you're also making the web a bit smaller.

Ok, without sounding like a complete ass that doesn't know jack, what is the "web"?
Headspace, shoulder, neck, datum... These measurements I'm familiar with.

 

[Bradv86]

Ok, without sounding like a complete ass that doesn't know jack, what is the "web"?
Headspace, shoulder, neck, datum... These measurements I'm familiar with.

Measure Diameter here.

The web is the part of the case that the flash hole is drilled through.

 

[Rocketvapor]

WEB

 

[Mike Casselton]

Brad,
I highly recommend you purchase something like the Hornady reloading manual.
The actual book, not the online app.

Sit down and read it from the very beginning.
Read the description and how to and why sections. It will answer most, if not all of your questions. You'll learn what all of the definitions are and the book provides picture references to go along with the descriptions.

To answer one of your questions, the .200 line is .200" from the base of the brass.

The measurement there will show you the diameter and after firing and sizing, it will show how much expansion you're getting and how much sizing down happens with your dies.

 

[FLIGHT762]

I had a tight chambered rifle that would not chamber any cases that had a case web diameter of .469"+. I had a lot of once fired brass, fired from other Rifles, I wanted to use for that rifle. The problem was most of the brass had web diameters of .469"+. My regular sizing dies wouldn't get the web smaller than .469". New factory ammo or brass would chamber fine.

I had to buy Redding Small Base Body Die. That die was able to get the web sized to .468" and corrected the issue.

I took my calipers and set them to .468", locked them and was able to use the calipers as a go-no go gauge for the resized case webs.

It took me a while to figure out the issue since i thought it was a shoulder bump issue. When I shoulder bumped cases .005" below SAAMI minimum and they didn't chamber, I then went to the case web and that was the issue.

Most of the time when a factory rifle won't chamber resized brass, it is a shoulder bump / length issue, but on rare occasions, it can be a case web issue. It can also be a case length issue, but that's also rare and can be measured easily.

I've only have had this issue of the case web once. All of the other chambering issues I've had were shoulder bump issues. I reload for a lot of rifles.

Most of us will take cases fired out of our Rifles and measure the brass in three places: Length. shoulder datum length and case web diameter. Those measurements are written down. That gives a base line when setting up our sizing dies. You can use your rifle's chamber as a gauge.

My Tikka T3 270 Win. has a maximum shoulder bump length of 2.040". 2.0385" chambers with a moderate crush fit and 2.037" chambers easily, no resistance. No case web issues.